This Glendalough was made from 90% maize and 10% barley. Initially matured in American oak barrels, the single grain was then given a 12-month finish in XO Calvados barrels. In this context, the designation XO 'Extra Old' stands for at least 6 years of maturation, which the apple brandy spent in oak barrels before the Glendalough whiskey was refined in them. This gave the whiskey soft honey notes with vanilla and facets of green fruit. The single cask was bottled at 42% vol. without chill-filtering.
Glendalough means 'Valley of the Two Lakes' in Gaelic. The valley is also called the Garden of Ireland and is located in the Wicklow Mountains south of Dublin. It was here that five friends founded Ireland's first craft distillery. Glendalough is also known for its 6th century monastic settlement. This was founded by the legendary monk and hermit St Kevin, whose story also inspired the distillery founders and whose figure adorns the Glendalough bottles.
