Review #403 - Dunville's 21 Year Palo Cortado Finish
A premium offering from the Dunville's brand, which is now held by the Echlinville Distillery. The name Dunville's actually goes back nearly 200 years in the whisky business, but it was dormant for close to 80 years after a closure and subsequent liquidation in 1935.
Because this 21 year old spirit is older than Echlinville Distillery, we can surmise that it is made with sourced single malt Irish whisky; that source, however, remains undisclosed. What we do know is that the whisky was finished in casks that had previously held Palo Cortado, one of the less common sherry types. This was bottled back in 2022, and they chose a strength of 46% ABV.
Dunville's 21 Year Palo Cortado Finish
Ireland - Single Malt
Current Locally Available Price: USD 264 (2024)
Age Statement: 21 Years
Strength: 46% ABV
Cask Makeup: Finished in ex-Palo Cortado sherry casks
Details: Bottled 2022
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 4 times (twice blind) over 9 months from a sample. Tasted in a Glencairn glass each time, rested 10-15 minutes
Nose: Subtle, with a few different facets: winey, with subtle dark red fruits; a funky malt profile, slightly vegetal, even a bit earthy; soft polished oak, which increases with time. We're having to search hard for the details... grapefruit, vanilla, leans sweet. There's just a hint of tropical fruit like mango or acidic nectarine. Very, very subtle.
Palate: A medium mouthfeel, quite soft, syrupy, and malty. Lots of honey and malty grains up front, and the age is adding subtle hints of lavender, floral notes, mature oak, and chocolate. Orange wine, white wine, and tangerine add a fruity side, and bread notes and white pepper add to the malt side. Somewhat reserved, though it grows stronger with time.
Finish: Medium length, still soft and mellow. Milk chocolate, pomegranate, caramel, and grapefruit add sweeter flavors, while flower petals, oily oak, and sourdough bread add character.
Final Note: So hard to judge. There are some delightful flavors tucked into this single malt, but it's all so subtle and mellow - you really have to dig into it. It changed a bit each tasting, which was fun; elegant, but quite reserved overall.
Value at this age statement, especially in the Irish whisky realm, is of course challenging - it's an expensive bottle, though not too far from a lot of comparable 21 year old whiskies. Not amazing value, but if you have the time to spend on the bottle, it can be rewarding to dissect.
Our Average Rating: 6.6 / 10
In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.
Value Rating: 4.13
About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.
Check out our other Irish single malt reviews:
Review #304 - Waterford Single Farm Origin - Rathclogh Edition 1.1
