Review: Keeper’s Heart Irish Single Malt Finished in Tokaji Barrels 21 Years Old
Minnesota-based Keeper’s Heart built its early reputation by blending Irish and American whiskeys, or as the company says, “melding Irish and American whiskey traditions.” They followed up some early attention with several more straightforward releases, including a 10 year old Irish single malt we called “restrained but elegant.”
Under the guidance of Brian Nation — former Master Distiller of Ireland’s historic Jameson Midleton Distillery — Keeper’s Heart is rolling out the first in what they say will be a yearly series of luxury expressions. First up is a 21 year old Irish single malt, originally sourced from Cooley Distillery and finished in Tokaji barrels at Keeper’s Heart HQ. (For reference, Tokaji is a class of Hungarian sweet wines from the Tokaj wine region.)
It’s bottled at 48.5 percent abv with a price tag to fit the luxury classification: a cool $999. Let’s see how it tastes!
The nose kicks off with sandalwood, hard apple cider, cigar box, and light pine soap. Seabreeze salinity wafts in gradually, along with various cooked fruits: peach, green grape, persimmon, and brandy-soaked golden raisins. The wood influence, fruit aromas, and minerality coalesce for a pretty captivating first act. And it’s impossible to ignore that element of hard cider, lending the nose a near-effervescent quality.
Savory, tannic, and oak-forward components lead on the nose. The first sip is much more fruit forward, but not at all overpoweringly sweet. (I was a little extra vigilant in that regard given the high sugar content of Tokaji wine.) Dried apples, cooked peaches, and pears in syrup provide some classic fruit elements up front. By the midpalate, those transition to more tropical flavors, principally guava, dragon fruit, and Pinkglow pineapple. Salinity kicks in shortly thereafter, paired with a creamy and cooling sensation akin to melting peppermint into white chocolate.
The back end is heavy on oak and — once again — sandalwood. It’s a quick transition from here to the finish, more abrupt than expected given an almost luxuriously long and complex midpalate. Lingering notes of dry apple and pear cider never stray far from an oaky core, and I couldn’t help but imagine a dry, oak-aged white wine — somewhat appropriate, given the finishing cask.
97 proof.
A- / $999 (700 ml) / keepersheartwhiskey.com
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