The Sexton Single Malt Irish Whiskey Review

 

The Sexton Irish Whiskey

A few months ago, I saw some media announcements about the release of The Sexton Single Malt Irish Whiskey from Proximo Spirits. My guess is, you’re probably interested in reading about The Sexton for the same reason I was interested in trying it: it has a really, really cool bottle design.

That probably sounds pretty shallow, and I’ll admit it is. But branding and aesthetics are important. Unfortunately, as you’ll read below, more important than style is function, and this bottle doesn’t function the way a bottle should.

For a little background on the spirit, here’s what a PR representative of the company told me about The Sexton:

The Sexton Single Malt draws inspiration from the long tradition of whiskey making on the North Coast of Ireland. Made from 100% Irish malted barley, triple distilled for smoothness in copper pot stills and consciously aged for four years in Oloroso Sherry butts to achieve a depth of flavor from the wine-imbued barrel. The Sexton is unexpected for a young single malt offering a perfect balance of rich, dried fruits and subtle oak notes, with a smooth finish that leaves you wanting more.

Crafted by Master Blender Alex Thomas, one of Ireland’s few female whiskey blenders, The Sexton represents the changing face of Ireland, capturing the romance and provenance of the past and the optimism and creativity of the future.

Product Specifics

Producer: Proximo Spirits
Distiller: Bushmills
ABV: 40%
Age: 4 years (in Oloroso Sherry butts)

Appearance

As mentioned before, Sexton Irish Whiskey is packaged in a really beautiful bottle, which includes some fun marketing language on the side. I’ve got to say though, pouring this whiskey is a HUGE pain in the ass. Because of how squat and square the bottle is, the liquid pours out all over the side of the bottle immediately when it is tipped even a little bit.  This will annoy the consumer, and most importantly will annoy any bartender. The management of Proximo Spirits should seriously consider changing the packaging of this whiskey.

Part of me wonders if the packaging was developed by a designer without the help of a product developer who would have known to ask a basic question like “can it be tipped enough to pour without first spilling down the bottle constantly?” That isn’t a question I’ll ever get an answer to

The whiskey itself is golden orange.

Nose

The nose is pleasant with lots of mixed fruits, some of that sherry influence, and toffee.

Palate

A fairly mild whiskey, but with a decent amount of ethanol burn. The sherry finishing is immediately apparent. Tasting notes include citrus fruits, spices, and touches of chocolate.

Finish

The finish is moderate in length with notes of fruit and sweet maltiness.

Conclusion

The Sexton Irish Whiskey is a decent whiskey. But, at $25/bottle, it has a lot of solid competition (Black Bottle Whisky comes to mind here).

It’s main advantage is its beautiful – if seriously compromised – bottle, which makes for a great look on any bar shelf.

Final Rating: 83