Review #929 - W.D. O'Connell 10 Year Single Grain - Bourbon & Rye Cask Series Batch 03
W.D. O'Connell, an independent bottler, sourced this single grain whisky from Cooley distillery in Ireland. It was first aged for roughly 10 years in ex-bourbon casks, but after that, the brand chose an interesting finish: ex-rye casks, which isn't particularly common in the whisky industry. Because of that finish, we'll be on the lookout for some effervescent or earthy tasting notes.
This is specifically batch 3 of this Bourbon & Rye single grain series; it was bottled in 2021, and they released it at a strength of 48% ABV.
W.D. O'Connell 10 Year Single Grain - Bourbon & Rye Cask Series Batch 03
Ireland - Single Grain
Price: USD 75 (2026)
Age Statement: 10 Years
Strength: 48% ABV
Cask Makeup: Ex-bourbon casks, finished in rye casks
Details: Not chill filtered, no color added; batch 03, bottled 2021
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 4 times over 16 months; bottles at 70% and 50% fill levels at times of review, and tasted twice (blind) from a sample. Tasted in a nosing glass each time, rested 15+ minutes
Nose: Light and bright with creamy grain, linen notes, and a mixture of toasted coconut and banana cream. Vanilla bean, creamy pears, butterscotch, and lemon continue the light complexion; we also get a bit of a spirity side, along with some pepper, mulch, petrichor, and arroz con leche. There are hints of dill and fennel, which show that rye side - interesting and varied.
Palate: This went in two directions for us: bright and spicy, showing off that rye, but also toasty and full of coconut, showing the bourbon cask influence. Perfume, lemon oil, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg... tannins, vanilla, coconut liqueur, anise, and icing sugar. There are accents of butter and menthol; it's a medium-thin mouthfeel.
Finish: Lighter and softer now, with vanilla, cream, coconut, and rum notes. A bit of youth shows, and it's quite spirity; spearmint, orange, rosewater, and white bread linger in the aftertaste.
Final Note: This is one of the more unique whiskies that we've tried recently, and it didn't always jive with our palates. There are some really interesting sweet and creamy notes, especially a coconut side, but it was also much more herbal, sharp, and young at times too. That sharp rye influence really starts to become more prominent in the finish, and the aftertaste lingers for some time. Overall, we found this to be okay - interesting, but not a whisky we would reach for all the time.
Value is a little below average due to the score, which is paired with a price of about $75. That isn't a bad price for a 10 year whisky these days, but we found this one a bit hit-or-miss in our tastings, so there are other Irish whiskies we would choose to spend that amount of money on before this one.
Our Rating: 5.8 / 10
In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.
Value Rating: 5.53
About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.
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