Samuel Gelston’s Single Malt Irish Whiskey
Samuel’s Gelston’s Single Malt Irish Whiskey is the latest creation from the historical firm, founded in 1830, known for its expertise in ageing, blending and bottling Irish whiskeys. Philip Day shares his thoughts on this single malt Irish whiskey.
Hot on the heels of the excellently tasty Samuel Gelston’s Irish Whiskey Cream Liqueur, reviewed recently, today let’s investigate the multi-award winning Samuel Gelston’s Single Malt Irish Whiskey.
Samuel Gelston’s Single Malt is defined as a non age statement Single Malt, a versatile premium whiskey, made from a blend of locally sourced Irish malted barley and grain that is triple distilled for smoothness, then matured in the finest quality ex-bourbon oak casks.
With savoury spice notes coming to the fore, the combination of triple distillation in addition to the finest ingredients and cask ageing creates an elegantly smooth yet expressive whiskey expression with rich flavours that can be enjoyed neat, or used to add a unique character to whiskey cocktails or Irish Coffee.
Gelston’s Old Irish Whiskey was founded in 1830 by Samuel Gelston, a prosperous wine and spirits merchant based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. He had a shop located in Corporation Street in the city and his Gelston’s Old Irish Whiskey became very popular. After the death of Samuel in late 1869, Henry James Neill (Harry) purchased the company and expanded the scale of the business; the popularity of the whiskey and its distribution significantly, both in Ireland and in overseas markets.
Harry successfully ran the business until his death in 1891, when the business moved to another H.J. Neill of the next generation. However, like many Irish whiskey brands, Gelston’s disappeared as sales slumped as a result of Prohibition in the USA during the 1920s.
Johnny Neill, a fifth generation descendant of Harry J Neill revived the Samuel Gelston’s brand and yet again it is developing a worldwide following.
Johnny Neill has also created such brands as the Whitley Neill and Marylebone gins, and today, Samuel Gelston’s Whiskey sits within the wider Halewood Artisanal Spirits portfolio, who continue to work closely with Johnny to bring the historic Samuel Gelston’s brands back to life with a range of Irish whiskeys.
(For more information on these other whiskeys see the Samuel Gelston’s website.)
Let’s look at Samuel Gelston’s Single Malt Irish Whiskey in more detail:
Tasting Notes (Supplied by Samuel Gelston’s):
COLOUR: Golden
NOSE: A little floral with a hint of malt, savoury spice and nutty chocolate.
PALATE: Woody spice, cassia and nuts with a little burnt caramel.
FINISH: A lingering sweeter finish of marshmallow and honey.
ABV: 40%
SIZE: 70cl
Personal tasting notes (Official sample kindly provided by Samuel Gelston’s Distillery through Burt Greener Communications)
NOSE: Delicate floral and fruity aromas, with hints of malty spice and a butterscotch sweetness.
PALATE: A powerfully rich but smooth mouth feel, slightly citrus but with a spicy, nutty-nutmeg taste that brings a drying element with it. Sweet, honeyed notes, together with a hint of vanilla and burnt caramel.
FINISH: A lengthy honeyed finish with hints of gooey toasted marshmallow.
Perfect for savouring neat or adding to favourite whiskey based cocktails. It would also add a certain oomph to a post meal Irish coffee.
AWARDS: San Francisco World Spirits Competition Gold Award 2021 and 2022
London Spirits Competition Best Spirit By Value & Best In Show (Irish) 2022
London Spirits Competition Gold Award 2022
IWSC (International Wine & Spirits Competition) Silver 2022
World Spirits Award Silver 2022
AVAILABILITY: From most High Street retailers, specialist whisky shops or online.
RRP: £25
The Samuel Gelston’s name is synonymous with quality and innovation.
Since 1830 the company has been ageing, blending and bottling Irish whiskeys of the highest quality and innovating with exceptional cask finishes. Their whiskey range includes a blended variety, as well as a number of exceptional Single Malts and Single Pot Still expressions and rare aged single malt Irish whiskeys, all the way up to 28 Year Old Single Malt, as well as a variety of cask finishes that include Sherry, Rum and Pinot Cask finishes – the height of innovation and experimentation.
(See website for further information.)
Their motto has remained the same over time – ‘Honour, Honesty and Integrity!’
Contact details:
Address: Halewood Artisanal Spirits
First Floor, Tennyson House,
159 – 165 Great Portland Street,
LONDON, W1W 5PA
Telephone: +44 (0)151 480 8800 (Customer services)
Email: info@hjneill.com
Internet: https://samuelgelstons.com
Facebook: @SamuelGelstons
Instagram: @samuelgelstons
References:
- https://samuelgelstons.com
- https://halewood-int.com/
- https://worldwhiskiesawards.com/
- https://londonspiritscompetition.com/
Images:
(Official sample kindly provided through Burt Greener Communications)