3 Years after opening their doors and filling a barrel, Talnua has bottled their original distilate as their Founders Reserve Single Pot Still Whiskey. A blend of malted and unmalted barley, and from the first Single Pot Still distillery in the US, this Irish-style whiskey was released on Saint Patrick’s Day 2021, and only around 250 total bottles were available. Before we get into the review itself, let’s take a moment to appreciate the spectacular presentation of the packaging. The tube is cut from 1 single birch that was shaved down to the thickness needed, and honestly it could not have come out any more pretty.
In the Bottle:
Mashbill:
Malted and unmalted barley.
Proof (ABV):
90 Poof (45% ABV)
Age:
3 Years
In the Glass:
Color:
Light Golden Straw with an oily quality in the glass.
Nose:
Pear and honey with straw and grass. Definitely an earthy and yet sweet quality.
Palate:
A thick oily mouthfeel which is the signature of a pot still whiskies. Sweet honey up front with burnt sugars with some bright citrus notes and baking spices.
Finish:
A very long, velvety finish that is earthy with just a hint of spice to it.
With Water:
Nose:
Some dark fruit notes come out a bit with a few drops of water, with pear, honeysuckle and straw.
Palate:
Still just as thick and oily on the mouthfeel, the water didn’t take any of that away. Sweet honey and bright citrus fruits with some chocolate and baking spices.
Finish: Still velvety and still lingers for a long time. The white peppercorn spicy notes come out more and play with some other baking spice-nutmeg notes.
Final Thoughts:
What an absolutely spectacular release. While extremely limited and hard to get, we know Talnua will continue to put out some amazing bottles like this in the future. This was the first ever barreled Single Pot Still whiskey in the US and 3 years seemed to be the perfect amount of time for this release. Assuming that there is still some of this left at the distillery, it would definitely be worth the trip for the great conversation and a pour of the Founder’s Reserve.
