Review: Natterjack Irish Whiskey The Mistake
Review: Natterjack Irish Whiskey The Mistake
It may seem odd for a distillery to label something a “mistake.” Wild Turkey’s Forgiven, a supposedly accidental blend of bourbon and rye, may have started the trend over a decade ago, but since then other happy hiccups have brought us all kinds of different and delightful whiskeys. It made for good marketing back when most whiskey was fairly straightforward, but in today’s world of specialty finishes, unique blends, toasting, etc. it’s probably unnecessary. Upstart Irish whiskey brand Natterjack apparently doesn’t agree.
As the story goes, Natterjack lost track of 46 casks of whiskey for a full year, but once discovered again they were pleased with the results, so a limited edition was hatched dubbed The Mistake. This is Natterjack’s flagship Irish whiskey, an 80% corn-based recipe that is triple-distilled and aged for three and a half years in ex-bourbon, but instead of only one additional year of aging in virgin oak, it accidentally got two.
On the nose, the extra time in oak hasn’t resulted in anything too brash or astringent. It’s actually quite soothing with warm notes of roasted nuts, soft campfire smoke, and new leather. It’s dry, unsurprisingly, but undertones of maple syrup and cinnamon stick build as it opens, offering glimmers of welcome sweetness. All that corn in the recipe ensures plenty of Tootsie Roll sweetness on the palate with a slug of sticky vanilla bean to complement chocolaty wood sugars. The midpalate dries out a bit with licorice and clove but never sharpens, and the wood stays well in check. In fact, the extra time in virgin oak seems to have only improved the body and mouthfeel, adding heft and making the other Natterjack expressions seem thin by comparison. The finish, however, is a bit monotone with heavy notes of Demerara sugar and caramel. That aside, it’s my favorite Natterjack release to date. As far as mistakes go, you could screw up way worse.
92 proof.
A- / $60
Natterjack Irish Whiskey The Mistake
$60
