This Knappogue Castle Cask Finish Series is a 12 Year Old Irish Whiskey Aged in Marsala Casks from The Marco De Bartoli Winery
The Knappogue Castle Cask Finish Series is a range of single malts finished in the finest wine casks. The Marco De Bartoli limited release is matured in bourbon barrels for a minimum of 12 years, then further aged in casks from the renowned Marsala Winery. Made exclusively from malted barley, distilled in copper pot stills, this expression is non-chill filtered and bottled at 92 proof.
Marco De Bartoli. Family Roots and Marsala Cask Whiskey
At the westernmost tip of Sicily, Marsala is an ancient city with a complex and fascinating history. It is here that Marco De Bartoli, traces his heritage to one of the largest Marsala-producing families, the Pellegrino, (the other being Florio). As a child, Marco worked in the family vineyard. As a young man he built a successful career as a race car driver. But the lure of home was too strong and he returned, determined to revamp the family business and Marsala’s reputation. Marco rebuilt the old cellar on his mother’s property in the contrada of Samperi outside of the city of Marsala. He searched out old Solera barrels of aged Grillo wines from local farmers, to harness the flavors of the past. These small stocks were a way to get quick access to aged Marsala flavors and tannin’s. Marco planted Grillo vines, ripening the berries to achieve a high level of alcohol, balanced acidity, and the perfect ingredients for quality Marsala. All of Marco’s vines are organically farmed and harvested by hand at its western-coastal location.
Knappogue Castle 12 Year Old Marsala Cask Irish Whiskey Information:
- Region: Ireland
- Distillers: Knappogue
- Bonder: Castle Brands
- Mashbill: Malted Barley (Single Malt)
- Cask: Ex-bourbon barrels & Marco de Bartoli Marsala casks
- Age: 12 Years Old
- ABV: 46% ABV – 92% Proof
- Filtered: Non-Chill Filtered
Tasting Notes: Knappogue Castle 12 Year Old Marsala Cask
This is a premium Cask Finish Series from Knappogue Castle. A single malt that is non-chill filtered, triple distilled and aged for a minimum of 12 years in ex-bourbon barrels before being finished in Marco de Bartoli Marsala casks. Limited to just 690 bottles and exclusive to the Celtic Whiskey Shop!
Nose
This opens with a big uppercut of dried orchid fruit, sweet raisins, caramel and bananas. The malt spirit is layered in sweetness, light spice and some ice-cream cone vanilla.
Taste
Juicy, savory and light, leading to fruity notes. More banana, orchard fruits, malty goodness and a handfull of autumnal nuts. The sweet Marco De Bartoli Winery Marsala casks steal the show her. This is the ultimate example of a dessert whiskey, it’s like a banana split covered in melting mocha chocolate and vanilla icecream. You just want to keep dipping your spoon in again and again.
Finish
The finish is very sweet, bags of sweet fruits like yellow raisins dissipate into dry oak. You can feel the woody tannin’s on the centre of your tongue. The medium length finish is a heavy marsala bonanza.
Where to drink: Knappogue Castle 12 Year Old Marsala Cask
n 1966, Mark Edwin Andrews purchased Knappogue Castle, a 15th century castle in Ireland, which was then in ruins. He and his wife, a prominent architect, then embarked on an ambitious program of restoration, in an effort to return the structure to its original state of glory and grandeur. It was around this time that Andrews began buying casks of fine pot still whiskey from top distilleries in the country. The casks were further aged and bottled under what is now the Knappogue Castle label. His last bottling, a 1951 vintage aged 36 years, is revered by connoisseurs as the oldest and rarest commercially available Irish whiskey on the market. Many years later, his son, Mark Andrews III, would bring Knappogue 1951 and his father’s legacy to the United States and other international markets.
Every Whiskey Tells a Story, What Will Yours Be?
Sláinte from The Whiskey Trail
#EatDrinkExplore – by Paul Kavanagh
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