Irish Reserve
Just as a fine whiskey exhibits a balance of all of it components, the art, science and business of whiskey-making is a balance of satisfying market demand for something new, respecting current brand loyalties and incorporating traditions of the past.
The Irish Whiskey Society in Dublin and Irish Distillers Ltd. (IDL) Thursday balanced all of these elements at the Society's April tasting. Held at The 1780 Bar the the old Jameson Distillery on Bow Street in Dublin, the tasting itself was of all of the Midleton and Old Jameson Distillery Reserves over time. There was also a 7th "Surprise Whiskey" -- one of the two new single pot still whiskeys to be introduced in Midleton next week.
Society member Ken Mawhinney also presented the new, special limited-edition hardcover reprinting of a 1941 essay by Maurice Walsh, a former excise officer in Scotland and Ireland with a deep appreciation of whisk(e)y. Maurice Walsh also authored romantic short stories, including the one that the classic move The Quiet Man (starring John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara) was based upon. Ken produced the volume to honor Irish whiskey's past and inform the present. The 1941 essay, which appeared in the literary journal The Bell, is among very few writings about any whiskey, let alone Irish, prior to 1970. As such it provides a glimpse into past thinking, attitudes and practices. Maurice Walsh also was the grandfather of the legendary Barry Walsh, the retired Master Blender at Jameson/IDL who wrote the Afterword to the book and spoke at the presentation.
Barry Walsh, Ken Mawhinney and Ken's wife and daughter with Maurice Walsh's re-published essay
The Prodigal Jameson 5 Star Returns
IWS President Leo Phelan presented a bottle of the amazing Jameson 5 Star (read the two-part history about it here and here) to our IDL host David Byrne for inclusion into the permanent exhibit at the Old Jameson Distillery. Avid and knowledgeable collectors of Irish whiskey, Leo and his brother Adrian found the case of Jameson 5 Star in an online auction several years ago, then traced it's fascinating history. This bottle of whiskey has now completed a 110-year, 10,000-mile journey back to the place it was made.
IWS President Leo presents the Jameson 5 Star to IDL's David Byrne
IDL's hosting of the tasting too was notable as the product of several years effort by the Society building both its own organization and connections to the distilleries. Finally, the Irish Whiskey Society of America was represented by me and my three brothers who are first-time visitors to Ireland.
IDL Distiller Liam Donegan presents the evening's Reserve whiskeys
IDL Distiller Liam Donegan presented the evening's 7 whiskeys with background on the components and thought that went into the blending of each. He also noted that while he had helped create some of them during his 11+ years at IDL, Barry Walsh was the mind, nose and palate behind many of the others. The line-up represented all of the Distillery Reserves created over the years for sale at the Old Midleton Distillery and the Old Jameson Distillery in Dublin. Each used whiskeys a minimum of 12 years old:
Jameson Heritage Centre Distillery Reserve, 1992-2000
Luxuriously sherried, robust and rich with a lasting taste. My favorite of the Reserves.
Midleton Distillery 2000 Reserve
Lighter and Oaky than the Heritage Centre bottling. More restrained.
Jameson Experience Midleton Distillery Reserve, 2007+
Sherry makes more of an impression though not as pronounced as the first.
Old Jameson Distillery, Distillery Reserve, 1999-2007
Very different than the others, based on a different distillate. Odd nose described around the table as lightly sulphury, oaky. Dry on the mouth then fruity and "big pear" taste with one vote at the table for banana. Long finish. This one grew on me.
Old Jameson Distillery Distillery Reserve, 2007+
Fruity, berry, black cherry. Long finish.
Distiller's Selection 2005
One-off creation for La Maison du Whisky. All first- or second-fill American bourbon casks and 13-14 years old. Higher grain whiskey content. Spice and vanilla.
Sampling each was like a sensory roadmap to the intricacies and complexity of creating whiskeys each its own character. Even slight (and fully intentional) variations in mash bills (the mix of grains used), distilling procedures, cask selection (down to the type, age and number of uses of each) and the blending produces profound changes in nose, taste and finish. And as Liam noted it is a balance of art, science and market rationale that drives their creation.
Liam handed off to David Byrne who discussed the recent change in nomenclature from "Pure Pot Still" to "Single Pot Still" (a result of the US Office of Tariff Affairs and Trade Agreements questioning and demanding justification for the word "pure"). Single Pot Still now means a pot still whiskey from a single distillery, just as "single malt" means a malt whiskey from one distillery.
IDL on May 5 will launch its new and expanded Single Pot Still Line of whiskeys with re-packaged Red Breast and Green Spot bottlings (but still the very same whiskeys we know and love). IDL also will launch new Single Pot Still (SPS) offerings, one of which was the 'Surprise Whiskey" offered at the tasting. What we know or sure is that it is a new 46% ABV SPS with just a touch of sherry flavor with some fruit. We'll let the mystery linger for another week.
The new Red Breast and Green Spot packaging
The Irish Whiskey Society in Dublin and Irish Distillers Ltd. (IDL) Thursday balanced all of these elements at the Society's April tasting. Held at The 1780 Bar the the old Jameson Distillery on Bow Street in Dublin, the tasting itself was of all of the Midleton and Old Jameson Distillery Reserves over time. There was also a 7th "Surprise Whiskey" -- one of the two new single pot still whiskeys to be introduced in Midleton next week.
Society member Ken Mawhinney also presented the new, special limited-edition hardcover reprinting of a 1941 essay by Maurice Walsh, a former excise officer in Scotland and Ireland with a deep appreciation of whisk(e)y. Maurice Walsh also authored romantic short stories, including the one that the classic move The Quiet Man (starring John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara) was based upon. Ken produced the volume to honor Irish whiskey's past and inform the present. The 1941 essay, which appeared in the literary journal The Bell, is among very few writings about any whiskey, let alone Irish, prior to 1970. As such it provides a glimpse into past thinking, attitudes and practices. Maurice Walsh also was the grandfather of the legendary Barry Walsh, the retired Master Blender at Jameson/IDL who wrote the Afterword to the book and spoke at the presentation.
Barry Walsh, Ken Mawhinney and Ken's wife and daughter with Maurice Walsh's re-published essay
The Prodigal Jameson 5 Star Returns
IWS President Leo Phelan presented a bottle of the amazing Jameson 5 Star (read the two-part history about it here and here) to our IDL host David Byrne for inclusion into the permanent exhibit at the Old Jameson Distillery. Avid and knowledgeable collectors of Irish whiskey, Leo and his brother Adrian found the case of Jameson 5 Star in an online auction several years ago, then traced it's fascinating history. This bottle of whiskey has now completed a 110-year, 10,000-mile journey back to the place it was made.
IWS President Leo presents the Jameson 5 Star to IDL's David Byrne
IDL's hosting of the tasting too was notable as the product of several years effort by the Society building both its own organization and connections to the distilleries. Finally, the Irish Whiskey Society of America was represented by me and my three brothers who are first-time visitors to Ireland.
IDL Distiller Liam Donegan presents the evening's Reserve whiskeys
IDL Distiller Liam Donegan presented the evening's 7 whiskeys with background on the components and thought that went into the blending of each. He also noted that while he had helped create some of them during his 11+ years at IDL, Barry Walsh was the mind, nose and palate behind many of the others. The line-up represented all of the Distillery Reserves created over the years for sale at the Old Midleton Distillery and the Old Jameson Distillery in Dublin. Each used whiskeys a minimum of 12 years old:
Jameson Heritage Centre Distillery Reserve, 1992-2000
Luxuriously sherried, robust and rich with a lasting taste. My favorite of the Reserves.
Midleton Distillery 2000 Reserve
Lighter and Oaky than the Heritage Centre bottling. More restrained.
Jameson Experience Midleton Distillery Reserve, 2007+
Sherry makes more of an impression though not as pronounced as the first.
Old Jameson Distillery, Distillery Reserve, 1999-2007
Very different than the others, based on a different distillate. Odd nose described around the table as lightly sulphury, oaky. Dry on the mouth then fruity and "big pear" taste with one vote at the table for banana. Long finish. This one grew on me.
Old Jameson Distillery Distillery Reserve, 2007+
Fruity, berry, black cherry. Long finish.
Distiller's Selection 2005
One-off creation for La Maison du Whisky. All first- or second-fill American bourbon casks and 13-14 years old. Higher grain whiskey content. Spice and vanilla.
Sampling each was like a sensory roadmap to the intricacies and complexity of creating whiskeys each its own character. Even slight (and fully intentional) variations in mash bills (the mix of grains used), distilling procedures, cask selection (down to the type, age and number of uses of each) and the blending produces profound changes in nose, taste and finish. And as Liam noted it is a balance of art, science and market rationale that drives their creation.
Liam handed off to David Byrne who discussed the recent change in nomenclature from "Pure Pot Still" to "Single Pot Still" (a result of the US Office of Tariff Affairs and Trade Agreements questioning and demanding justification for the word "pure"). Single Pot Still now means a pot still whiskey from a single distillery, just as "single malt" means a malt whiskey from one distillery.
IDL on May 5 will launch its new and expanded Single Pot Still Line of whiskeys with re-packaged Red Breast and Green Spot bottlings (but still the very same whiskeys we know and love). IDL also will launch new Single Pot Still (SPS) offerings, one of which was the 'Surprise Whiskey" offered at the tasting. What we know or sure is that it is a new 46% ABV SPS with just a touch of sherry flavor with some fruit. We'll let the mystery linger for another week.
The new Red Breast and Green Spot packaging
Excellent article, sounds like it was a great evening, thanks for sharing.
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Great post! Very informative, was wondering why is was changed from "Pure Pot still" to "single pot still."
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