Method and Madness Unveils Irish Whiskey With ‘a Truly Distinctive Character’ Finished in Finished in an Extremely Polarizing Type of Cask
Method and Madness unveiled an Amburana cask-finished Irish whiskey (Photo: Method and Madness)
Method and Madness unveiled an Irish whiskey aged in Amburana wood on Friday. The type of wood is colloquially known as Brazilian oak and is known for aging cachaça.
The whiskey hosts a suggested retail price of €95 ($103) and possesses an ABV of 46%.
The whiskey was distilled from a mixture of malted and unmalted barley. It was triple distilled in a single pot still at the Midleton Micro Distillery, aged in ex-American whiskey oak barrels and finished in Amburana wood from 4 to 7 months according to the brand.
“We’re delighted to launch Method and Madness Amburana Wood Edition, an exciting expression crafted at the Micro Distillery in Midleton,” Barrett Stapleton, head distiller at Irish Distillers’ Micro Distillery, said in a news release. “Having trialed a variety of wood finishes, the team felt it was the optimum time to showcase the unique and interesting flavor profile of Amburana wood. This expression pushes the boundaries by using innovative wood, unlocking new flavors and yielding a truly distinctive character in the resulting whiskey.”
Method and Madness claims the brand’s Amburana Wood Edition Irish Whiskey has aromas of cardamom, marzipan and vanilla.
The palate bursts forth with heather honey, clove and cinnamon. It concludes with raw vanilla bean, hazelnut syrup and woodland spices, according to the brand.
Amburana: A Trending Type of Wood People Love or Love to Hate
Amburana appears to be in vogue these days as a type of wood used in finishes by whiskey brands around the globe.
In March, Penelope Bourbon unveiled the second edition of Rio, its popular limited-edition bourbon finished in a mixture of American honey and Amburana casks.
Barrell Craft Spirits unveiled a whiskey finished in Amburana in September. Distillers favor this wood because they enjoy the baking spice notes it often imparts to the final spirit.
Yet, responses to Amburana finishes have been mixed. Redditors of the Bourbon community shared their thoughts on the wood and whether they thought the trend would last.
“I love Amburana, but it’s not something you sip all night long. It’s definitely a 1-2 pour end of the night drink,” a Redditor commented.
Others agreed, claiming it was “amazing, but potent.”
“Amburana = Quaker apple cinnamon oatmeal,” another Redditor claimed.
Many Redditors bemoaned the higher price point for Amburana finished whiskeys, as the wood typically costs a pretty penny.
“It’s being way overdone,” another user claimed. “The originals are fantastic, like Jos. Magnus, Starlight, etc. The random ass 4 year MGP bottles can kick rocks. You’d think consumers will eventually figure it out, but nothing in the bourbon game is slowing down at this point. Just more bad whiskey labels for higher and higher prices, and that will likely continue.”
Love it or hate it, it appears Amburana is here to stay.
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