Boru Tasting Notes

You don’t really associate Ireland with vodka. Whiskey mostly, and liqueurs, but vodka? Boru is a name that many have probably ever heard of, myself included, until recently when Twitter threw up a couple of tweets. Ever the enthusiast, I asked to learn more – and here we go.

Boru is a premium vodka inspired by Ireland’s legendary High King, Brian Boru. Born in 941 in the land of Dál Cais, a small kingdom in Southern Ireland, Brian Boru was a clan prince who battled for years against rival kings and Danish Viking invaders, determined not to bow to Norse occupiers. By 1002, Brian Boru was recognized as the High King of Ireland. Boru’s power angered Sitric, the Dublin Norse king of the Uí Néill dynasty that had ruled in Ireland for centuries. In 1013 Sitric joined forces with Viking mercenaries and revolted. Then 88 years of age, Boru marched north with his army to meet the combined forces. The armies met at Clontarf, outside Dublin. Boru’s army easily vanquished the Norse coalition and the Viking soldiers fled, killing Boru as they ran. Despite Boru’s demise, his victory at the Battle of Clontarf liberated Ireland from Norse invaders forever.

Boru is made from local grain and Irish spring water and is five-time distilled, so with this in mind, how does it fare?

Boru – 37.5%

A slight freshness on the nose with hints of wheat coming through. Incredibly smooth on the palate with a slight cracked pepper flavour coming at the very end. Slight warm lingering with a moorish after-taste.

Not just a great sip though, a good base for one of these –

The Brian Boru Dry Martini

Glass –

Martini

Ingredients –

120 ml Boru Vodka
30 ml Dry Vermouth
Green Olive

Method – 

Pour dry vermouth into a chilled Martini glass, swirl the vermouth around and pour out remaining liquid. Pour Boru Vodka into a shaker with ice. Shake vigorously, strain into the Martini glass. Drop one olive into the glass.

Although not widely available, you can still purchase online, and expect to see it as the tipple of choice in the vodka category if you ever visit Ireland.

Check out the rest of the photos, taken at The Circle 360, via my Facebook page.

© David Marsland and Drinks Enthusiast 2013. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog/sites author and owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to David Marsland and Drinks Enthusiast with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.