Eiling Lim 27 Years Old Irish Single Malt 1989 45% 1973

Professionele reviews

Serge Valentin (90)

bombs, I suppose…

Colour: straw.

Nose: can you name at least thirty tropical fruits? Well done, they’re all in there. Especially pink bananas and tangerines! A touch of spearmint too.

Mouth: well, we’re still in the same very fruity territories. Passion fruits for sure, grapefruits, mangos, a little chlorophyll, Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit gums… Plus a little green tea, and perhaps a tiny bit of Jaffa cake for good measure. I don’t think I’ve met another whisky that’s as splendidly fruity as these Irishs in recent times, given that those old Benriachs and Lochsides and early new Clynelishes are all gone, gone, gone. Right, perhaps not all Littlemills (more about those soon on WF).

Finish: medium, fresh, fruity, easy. Easiness is an asset in this context. Grassier aftertaste.

Comments: this one’s up there too. The others had just a little more knack.

Whisky Notes (92)

Nose: classic Limerick style. Passion fruits, mango cake, banana, papaya. A very fresh fruit salad. Hints of lime blossom. Very subtle bergamot and slightly greener, minty touches. A fruit bomb that’s all about freshness and brightness – very seductive. Mouth: more fruit juice (passion fruits, lime, banana, kiwi) – kind of a summery white wine feeling. Evolves more towards fruit teas, with a light greenness. More towards grapefruits as well. Finish: rather long. Never change a winning horse. A bit more oak now.

This is one of these Irish fruit bombs with lower complexity but higher sexiness. After all these kind of tropical fruits (à la Bowmore 1968, Caperdonich 1972, Tomatin 1976…) are still a Holy Grail for many whisky lovers (including the one writing this). a few bottles left, if I’m not mistaken.