Review: The Muff Irish Vodka, Gin, and Whiskey
Let’s just admit it: The name is funny. And fun. And lends itself to off-color jokes that only get crasser as you work your way through a second glass. But there is an entirely appropriate explanation for the company’s name: the Muff Liquor Company was founded in the village of Muff in County Donegal, Ireland. The village of Muff is close to the northernmost part of the Republic of Ireland and is actually located north of most of Northern Ireland.
The Muff Liquor Company was launched in 2018 by Laura Bonner who, their website informs us, “was inspired by ‘Granda’ Philip McClenaghen, a potato farmer with a knack for innovation and the original creator of the handcrafted ‘Poitín’ recipes that now inspire her spirits.” There’s no Poitín among their offerings, but they do make a potato-based vodka, a gin, and a peated whiskey. The bottles are distinctive with a fun finger loop at the top and the feel of a rustic container married to a glass whiskey bottle. Let’s give each a try.
The Muff Liquor Company Irish Vodka Review
Made with four different kinds of Irish potatoes and distilled six times, this vodka is very clean on the nose, presenting just a bit of vanilla and the lightest hospital note. The palate introduces gentle, lightly sweet vanilla, a bit of earth, and a touch of lemon citrus. The alcohol is very well hidden, and the vodka has a pleasant, creamy mouthfeel, which can be found in good potato vodkas. This vodka will work well in cocktails, but it is good enough to sip neat, and I recommend it highly to fans of potato vodka. 80 proof. A- / $38
The Muff Liquor Company Irish Gin Review
The vodka provides the base for their gin, so it is also made with potatoes and distilled six times. The botanicals, which are cold infused into the potato spirit before distillation, include mandarin, elderflower, grapefruit peel, juniper, and rosemary. Finally, a small amount of Champagne extract is added to the gin before bottling. On the nose, mandarin orange notes hit first, followed by grapefruit pith, and a touch of pine. Quite nice, but the palate proves to be less balanced. There, the notes can be identified, but they don’t come together very well. Black pepper comes first along with mandarin, followed by an earthy note and some rosemary. By itself and in a martini, the gin is a bit of a jumbled mess. In a Gin & Tonic, however, it works nicely and is quite enjoyable, with the mandarin in the gin coupling well with the lightly sweet bitterness of the tonic. If you are making G&T and like a more orange-forward cocktail, this gin is worth a try. 80 proof. B- / $38
The Muff Liquor Company Irish Whiskey Review
On the bottle, this whiskey is described as “peat-smoked” and “triple distilled.” Their website, however, provides a much more complex description, stating that it is “a 5 part blend of Irish Malt and Grain Whiskey’s, each one bringing an individual element.” It further notes:
1. Irish triple distilled grain whiskey in a virgin cask will get a very dark colour from the heavy char toasting and give a sweet vanilla note.
2. Irish triple distilled grain whiskey matured in ex-American bourbon casks, adds a light and sweet note to the mix.
3. Sherry matured triple distilled malt whiskey which gives body to the drink.
4. Double distilled Irish malt whiskey which provides a fruity-ester presence.
5. Peated triple distilled malt whiskey is again matured in ex-American bourbon casks and brings a smoky flavour and long rounded finish.
Poured in a glass, the whiskey presents aromas of gentle peat, apple pie, cereal grains, and a touch of orange juice. The palate is similar with soft peat, lightly sweet caramel, apple, and pie crust. The finish is medium to long. Like the few other peated Irish whiskeys on the market, the peat here is light and designed the pair with the other notes rather than overpower them. For the price, this is a really good peated Irish whiskey. 86 proof. B+ / $38
The Muff Liquor Company Irish Vodka
USD38
