The Sexton Single Malt Irish Whiskey Review
A few months ago, I saw some media announcements about the release of The Sexton Single Malt Irish Whiskey from Proximo Spirits. My guess is, you’re probably interested in reading about The Sexton for the same reason I was interested in trying it: it has a really, really cool bottle design.
That probably sounds pretty shallow, and I’ll admit it is. But branding and aesthetics are important. Unfortunately, as you’ll read below, more important than style is function, and this bottle doesn’t function the way a bottle should.
For a little background on the spirit, here’s what a PR representative of the company told me about The Sexton:
The Sexton Single Malt draws inspiration from the long tradition of whiskey making on the North Coast of Ireland. Made from 100% Irish malted barley, triple distilled for smoothness in copper pot stills and consciously aged for four years in Oloroso Sherry butts to achieve a depth of flavor from the wine-imbued barrel. The Sexton is unexpected for a young single malt offering a perfect balance of rich, dried fruits and subtle oak notes, with a smooth finish that leaves you wanting more.
Crafted by Master Blender Alex Thomas, one of Ireland’s few female whiskey blenders, The Sexton represents the changing face of Ireland, capturing the romance and provenance of the past and the optimism and creativity of the future.
Product Specifics
Producer: Proximo Spirits
Distiller: Bushmills
ABV: 40%
Age: 4 years (in Oloroso Sherry butts)
Appearance
As mentioned before, Sexton Irish Whiskey is packaged in a really beautiful bottle, which includes some fun marketing language on the side. I’ve got to say though, pouring this whiskey is a HUGE pain in the ass. Because of how squat and square the bottle is, the liquid pours out all over the side of the bottle immediately when it is tipped even a little bit. This will annoy the consumer, and most importantly will annoy any bartender. The management of Proximo Spirits should seriously consider changing the packaging of this whiskey.
Part of me wonders if the packaging was developed by a designer without the help of a product developer who would have known to ask a basic question like “can it be tipped enough to pour without first spilling down the bottle constantly?” That isn’t a question I’ll ever get an answer to
The whiskey itself is golden orange.
Nose
The nose is pleasant with lots of mixed fruits, some of that sherry influence, and toffee.
Palate
A fairly mild whiskey, but with a decent amount of ethanol burn. The sherry finishing is immediately apparent. Tasting notes include citrus fruits, spices, and touches of chocolate.
Finish
The finish is moderate in length with notes of fruit and sweet maltiness.
Conclusion
The Sexton Irish Whiskey is a decent whiskey. But, at $25/bottle, it has a lot of solid competition (Black Bottle Whisky comes to mind here).
It’s main advantage is its beautiful – if seriously compromised – bottle, which makes for a great look on any bar shelf.
December 24, 2017 @ 10:46 pm
You are absolutely right about the inconvenient design of the bottle. It took me a good amount of skilled movements to tilt the bottle in such a way so I wouldn’t waste the precious liquid. As far as the taste and all that , I think it’s probably one of the most drinkable whiskey at the 25-30$ range . Definitely will buy again .
February 2, 2018 @ 6:29 am
Thanks for commenting!
December 26, 2017 @ 12:38 am
I went to replenish my Redbreast supply and naturally the Sexton bottle caught my eye… along with the name!!
It’s a bit young but very drinkable and all in all not a bad addition to the shelf. There’s better Irish for the money, but isn’t there always??
January 4, 2018 @ 1:55 pm
Not sure about the pouring comments, pours just fine for me. But the packaging is way better than it tastes neat compared to other irish whiskeys. Maybe even a little musty? A little water brings out a much better flavor profile.
February 10, 2018 @ 9:01 pm
Bob… I hadn’t thought about that but added a dash of water and it really opened it up.. thanks.
February 18, 2018 @ 11:39 am
I boughtit because of the bottle and the price. In Kentucky it is $20. One of the best low end Irish whiskeys that I have tried so far.
February 18, 2018 @ 11:51 am
$20 is a great price for this whiskey. Thanks for commenting!
March 20, 2018 @ 12:57 pm
Where are you finding it at that price in KY? I can’t find it at all in the Lexington area.
April 10, 2018 @ 3:04 am
No problems here pouring it out of the awesome bottle, but even better is that it’s delicious and not painful feeling after 5 shots the next day. 32$ Eugene OR.
October 19, 2018 @ 10:35 pm
Could not pour without spilling. A wee bit on the smoky side. Drinkable.
November 17, 2018 @ 7:46 pm
Agree on the bottle design. I love this Irish whisky, but it is nearly impossible to pour it without spilling it all over the place. What I ended up doing: I poured the remaining 80% left of this spirit into an empty Bushmills bottle that I had rescued from the recycling bin. Now, no issues. SO…how about keeping the really interesting hexagonal shape, but make the bottle with similar dimensions as the Bushmills bottle ??? I will not buy this whisky again, with this bottle, as I don’t want to waste good spirits by pouring it onto the floor.