Clan Colla 9 Year Bordeaux Cask Finish Ahascragh Distillery Blended Irish Whiskey 70 cl 46%

Clan Colla once moved through the west of Ireland, and the name lives on at Ahascragh Distillery in Galway, where Gareth and Michelle McAllister use it to tie their blends to the land's history. This particular release draws its character from the vineyards of Bordeaux rather than the Caribbean.

Expert Review

Clan Colla 9 Year Old Bordeaux Cask Finish is a Blended Irish Whiskey from Ahascragh Distillery, matured in ex-Bourbon casks and finished in Bordeaux wine casks, bottled at 46%.

The whiskey belongs to the Family Bond Series, where Ahascragh pairs malt and grain whiskey from ex-Bourbon casks with a finishing period in red Bordeaux wine casks. The combination gives a more refined, wine-driven profile than its younger sibling in the series, where spiced oak meets fruity sweetness from the wine cask.

The whiskey is bottled non-chill filtered and with natural colour, preserving the full mouthfeel and character drawn from both cask types.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Sweet toffee and brown sugar open things up, with a subtle hint of red fruit lingering behind.

Palate

Peppery warmth gives way to a creamy, wine-driven fruitiness, pulling the flavour clearly away from a classic Bourbon-led profile.

Finish

Distinct oak character with a gentle vanilla sweetness that lingers.

Specifications

Name: Clan Colla 9 Year Old Bordeaux Cask Finish
Distillery: Ahascragh Distillery
Region/Country: County Galway, Ireland
Type: Blended Irish Whiskey
Age: 9 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon casks & Bordeaux wine casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Edition: Family Bond Series

Flavour Profile

Wine finish · Spiced · Wine-driven · Fruity · Full-bodied

Did You Know?

Ahascragh Distillery sits in a 200-year-old corn mill that the McAllister family restored from the ground up, and the name Clan Colla comes from a historic Irish clan said to have ruled large parts of western Ireland during medieval times.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Clan Colla 9 Year Old Bordeaux Cask Finish

What does Clan Colla 9 Year Old Bordeaux Cask Finish taste like?

It opens with sweet toffee and brown sugar, moves into peppery warmth and wine-driven fruitiness, and finishes with distinct oak and gentle vanilla. The Bordeaux wine cask gives it a more complex, spiced direction than a typical Bourbon-matured blend.

Is Clan Colla 9 Year Old Bordeaux Cask Finish worth it?

Nine years of maturation combined with a finishing period in red Bordeaux wine casks is rare among Irish blends, giving the bottle a complexity that rivals whiskeys from far more established houses.

Is Clan Colla 9 Year Old Bordeaux Cask Finish peated or smoky?

No, there is no peat or smoke in this whiskey. The spiced, fruity character from the wine cask drives the flavour instead.

How should Clan Colla 9 Year Old Bordeaux Cask Finish be served?

It shows best at room temperature in a tulip glass, giving the wine-driven notes room to open up. A few drops of water can lift the spice further for those who want it.

What does the Family Bond Series mean for Ahascragh Distillery?

It is the name for the series of cask finishes where Ahascragh Distillery experiments with finishing casks such as rum and Bordeaux wine, while the distillery's own new-make spirit matures in the background.

Where does the name Clan Colla come from?

The name comes from a historic Irish clan the McAllister family traces its roots to, said to have given its name to large parts of western Ireland during medieval times.

Does Clan Colla 9 Year Old Bordeaux Cask Finish make a good gift?

Yes, the age statement and the unusual wine cask finish make it a fine gift for the whiskey lover who has tried most things and is looking for something more nuanced.