Writer’s Tears
40% abv
Score: 80/100
An interesting Irish from a familiar distillery. For the sake of maintaining its desired anonymity let’s call it Schmidleton. Capiche?
The Writer’s Tears website (which also sports a very rudimentary lesson on Irish whisky) maintains that their ratio of pure pot still whisky to single malt whisky is a closely guarded secret. Ummm…ok. Not really certain why that needs to be kept under lock and key. Two distilleries using the exact same still design…exact same water source…exact same spirit cuts…etc…will still produce VERY different whisky. Truth. But…if marketing some sort of hush-hush recipe helps…so be it.
Anyway…said to be a favorite style of Irish writers through the 19th and 20th century, let’s see how it holds up in this humble hack of a writer’s opinion…
Nose: Lemon and orange zest. I recall a big banana note on the cask strength version. Still here in this standard release to be sure, but milder. Vanilla and lemon yellow cake. Light whiffs of allspice. Slight lilac-iness. Custard and sweet cookie dough. Light and Auchentoshan-ish. (No…this is not simply because ‘Toshan is also triple distilled like many Irish…they really are quite similar!)
Aperitif-like and very easy to put back. Orange, vanilla, oak and nutmeg-dusted creme brulee. If not an aperitif, then certainly a light dessert malt; perfect for following white fish or a mild creamy chicken dish. Very grassy/grainy finish (Sauvignon Blanc-like…reminds of young anCnoc) with an orange and banana cream linger.
Light…pleasant…unoffensive…and entirely Irish.
– Reviewed by: Curt
– Photo: Curt
All Things Whisky 
Agree with you completely about the banana note, it’s very strong with this one.
Yes, that’s me, David Williams, author. David E. Williams as in Tullamore Dew. How how can I acquire a bottle of Writer’s Tears (preferably five bottles so I can pass them out next Christmas)?
Most people who wish to acquire bottles buy them….
In the case of Ontario residents, one might purchase up to 400 bottles that are currently available across the province.
lolll
Looks like there are 2 Davids posting now. I’m the one who consistently loses quality Scotch to Skeptic.
There are now over 1000 bottles at the LCBO. I have to admit I really enjoyed the bottle I gave to my political mentor and friend for his birthday a year and a half ago (he opened it with me). I have on occasion considered getting one for myself.
Instead, I found the cask strength version online and had it (2 bottles from different years)sent over to Florida. Because of an error by my friend who had them put into storage and brought me Old Grandad 114 instead, I had to order more. One I gave to my political mentor for being my campaign manager, but I have not heard if it was opened or if I will get to try it. When the others arrive, I will have one of each of three bottling years at 52 and 53%, and one day, I look forward to tasting unadulterated writers tears…I wonder if it will be salty…