Glendalough Mountain Strength Poitin 750ML

Glendalough Mountain Strength Poitin 750ML is a triple-distilled Irish poitín bottled at a robust 60% ABV (120 proof) in a 750ml bottle. Distinguished by a mashbill of sugar beets and malted barley and a brief rest in virgin oak casks before being filtered back to clarity, this expression earned 88 points from Guía Peñín in its December 2022 tasting.

Quick Facts: ABV: 60%  |  Origin: County Wicklow, Ireland  |  Style: Mountain Strength (Cask Strength) Poitín  |  Distillery: Glendalough Distillery

Production & Heritage

Glendalough Distillery was founded in 2011 by five friends from Dublin, situated in Ireland's Wicklow Mountains — an area historically synonymous with illicit distillation. Mountain Strength Poitín is triple distilled through traditional copper pot stills using a base of sugar beets and malted barley, honoring the raw materials that defined Ireland's oldest spirit long before whiskey existed. What sets this bottling apart from most poitíns on the market is a subtle maturation step: the spirit rests briefly in virgin oak casks before being filtered to crystal clarity, preserving the oak's influence on flavor without altering the spirit's appearance.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Pungent vanilla leads, followed by light forest fruits and gooseberries. A bready, malt-driven layer emerges beneath, laced with warm baking spice.

Taste: The entry is surprisingly smooth given its 60% strength, presenting sweet sugary notes and lychee up front. The mid-palate opens into cracked black pepper, dried fruits, and dark berry compote, while vegetal undertones from the sugar beet base weave through subtle oak and smoky malt. Barley sweetness anchors each sip.

Finish: Long, warm, and lingering with a spicy tail that builds gradually. Dried fruit and berry notes persist well after the heat subsides, leaving a satisfying breadth across the palate.

How to Drink Mountain Strength Poitín

At 60% ABV, a few drops of water open this spirit considerably, releasing hidden fruit and tempering the heat without dulling the complexity. Neat in a Glencairn or tulip glass is the purest way to appreciate the interplay between sugar beet sweetness and virgin oak spice.

• Irish Maid: The high proof stands up to fresh lemon juice and elderflower liqueur, creating a floral, punchy cocktail with real backbone.
• Poitín Sour: Sugar beet sweetness and barrel spice make it a natural replacement for bourbon in a classic sour template — egg white optional.
• Hot Toddy: At mountain strength, the spirit maintains its character even when diluted with hot water, honey, and lemon — ideal for colder months.

Best For

• Collectors exploring Ireland's oldest and most historic spirit category
• High-proof spirit enthusiasts seeking overproof expressions outside of bourbon and rum
• Gifting to an adventurous Irish spirits drinker looking beyond whiskey
• Cocktail bartenders who need a bold, characterful Irish base spirit

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Mountain Strength Poitín taste like? It delivers sweet vanilla and sugary berry notes up front, moving into cracked black pepper, dried fruits, and smoky malt, all carried by a warm, lingering finish with a spicy tail.

How does Glendalough Mountain Strength compare to Teeling Poitín? Teeling's poitín is bottled at a lower proof and leans into a cleaner, more neutral grain character, while Glendalough's 60% ABV expression carries additional weight and complexity from its sugar beet and malted barley mashbill and brief virgin oak maturation. Both are triple-distilled Irish poitíns, but the Glendalough is significantly bolder on the palate.

Is Mountain Strength Poitín good for sipping neat? Yes, though a few drops of water help tame the 60% ABV and reveal additional fruit and spice layers that tight alcohol can initially mask. It rewards slow, contemplative sipping.

Where is Glendalough Mountain Strength Poitín made? It is distilled at Glendalough Distillery in County Wicklow, Ireland, a region in the Wicklow Mountains with a long history of poitín production. The distillery was founded in 2011.

What foods pair well with Mountain Strength Poitín? Smoked salmon benefits from the spirit's peppery heat and berry sweetness. Strong blue cheese like Cashel Blue matches its intensity. Dark chocolate truffles echo its dried-fruit and vanilla notes. Cured meats such as bresaola complement the malt and smoke character. Honey-drizzled goat cheese mirrors the sugar beet sweetness.

What sizes does Mountain Strength Poitín come in? The standard release is available in a 750ml bottle.

Is Mountain Strength Poitín worth the price? It positions as a mid-premium expression within the still-niche poitín category, and the 60% ABV delivers exceptional concentration of flavor per pour. For those curious about Ireland's oldest spirit tradition in a serious, full-strength format, it represents strong value relative to comparably proofed craft spirits.

Why Mountain Strength Poitín?

Poitín is the original Irish spirit — predating whiskey by centuries — and Glendalough's Mountain Strength bottling is one of the most distinctive modern expressions of the category. The unusual mashbill of sugar beets and malted barley creates a flavor profile that sits apart from grain-only poitíns, while the brief aging in virgin oak casks followed by filtration to clarity adds a dimension of spice and depth rarely found in unaged white spirits. At 60% ABV, it delivers the kind of intensity and layered complexity that earned it 88 points from Guía Peñín. For drinkers who think they know Irish spirits, this bottle is a genuine education.