In the 22 years it has been owned by the Cleary family, the Temple Bar Pub has built up an extensive whiskey list. It has also developed a strong working relationship with Irish Distillers that culminated recently in the pub's own exclusive single cask, single pot still Powers whiskey. Quite the coup, only topped by having Midleton's Master Distiller Emeritus, Barry Crockett, launch it in Dublin on September 30th.
It's 14 years old, distilled on 6th July 1999. It's the usual Powers pot still distillate, aged in a second-fill American bourbon cask which limits the wood influence and allows the spirit to shine through. The two previous single pot still Powers - the John's Lane and Signature releases - have a small (less than 10%) sherry-matured component that obviously is not present in this new single cask bottling. According to Barry, this is as close as you can get to Powers as it was in the John's Lane distillery days, before production moved to Midleton.
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| The cask that matured the new Powers is suspended above the bar. |
There are 252 bottles, at 46% ABV, individually numbered. In the bar you can buy a measure (for €22.50) or a whole bottle (for €395). As bottles are sold, the price goes up to reflect the diminishing supply.
We are guaranteed more exclusive whiskeys from the Temple Bar Pub because there are two casks filled with 10-year old malt sitting right there in the pub, quietly maturing. I asked owner, Tom Cleary, which distillery they had come from but he's keeping that under his hat, for now at least.
Powers Single Cask official tasting notes:
Nose
Wealth of pot still spices of cinnamon and clove, all softened with a touch of milk chocolate and green tea.
Taste
Initial all spice flavours resolve to spiced honey on a background of hazelnut. A dusting of pepper settling back to a grapefruit finish.
Finish
Lengthy finish with a barley crispness giving way to toasted oak.