Review #502 - Blackadder Raw Cask 'A Drop of the Irish' 2024 Single Cask
While the independent bottler Blackadder is perhaps most strongly associated with Scotch whiskies, they have also released a series of Irish whiskies, which they label as 'A Drop of the Irish.' These are part of Blackadder's Raw Cask series, meaning they're bottled at cask strength, without chill filtration or added coloring, and with cask sediment in the bottle.
These bottles from A Drop of the Irish don't generally name the distillery where the whisky was distilled; that's the case here, and we don't have an age or vintage, either. What we do know is that this is a single malt Irish whisky, and it was bottled in 2024. It's a single cask selected by Dram Hunters, specifically cask BA DROP 2024-02; there's no information about the type of cask, either, but based on the flavor profile, we're guessing the spirit spent at least a majority of its maturation time in ex-bourbon casks.
Blackadder Raw Cask 'A Drop of the Irish' 2024 Single Cask
Ireland - Single Malt
Price: USD 136 (2025)
Age Statement: NAS
Strength: 58.7% ABV
Details: Not chill filtered, no color added; cask ref: BA DROP 2024-02; 260 bottles
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 1 time; bottle 60% fill level at time of review. Tasted in a nosing glass, rested 15+ minutes
Nose: Fruity and creamy - lemon bar confections, watermelon, peaches, and coconut. Quite bright and tropical, and there's a creamy grain backbone to the nose; time brings yellow cake and buttery pastries like croissants. Accent flavors include dry oak and cookie dough.
Palate: A medium-thick mouthfeel, full of warming honey and creamy lemon. Scones adds a baking side, and there's some dry stone fruit; with time, the lemon becomes more sharp and citrusy.
Finish: Warming, with soft sweet oak, lots of cream, and a bit of malt. Honey-drizzled citrus combines with peach candies, and we get fresh dough and flour adding to the baking dimension; it's a medium-long finish.
Final Note: Very, very nice Irish single malt. There's plenty of bright fruit, especially lemon and peach, and the creamy flavor and texture was a constant joy throughout all phases of the tasting. Overall, this definitely leans toward the sweeter side of the flavor spectrum.
Value is okay - a consistent price was quite difficult to find, actually, but from our best guess, this seems to be well over $100 per bottle. That's a high price, but flavor is also great, so it balances out.
Our Average Rating: 8.1 / 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: 6.22
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 #474 - Fercullen 4 Year Marsala Single Cask - SNUG First Anniversary Pick
Review #440 - Teeling Ruby Port Single Cask - Binny's Pick
Review #403 - Dunville's 21 Year Palo Cortado Finish
Review #304 - Waterford Single Farm Origin - Rathclogh Edition 1.1
