Review 287. The Legendary Dark Silkie. Blended Irish whiskey

There are only so many whiskies a person can buy, and probably a whole lot less one can actually try. Budgets tend to be limited, as is shelf space, and for reasons unknown to me, we still have to make do with just the one liver. Yet at the same time, the access to whisky has never been easier. If you have a wi-fi connection, the world is pretty much your 24/7 webshop. Even for someone like me, who tries to do as much of his whisky shopping at actual brick and mortar stores, there are at least 4 or so web browsers from those go-to stores permanently open on my mobile phone, and at least another from a whisky auction site.

If I point this out to mrs. Malty and boast about the enormous amount of willpower that comes into play each day we don’t go completely bankrupt in a sea of bottles, she seems utterly unimpressed.

It’s really not fair!

One of the brands that pops up very regularly on the auction sites I tend to follow, is ‘The Silkie’. An Irish whiskey blend created by Sliabh Liag Distiller. And no, I will not be pronouncing that name out loud. The company is based in County Donegal, the most north-western part of Ireland, completely bordering Northern Ireland to its east. Initially producing gin and poitín in 2014, they also started producing whiskey on a relatively small scale in 2022, aiming for a peated Irish whiskey style. Apart from producing their own spirit, they also source whiskeys, blend them and release them under the ‘Legendary Silkie’ range. This ‘Legandary Dark Silkie’ is their peated expression. Taking its inspiration from local folklore and legends, the silkies (or sometimes also spelled as ‘selkies’) are seal – like sea creatures who come ashore during the night and, under the moonlight, transform into enchanting, beautiful women.

Because it’s quite ubiquitous on auctions and usually very affordable, this one did intrigue me and I have been thinking about making a bid on one of their bottles. Then it occurred to me that I had a sample of this lying about – courtesy of my pal Tom. A man so in love with Ireland, he visits the place at least once or twice each year. Seeing how he’ also absolutely in love with whiskey, he tends to visit quite a few distilleries and shops when travelling the bending, winding roads of the Emerald Ile. Which suits me fine, seeing how I tend to reap a bit of those soils in the shape of the occasional sample.

The Legendary Dark Silkie. Peated Irish blended Whiskey. 46% ABV, app. €40-€50

If you’ve ever been to Ireland, you ‘ll probably agree that it’s all too easy to become enamoured by this stunningly beautiful island and the people who inhabit it. Having been to Kerry (long before there was even talk of Dingle distillery) and Cork twice, I can only claim to have seen a small part of the island, but its charming little towns, its breathtaking scenery and the hospitable people made a lifelong impression (and a soft spot for Paddy’s Irish Whiskey) and the urge and intention to go back and explore more is definitely there. Until that day comes, I can only encourage Tom to try as much of the local poison and occasionally let us try some of it to.

Nose

Initially quite sharp, a bit soapy and grainy. There is some peat, but I need to dig for it. A hint of salinity and some acidity in the shape of a vinegar-like note. Not exactly bad, but not really what I was expecting either. And, more importantly, not a profile I tend to seek out in an Irish whiskey. Or any whiskey, for that matter.

Palate

A big step up from the nose, I am happy to say! It’s definitely richer as some dark (dried) fruits decided to show up. The peat, meanwhile, still remains somewhat subdued, but it does show itself with a bit of an earthy character. Again there is some salinity and luckily that vinegar note is mostly, but not entirely, gone. The texture is medium full and slightly viscous, which, I feel, helps to salvage this.

Finish

Medium long, with light peat and some salinity.

Final thoughts

As such, this isn’t a bad dram, but particularly on the nose it put me, my threshold  and my olfactory system to the test. I usually do enjoy a bit of a sour or bitter note in a whisky as it often adds a nice extra layer or counterbalances the sweeter notes, bringing depth and complexity. Here, however, I had a hard time overcoming its dominance. Vinegar isn’t exactly what I’m after when chasing whisk(e)y, and while it is put on a leash on the palate, I’ll admit that this to me is indeed a ‘try before you buy’ dram. It has a lot going for it: decent ABV, fair price, and some pleasant flavours in the glass, were it not for that sourness. Not my cup of tea. Or dram of whiskey, for that matter…