Dublin, 1791. A small distillery on a street called John's Lane begins to distil a whiskey so sought after that customers soon ask for it by name – "gold label", they call it. Today the story lives on, twelve years older and with even more body.
Expert Review
Powers John's Lane Release 12 Year Old is an Irish Single Pot Still Whiskey, bottled at 46%.
Powers John's Lane Release is a tribute to the original Powers distillery on John's Lane itself in Dublin, which closed its doors in 1976. Today the whiskey is distilled at Midleton Distillery in County Cork, but the name and philosophy are drawn directly from the old pot stills in Dublin. The whiskey is made from a mash of both malted and unmalted barley and triple distilled in the traditional Irish way – single pot still, a style unique to Ireland. Most of the whiskey is matured in refill American oak casks, while a smaller portion matures in casks that previously held Oloroso sherry. The combination gives a whiskey with markedly more body and spice than most Irish blends, evident from the very first nose. 12 years on cask, 46% and no chill filtration give Powers John's Lane a fullness and bite that has made it a firm favourite among those who love the classic Irish pot still style, on par with names like Redbreast and Green Spot, but with its own spiced and darker profile.
Tasting Notes
Nose
Earthy notes of leather and tobacco meet dark chocolate and charred wood, with a hint of sweet cinnamon-spiced syrup in the background. A fine scent of orange peel and potpourri gives the nose both depth and lightness at once.
Palate
Full and spiced from the first sip, with vanilla, honey and dried apricots unfolding on the tongue. Behind the sweet front lies dark fruit – raisins, blackcurrant – and a lightly bitter coffee note that keeps it all in balance.
Finish
Long and warm, with a lingering sweetness of honey on toasted oak. Copper and pepper arrive late, and the finish closes creamy and round.
Specifications
Name: Powers John's Lane Release 12 Year Old
Distillery: Midleton Distillery (Powers)
Region/Country: County Cork, Ireland
Type: Irish Single Pot Still Whiskey
Age: 12 years
Cask: American Oak Casks and Oloroso Sherry Casks
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Other: Non-chill-filtered
EAN no.: 5011007001919
Flavour Profile
Spiced · Sherried · Fruity · Creamy · Oaky
Did You Know?
When John's Lane Distillery closed in 1976, it was the last remaining distillery in Dublin city itself, having distilled whiskey continuously since 1791. The old pot stills still stand today as part of the National College of Art & Design in Dublin.
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