The Legendary Dark Silkie was the first addition to the Silkie collection and the point where Sliabh Liag Distillers made their argument properly. Donegal whiskey in the nineteenth century was known for being rich, earthy and smoky, a style that vanished along with the county's legal distilling for roughly 175 years, and Dark Silkie is a deliberate attempt to put it back on the shelf. At the heart of the blend is a triple distilled peated single malt matured in sherry casks. That malt starts life peated to 55 parts per million, and the third distillation brings the phenol level down to around 22, which is the number that matters: enough smoke to be unmistakable, soft enough to stay sweet rather than turning medicinal. Around it sits a double distilled unpeated single malt from bourbon barrels and a soft grain whiskey matured in virgin oak, the latter making up the bulk of the volume and supplying the vanilla and toasted wood that the smoke sits against. Worth being clear about what that means in practice: the peated malt is a minority of the blend but it does the heavy lifting on flavour, and the virgin oak grain component is what keeps the whole thing broad and sweet instead of narrow and ashy. It is hand bottled at Carrick in County Donegal at 46 percent alcohol by volume and left non chill filtered, so the texture stays soft and full. Expect fresh apple and pear over dry spiced smoke, then salted caramel, pipe tobacco, liquorice and dark chocolate, finishing on malty smoke and something close to peanut butter. Built, as the label says, for the later watches of the night.
ABV / Proof
| ABV |
46% |
| Proof |
92 |
| Size |
750ml |
| Country |
Ireland |
| Region |
County Donegal |
| Producer |
Sliabh Liag Distillers, Carrick, County Donegal |
| Category |
Blended Irish Whiskey |
| Expression |
The Legendary Dark Silkie |
| Composition |
Approximately 70% grain whiskey in virgin oak, 15% unpeated double distilled single malt in ex bourbon, 15% peated triple distilled single malt in sherry |
| Peat Level |
Malt peated to 55ppm, approximately 22ppm after triple distillation |
| Filtration |
Non chill filtered |
| Production |
Hand bottled at Carrick, County Donegal |
| Position |
First addition to the Legendary Silkie collection |
Tasting Notes
Color: Amber with a rich tobacco gold cast.
Nose: Fresh apple and pear meeting dry spiced smoke, with welcoming virgin oak underneath.
Palate: Soft on entry, then a rich salted caramel sweetness. Waves of sweet pipe tobacco, liquorice and dark chocolate give way to warm toffee and pear.
Finish: Warm and elegant, closing on malty smoke with a distinctive peanut butter note.
FAQ
Q: How smoky is it?
A: Moderately. The peated malt starts at 55 parts per million and drops to roughly 22 after triple distillation, which reads as sweet dry smoke rather than the medicinal intensity of an Islay malt.
Q: Is the whole blend peated?
A: No. A peated triple distilled single malt matured in sherry gives the whiskey its character, but it is blended with unpeated single malt from bourbon barrels and grain whiskey from virgin oak casks.
Q: How does it compare to the standard Legendary Silkie?
A: Considerably smokier and richer. The standard Silkie carries only a hint of peated malt; Dark Silkie builds the whole profile around it. The Midnight Silkie goes further still.
Q: Does Sliabh Liag distil it?
A: The whiskeys are sourced from established Irish distilleries and blended and hand bottled by Sliabh Liag at Carrick, County Donegal. The company also built and owns the new Ardara distillery.
Q: What does non chill filtered mean?
A: The whiskey skips the chilling and filtration step used to prevent cloudiness, preserving the soft, full mouthfeel that defines the Silkie house style.
Q: Where can I buy The Legendary Dark Silkie online?
A: Available here at Liquor On Broadway while stock lasts, with fast insured shipping nationwide.
