Maker: Samuel Gelston’s, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK (Johnny Neil)
Distillery: Undisclosed. West Cork? Bushmills?
Age: NAS
ABV: 40%
Michigan State Minimum: $25
Appearance: Golden straw.
Nose: Malt, butterscotch, sea spray, touch of leather.
Palate: Medium bodied and semi-sweet. Butterscotch and toffee, with a little bite in the end.
Finish: Like eating toffee, but without having to pick it out of your teeth when you’re done.
Mixed: Does ok in a Blackthorn #3. The sweetness balances out the bitterness of the vermouth, absinthe, and bitters. Did better in an Irish Cocktail (whiskey plus dashes of maraschino, curaçao, absinthe, and bitters) with more complementary flavors. I didn’t try it with ginger ale, but it seems like it would get lost in it.
Parting words: I bought this whiskey because I was in a hurry. I was looking for an affordable Irish to review for St. Patrick’s day weekend, saw it on the shelf at Holiday Market, grabbed it, and ran to the check out because I had places to be. I don’t regret my choice.
Gelston’s is a bottler headquartered in Belfast, but owned by Johnny Neil, a New Zealander who is a descendent of Harry Neil who bought the brand from Sam Gelston in the nineteenth century. Johnny is also cousin to Big Time Movie Actor Sam Neil. Sam has collaborated with Johnny, and supplies Gelston’s with used Pinot Noir barrels from his winery in New Zealand.
There are six Gelston’s expressions currently available in the state of Michigan: Blended, Single Malt ($35), Bourbon cask ($40), Pinot Noir cask ($45), 25 y/o ($420), and Irish Cream ($25). I’ve only ever seen this Blended expression, but I’ll keep an eye out for the others.
While Gelston’s Blended isn’t a world-beater, it meets expectations for its price range. I like it best as a sipper, but it’s fine in strong, classic cocktails too. Samuel Gelston’s Blended Irish Whiskey is recommended.
Sipology 