We Tried Garavogue 20 Year, the First Release From Sazerac's New Irish Distillery

As the master blender at Sazerac’s new Irish distillery, Hawk’s Rock, Helen Mulholland has been handed a cherished luxury in the world of whiskey: creative freedom. The result? Garavogue 20 year old Irish single malt, the first expression from Mulholland’s inaugural Hawk’s Rock offering presents a thoughtful twist on Irish whiskey. Double-distilled and matured for 14 years in bourbon barrels, it then spent an additional 6 years in an eclectic array of finishing casks, including French muscat, sauternes, Pedro Ximénez sherry, and Barbadian rum before being blended.

This 94-proof expression honors its Irish roots while expanding the flavor profile through a blend of sweetness, structure, and subtle complexity. Garavogue 20 year old is a whiskey that respects tradition but doesn’t mind rewriting the ending.

How Garavogue 20 year old Irish Single Malt Was Made

Mulholland joined Hawk’s Rock after three decades at Bushmills, where she had most recently served as master blender. To take us through her creative process, each of the four drams in front of me holds a component of the Garavogue blend

The starting point, Mulholland says, was the French muscat cask. She chose the muscat for its “floral notes and sweetness.” And it shows: in my glass of this sample, honeysuckle and wildflowers bloom up front, anchored by some mineral, earthy notes that add unexpected depth. From the French sauternes pour, I pick up a melding of apricot, pear, and peach, alongside a hint of cinnamon and vanilla.

“Wood is everything,” Mulholland says as we move on to taste the Barbadian rum-finished component. “We always want to match the perfect wood for any liquid. And I love the tunes you can play with rum barrels.” Some of those notes she likes show up as island funk, but this pour is bright, sweet, rich, and deep, balancing crème brûlée and toffee against the tropical notes. There are waves of flavor in this rum finish, each sip revealing a different one. It’s not only exceptionally fun, but it’s compelling enough to merit a solo release. “I’m a big rum fan, so you may see this rum finish in future younger blends,” says Mulholland.

With 25 casks of whiskey with various wine and spirit finishes at Mulholland’s disposal, she ultimately considered 16 casks for this blend, whittling it down to eight casks used for Batch 1 of Garavogue’s 20 year old limited edition. Batch 1 is exactly what it sounds like: “Yes, there will be more to come,” she confirms.

What Does Garavogue 20 year old Taste Like?

In short, it’s unexpected, complex, and delicious. A beautiful amber color, the whiskey has a nice weight to it as it coats your mouth. On the nose, aromas of crème brûlée, sun-ripened stone fruit, and a whisper of candied orange peel hint at the influence of the sauternes cask. The muscat casks’ delicate florals and a touch of dried fruit show up on the palate, with a light fizz that tickles the forefront of your tongue.

Soft citrus and honeyed vanilla layer over baked apple, and pastry cream follows, and it finishes with a burst of tropical fruit brightness from the rum cask that leaves a lingering, silky sweetness.

Garavogue 20 year old offers balance. Nothing dominates, nothing shouts. Mulholland set out to create a whiskey where every component has its moment, and she succeeded. Each element reveals itself gradually, layer by layer, in the final blend. Come back in an hour, and you’ll get a completely different nose. It’s not only complex, but also genuinely fun to drink.

How to Buy Garavogue 20 year old

The limited-edition expression will hit four markets, including the U.S., in early June, at a suggested retail price of $199, and it’ll be available at select Duty Free outlets. Bottle volumes aren’t being disclosed, but if you miss this one, future Garavogue releases will follow. Each batch will offer something distinct, such as a new maturation method, different age statements, and perhaps a shift in the style of Irish whiskey.