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Walsh Whiskey Creates New Expression at Heart of Portfolio- Writers' Tears Double Oak

A Blend of Two Premium Irish Whiskey Styles, Aged in Two Types of Wood to create Writers’ Tears Double Oak.

8^th MAY, 2019 – Carlow, Ireland: Walsh Whiskey has created a new core expression for it’s Writers’ Tears range which focuses on exploring the rarest of whiskey blends first made popular in 18^th century Ireland – aged Single Pot Still and Single Malt premium whiskeys.

Writers’ Tears Double Oak, is a blend of the two premium whiskey styles aged in two types of wood – American and French Oak. It is triple-distilled, non-chill filtered and bottled at 46% ABV. The new expression is made possible by a close collaboration between the Walsh family in Ireland’s County Carlow and the Legaret family in Cognac, France.

Through its partnership with the Legaret family, Walsh Whiskey recently introduced French oak to followers of the Writers’ Tears portfolio with the limited release of Writers’ Tears Cognac Cask. Encouraged by it’s success, Bernard Walsh decided to make French oak a permanent feature in the Writers’ Tears portfolio through the introduction of Writers’ Tears Double Oak.

Double Oak is the third core expression in the Writers’ Tears range which includes the Copper Pot and Cask Strength versions. It is the 14^th expression in the wider Walsh Whiskey portfolio, including the extended Writers’ Tears and The Irishman ranges.

The American oak contributes bolder flavours with more sweet and vanilla overtones due to the presence of more lactones in the wood. The French oak, on the other hand, generates silky tannins which yield a light sweetness combined with fruity flavours that persist in the mouth.

Bernard Walsh, Founder and Managing Director of Walsh Whiskey, said: “We are driven by our quest to create the perfect ‘drop’ of Irish whiskey. Our fascination with what has gone before us provides an endless well of inspiration and that led us to work our way back to exploring what French oak first brought to Irish whiskey’s taste profile in the 1800s. I look forward to hearing what followers of Writers’ Tears think of our addition to the family.”

The use of French oak casks in the maturation of Irish whiskey was widespread through the 17^th and 18^th centuries. This changed in the 19^th century, as a result of a lack of availability of French oak due to the wine blight of the 1860s. This coupled with the arrival of more affordable and larger quantities of American oak casks, which was driven by the surge in exports of Irish whiskey at the time, gave rise to a unique ménage of both French & American Oak barrels being used for maturing Irish whiskies and the resultant blends gave a new twist in the flavour profile of Irish pot and malt whiskeys.

As one of Walsh Whiskey’s core expressions, Writers’ Tears Double Oak is available to all markets, and will be first available in the USA, Russia, UK, Germany, France, the Netherlands & Ireland (including Dublin Airport).

The Recommended Retail Price is €55 in Ireland and $64.99 in the USA which is keenly priced in keeping with Walsh Whiskey’s tradition of delivering high premium and rare whiskeys at affordable price points.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Dashes of sweet vanilla, notes of cinnamon, plum & poached pear.

Taste

Pressed grapes and citrus zest.

Finish

Chocolate undertones and lingering spice.