The Taoscán
The first and only whiskey of its kind, The Taoscán is the world’s first Port & Chestnut finished whiskey; a unique blend of barrels brought together in perfect harmony. Restoring Irish whiskey to its rightful place as a global leader takes a whiskey of extraordinary character; The Taoscán is that whiskey.
HISTORIC. INNOVATIVE. UNIQUE.
€1,385
The journey begins with its American Oak Bourbon cask and Sherry Oloroso butt maturation, unveiling vanilla, cedar, musk, and luscious maple syrup notes. However, it’s the innovative finishing touch that defines The Taoscán – split across various barrels for two years. The result? A masterful blend of Virgin Chestnut and Tawny Port casks, setting a new standard in complexity and flavour. This groundbreaking creation marks the world’s first Tawny Port and Chestnut single malt whiskey.
A UNIQUE WHISKEY
AN HISTORIC WHISKEY
Step back in time to an era when a taoscán was the measure of choice at the bar, showcasing Irish whiskey’s global dominance. In the 19th century, Irish whiskey reigned supreme, with 84% of global sales originating from Ireland. ‘A taoscán,’ Gaelic for a small measure, was synonymous with the renowned spirit.
Irish whiskey’s stature waned through tumultuous times, and the concept of ‘a taoscán’ faded. Yet, its legacy endured, etched in history. The Craft Irish Whiskey Co. is dedicated to rekindling Irish whiskey’s legacy as a pinnacle of craftsmanship. The Taoscán, named in homage, resurrects traditional artistry while embracing modern precision, elevating the craft to new horizons. Join us in this historic journey to restore Irish whiskey’s rightful place at the pinnacle of excellence.
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EXPERTLY CRAFTED: THE TAOSCÁN WHISKEY
Elevating a global icon requires a blend of tradition and innovation. Rooted in the wisdom of the whiskey master’s past, The Taoscán is a tribute to heritage while embracing modern science and experimentation.
In its final stage, The Taoscán spent two years maturing in an array of barrels – Chestnut, Cherry, Mulberry, Sauternes, Amarone, Banyuls, Port, and Riversaults. After careful tasting, the Chestnut and Tawny Port-finished whiskeys shone brilliantly. Blending their distinct journeys in perfect harmony, a uniquely complex flavour and aroma emerged, giving birth to the world’s first Tawny Port and Chestnut whiskey.
With a nod to traditional blending artistry and a touch of 21st-century innovation, The Taoscán embodies the essence of Irish whiskey – smoothness and intricate layers of flavour. Its accolades include a Silver at the World Whiskies Awards, a testament to its exceptional character and craftsmanship
AN ICONIC HEIRLOOM
For the ultimate gift, choose The Taoscán. Designed by an award-winning expert, it’s a masterpiece that surpasses expectations. From the leather handle to the copper stems, unwrapping its skillfully designed stand is a moment of delight, only to be surpassed by the first sip.
A treasure for connoisseurs, The Taoscán brings unmatched elegance to any collection.
A COLLECTIBLE INVESTMENT FOR TOMORROW
Limited to 4,000 bottles, including a mere 1,000 for the Collector’s Edition, The Taoscán isn’t just a whiskey; it’s a potential investment. Crafted with creative brilliance and unmatched skill, it stems from a company renowned for winning accolades like the Best Single Malt in Ireland and coveted Master Medals. The Taoscán’s rarity, awards, and exceptional releases make it a future collectable of remarkable value.
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TASTING NOTES
The Nose: Warm banana bread studded with candied walnut comes to the fore, joined by the rich sweetness of golden syrup and the mellow vanilla of a coke float, balanced out with just a hint of sourness.
The Palate: A rich spice travels through the mid-palate, rounded out with a smooth viscosity that engulfs the whole mouth with an exceptional creaminess. On the back palate, a slightly dry mouthfeel melts into an enveloping luxuriance with warming notes of vanilla, toasted nuts and the joyful memories of campfire s’mores.
The Finish: A medium to long finish of roasted chestnuts and a hint of spice calls to mind the warm embrace of home.
TOAST TO A WORLD-CLASS WHISKEY
The Taoscán is more than just a whiskey; it’s a celebration of Ireland’s whiskey heritage. Crafted to shine at the forefront, this whiskey restores our country’s global distinction. Designed by award-winning expert Tiago Russo, The Taoscán takes pride of place with its walnut wood stand and cooperage-inspired copper detailing. Accompanied by Finn glasses and a precision pipette, it’s a symphony of elements for the perfect pour, allowing you to savour every layer of its rich flavours.
THE COLLECTOR'S EDITION
Just 1,000 bottles of The Taoscán have been reserved for the ultimate whiskey connoisseur and collector. Numbers 1-1,000, the first releases of The Taoscan, are presented in an elegant clear perspex and walnut wood box, highlighting the elegantly understated luxury of the design. An engraved label displays the number of your bottle, making this a collector’s piece to treasure.
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By Master Of Whiskey, Jay Bradley
The Taoscán has its roots in the same liquid as The Emerald Isle and The Devil’s Keep; ex-Bushmills, triple distilled and matured in Bourbon for 11 years. But it’s the journey it then took that created a truly unique single malt; the world’s first and only Tawny Port and Chestnut whiskey.
Moving the liquid from Bourbon casks to Sherry Oloroso added layers of fruit and maple syrup, but I felt it needed more. So I experimented. I split it across an array of barrels, from Mulberry to Sauternes, Chestnut to Amarone. There’s an element of the ‘mad scientist’ to my work, I test, I taste, I score. I make endless notes on what a particular wood does to a whiskey, and how the humidity levels affect it, taking notes and comparing data on each to see what works. During these regular tastings I found a handful of the French Oak barrels that had previously held Tawny Port scored highly, but then I tasted the virgin French Chestnut and it was incredible, but with a completely unique flavour unlike anything I’d tasted before. It featured a lot of cola, like the cola bottle sweets you might have had as a child which was unbelievably intriguing.
So I brought in some more experts, to get more opinions. We tasted the whiskeys and we played around with them, blending different casks together in different ratios to see what that did to the score. And we found that, not only did the combination of the two beat their individual scores, it scored off-the-charts for a whiskey that’s relatively young at 15 years. So I continued to work on the ratios to get the perfect balance of Tawny Port and Chestnut, until the world’s first Port & Chestnut whiskey was born.
By Tiago Russo, Chief Design Officer
Reinventing and developing the ultimate whiskey bar experience – this was the one and only concept behind The Taoscán, and one of the greatest challenges in disrupting tradition whilst creating the perfect tasting experience.
In contrast to the experience boxes launched in the past, the vision of The Taoscán was to create a perfect whiskey tasting experience, especially focused on exclusive bars and private venues, with everything associated with a fully immersive whiskey tasting compiled into one single product.
With that in mind, every single element was not just collated, but specifically designed for this product, from the bottle to the glasses, the pipette to the coasters. Every single detail had to complement each other, providing the drinker with the ultimate experience and allowing them to fully enjoy the whiskey without any external accessories. But alongside this functionality, it had to offer a luxurious, desirable experience.
From the walnut wood stand, to the copper frame, The Taoscán’s stand was conceived to allow the drinker a full view of the amber liquid and its elegant accompaniments. The wood calls to mind the rich, dark tones of an elegant bar, while the copper stems and detailing honour the cooperage of barrels and the tones of a distillery. The leather handle allows it to be lifted down from the top shelf and placed in front of the drinker, with a Finn glass, carafe of spring water, copper and glass pipette and a solid metal coaster sitting alongside the bottle to provide the perfect pour.
Along with The Devil’s Keep and The Emerald Isle, The Taoscán marks another pivotal moment in my career. In 2022, it equalled The Devil’s Keep’s momentous win at the A’Design Awards, becoming only the second Single Malt in history to win a high Gold. While I design for the pure love and passion for creating products that will be treasured long after I’ve gone, I won’t deny that these awards are a truly exceptional achievement and one I could barely dare to dream of.
AWARDS
The Taoscán brings the innovation and expertise of The Craft Irish Whiskey Co. to the world’s top bars and the whiskey collections of connoisseurs. It is a whiskey with a prestigious pedigree, a remarkable story and a bright future; it tells the tale of Irish whiskey’s rise, fall and rebirth. By reviving the whiskey-making art and restoring Irish whiskey’s reputation for masterful craftsmanship and a tailored approach to whiskey, The Taoscán is a world-class, unique whiskey.
A ONE-OF-A-KIND EXPERIENCE
Designed to offer the perfect single serve for the aficionado, The Taoscán’s rare whiskey is accompanied by a Finn glass, a copper and glass pipette, an elegant metal coaster, obsidian whiskey stones and a carafe of the finest Hallstein Water from Austria. These expertly designed accessories and carefully sourced accompaniments raise the experience of the whiskey’s rich, complex notes to a height demanded by the world’s first Tawny Port and French Chestnut whiskey.
