Knappogue Castle®, producer of a super-premium line of single malt Irish whiskies, announces the release of its Twin Wood 17 Year-Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey. This limited edition is the second offering of Twin Wood, a whiskey aged in two types of wood, bourbon barrels and sherry casks. It is from this process that Twin Wood derives its name.
The single malt whiskies of Knappogue Castle® are distilled three times in traditional copper pot stills, aged in oak casks formerly used for bourbon, and then stored at a consistent temperature. The whiskey for Twin Wood 17 was distilled in November of 1994. After 15 years and three months in bourbon casks, it was selected by the Master Distiller for a further 21 months of aging and finishing in casks specially infused with Oloroso sherry for Knappogue Castle®. This exclusive 17-year old whiskey was bottled in December 2011.
According to the Master Distiller, Twin Wood 17 exhibits a balance of rich, sweet sherry flavor with just the right amount of stronger whiskey flavors. Each label is numbered and signed by Mark Andrews III, the son of the Knappogue Brand’s founder. Twin Wood 17 will become available nationwide starting in February and will retail for $100.00.
Last year Andrews introduced the first Twin Wood, a refined 16-year old whiskey, which he developed as a tribute to the brand’s heritage. Twin Wood 16 was embraced by both trade and consumers and became a runaway success. Andrews expects that this whiskey will also be a winner and has produced 4500 bottles. “This sequel,” he says, “is reminiscent of the 16-Year Old Twin Wood but with the additional aging the 17-Year Old acquired extra richness and complexity.”
Always innovating, the Andrews family and Mark Andrews III in particular have built Knappogue Castle® (which is pronounced nah-POGUE’, like brogue) into a global brand. They bottled Irish single malts when others were only bottling blends, and offered a range of vintages including 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994 and 1995. In the late 1980s, Andrews first brought to market the legendary Knappogue Castle 1951. Arguably the oldest and rarest Irish whiskey in the world, it was aged for 36 years exclusively in sherry casks before being bottled in 1987.
Knappogue Castle® whiskies are imported by Castle Brands Inc, a developer and international marketer of premium branded spirits and wines. Based in New York City, it is one of the few small public companies in the global beverage alcohol industry.
