The Midnight Silkie is the darkest corner of the Silkie range and the point where Sliabh Liag Distillers stop hedging on smoke. The Donegal producer built the Silkie collection as a deliberate journey, each expression carrying more peat than the last, and Midnight completes it. Where the other Silkies blend malt with soft grain whiskey, this one is built entirely from triple distilled single malts, five of them, and the recipe is published in full rather than hidden behind the usual vagueness. Thirty five percent is single malt peated to 55 parts per million and matured in bourbon barrels, which supplies the smoke at the core. Thirty percent comes from sherry casks with a virgin oak finish, adding sweetness and a charred wood spine. Twenty percent rests in imperial stout casks, contributing dark chocolate and roasted coffee. Ten percent sits in red wine casks for ripe berry and tannin, and a final five percent in oloroso for dried fruit depth. Founder James Doherty has said the inspiration was the smell of his grandfather's pipe, and that lands honestly in the glass: this is sweet tobacco and sandalwood rather than the medicinal iodine of an Islay malt. The smoke is fragrant and substantial without ever taking over, blowing across ripe pear, baked apple, muscovado sugar and Christmas spice. It won double gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition before it even reached American shelves. Bottled at 46 percent alcohol by volume, non chill filtered, with no colouring added, so the pale gold in the bottle comes entirely from that unusual mix of wood. Best over the midnight watch, as the label suggests.
ABV / Proof
| ABV |
46% |
| Proof |
92 |
| Size |
750ml |
| Country |
Ireland |
| Region |
County Donegal |
| Producer |
Sliabh Liag Distillers, County Donegal |
| Category |
Irish Whiskey, blend of single malts |
| Expression |
The Midnight Silkie |
| Age |
No Age Statement |
| Composition |
Five triple distilled single malts; 35% peated to 55ppm |
| Maturation |
Bourbon, sherry, oloroso, red wine, virgin oak and imperial stout casks |
| Finish |
Virgin oak and imperial stout |
| Filtration |
Non chill filtered |
| Colouring |
None added |
| Awards |
Double Gold, San Francisco World Spirits Competition |
Tasting Notes
Color: Pale yellow gold, entirely natural, drawn from the cask mix.
Nose: Muscovado sugar and pipe smoke lead, with sandalwood, Christmas spice, orange zest, baked apple, chocolate orange and sweet tobacco.
Palate: Molasses and peat smoke over pipe ash, then raisin and sultana, nutmeg, cinnamon and clove, with toffee apple, toasted oak, tobacco and leather underneath.
Finish: Medium to long. Sweet spice melts away leaving dried fruit and a comforting peat fire warmth, with a hint of pine and blood orange.
FAQ
Q: How smoky is it?
A: It is the smokiest expression in the Silkie collection. Thirty five percent of the blend is peated to 55 parts per million, but triple distillation keeps the smoke fragrant and sweet rather than medicinal.
Q: What is an imperial stout cask?
A: A cask that previously held imperial stout beer. Twenty percent of this blend matured in them, contributing dark chocolate and roasted coffee character.
Q: Is this a single malt?
A: It is a blend of five separate triple distilled single malts. Unlike the other Silkie expressions it contains no grain whiskey.
Q: Does Sliabh Liag distil it themselves?
A: No. The Silkie range is built from sourced Irish whiskeys selected and blended in Donegal while the distillery's own spirit matures. The producer publishes the full blend recipe.
Q: Is any colouring added?
A: None. It is non chill filtered with no added colouring, so the colour comes entirely from the casks.
Q: Where can I buy The Midnight Silkie online?
A: Available here at Liquor On Broadway while stock lasts, with fast insured shipping nationwide.
