If you’re looking to rest your shillelagh and pour a contemplative dram to sip and savor this St. Patrick’s Day, Hyde Irish Whiskey is a good place to start.
New to the Missouri market, Hyde Nos. 1 and 4, labeled with the President’s Cask designation, celebrate Ireland’s first president, Douglas Hyde, who served 1938–1945. Both expressions, limited to 5,000 bottles, consist of 100 percent Irish malted barley, distilled at Cooley Distillery and filled in first-fill bourbon barrels. The casks are matured in Skibbereen, in western County Cork, and bottled at 46 percent.
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Hyde No. 1 is aged for 10 years and finished in 250-liter oloroso sherry hogsheads for an additional 10 months. Though twice as big as bourbon barrels, hogsheads are smaller than the traditional sherry butts; the smaller size imparts a greater wood influence to the whiskey in a shorter span of time. The nose is rich with notes of apples, plums, peaches, banana, and vanilla. The spices erupt on the palate with cloves, cinnamon, and cracked black pepper countered by fruit, including apples, apricots, and caramel. The finish, long and sweet, leaves you wanting another sip.
Hyde No. 4 is aged six years and finished for an additional six months in 200-literdark rum casks from Barbados. The nose fills the glass with notes of honeysuckle, pears, mangos, lime, and orange. The palate has loads of vanilla and tropical fruit and hints of cinnamon. The finish is long and dry, with lots of oak. Extremely fruity, Hyde No. 4 provides a new dimension to Irish whiskey.
So this month, whether you’re looking for a smooth, traditional Irish whiskey or a younger, fruitier expression, both Hyde offerings would make a welcome addition to any cèilidh.
Hyde No. 1 is available at The Wine Merchant, The Wine and Cheese Place, and other fine liquor stores. Hyde No. 4 will be available locally in March.
