Walsh Whiskey has released the 2022 edition of The Irishman Vintage Cask, a rare cask strength Irish whiskey expression. This year’s vintage is limited to 6,100 bottles worldwide, with 1,200 bottles (25.4 U.S. Fl. Oz./ 750 ml) assigned to the United States and 4,900 bottles (23.7 U.S. Fl. Oz./ 700 ml) for the Rest of the World. The 2022 vintage is the 14th release since 2008, when it became the first triple-distilled Cask Strength Irish whiskey released in over half a century.
The Irishman 2022 Vintage Cask is a blend of triple distilled aged Single Malt and aged Single Pot Still whiskey. The casks used for this annual vintage are hand-selected by The Irishman’s founder Bernard Walsh. There’s a new limited release every year, so you’ll never experience the same whiskey twice.
“The Irishman Cask Strength series is an annual celebration of one of Irish Whiskey’s greatest traditions,” explained Walsh. “A revival, brought back by The Irishman in 2008, that helps to showcase a style of whiskey from the heart of Irish whiskey’s golden era. The 2022 vintage of The Irishman Vintage Cask is a whiskey full of true strength of character, fortitude, depth and body, but with a surprising mellowness that ripples on the tongue.”
On the nose, the whiskey offers apple and pear alongside decadent spices of cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove. The palate features sweet apple blossom, wild honeycomb, and nutty spice. The finish delivers walnut, chocolate, and toasted oak.
Bottled at 54.9% ABV, The Irishman 2022 Vintage Cask is non chill-filtered and is priced at €130/ US$140. Stockists and distributors can be identified through the brand’s official website.
The 2021 vintage had “decadent notes of candied orange and cherries to the fore, while a subtle nuttiness builds slowly on the palate,” said Walsh upon release.