Sláinte: The Irish Whiskey Blog

St. Patrick's Day Recommendations

2010-03-11T20:44:00Z

Like Punxsutawney Phil on Groundhog Day, Irish whiskey for many people makes a more or less annual, high-profile, big hullabaloo appearance on St. Patrick's Day next week. And just like the big furry rodent in his hole, it then disappears back onto a bar shelf for another year, with an occasional appearance in Irish coffee and Irish Car Bombs.

That's a damned shame. It's safe to say that most people really don't know what they're missing by relegating Irish whiskey to that one day. And it's kind of silly and absurd. It would be as if Scotch were consumed only on St. Andrews Day, the celebration for Scotland's patron saint. Good thing it isn't because most people don't even know when St. Andrews Day is. (It's November 30 in case you were wondering.)

Scotch is enjoyed year-round on all occasions. And Irish whiskey can and should be as well. In fact you could easily argue that, because of Irish whiskey's very easygoing approachability compared to the relative muscularity of many Scotches, it would be an even better choice as a regular beverage. Certainly at least to those who previously haven't considered themselves whiskey drinkers.

Getting people to explore and shift their perceptions about Irish whiskey is one of my missions in life. But it's one drinker at a time. Let's start with you.

If you're already an Irish whiskey drinker I'd like to hear what you're planning on having on St. Patrick's Day. I haven't decided yet myself. That's an indecision compounded by the 70 or so Irish whiskeys I have on hand, including the 12 newcomers from my January trip to Dublin. But that is a happy problem.

If you're not an Irish whiskey drinker or just an occasional sipper, here are some recommendations:

1) The standard Jameson is impressively good for a "regular" whiskey, as is Bushmills. Very affordable at about $20, quite likable, and readily available in most bars and liquor stores.

2) Tullamore Dew is the second best-selling whiskey behind Jameson and that's because it's very friendly and approachable to newcomers. Also affordable at $20-ish, available in some bars but in most liquor stores.

3) Paddy is probably the smoothest, softest, friendliest Irish whiskey available. It's making a cameo appearance in the U.S. in time for St. Patrick's Day. It readily wins converts and serves as an Irish whiskey recruitment tool for me. Its limited availability means it's pricier -- $35-$40, and it's smoothness (from it's low pot-still content) doesn't impress experienced whiskey drinkers. But it's eminently drinkable and a good door opener to the Irish whiskey world.

4) Jameson 12-year-old and Black Bush ($35-$40) are great steps up from the standard Jameson and Bushmills, especially for those who previously only tried those two. Really good.

5) Red Breast 12-year-old to me is the best all-around, quintessentially Irish whiskey. It's a pure pot still whiskey with a full body and rich flavor. Always a favorite. About $40.

6) Bushmills 16 year-old and Jameson Special Gold Reserve. Stepping up in price to around $80, these are two wonderful whiskeys. You'll like them.

7) Midleton Very Rare and Bushmills 21-year-old. Another step up to about $120, but absolutely delicious whiskeys and great gifts to yourself or others. A real treat.

I've focused a lot on Jameson and Bushmills offerings not out of favoritism, as the other major Irish distiller, Cooley, makes some of my all-time favorite whiskeys that you would like also. I pick them partly because of availabilty and awareness. They are, at several levels, introductory whiskeys that pave the way for further exploration of other offerings from all three distilleries. The point is, it's really hard to go wrong with picking a good, very good or excellent Irish whiskey for sipping on St. Paddy's Day -- or ANY day.

So go get a bottle. Ask your retailer for recommendations or post questions here. At minimum you'll have a good drink, and you'll have some good fun -- the "craic" is what it's all about after all -- along the way.

Sláinte, and Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Whaddya Like?

2010-03-06T14:10:00Z

A recent story in The Wall Street Journal covered an emerging trend in the wine world toward amateur tasting panels. Instead of groups of experts gargling, swirling and spitting, everyday Joe and Jane wine enthusiasts are rating wines simply by sipping and then telling whether and how much they liked a particular bottling. That story struck a chord with me and touched on points made in one or two of my earlier entries about the dubious value of many tasting notes in the whisk(e)y world.

Um, I Don't Get It
Some tasting notes just make we nuts. I mean, I sincerely appreciate the effort to describe highly subjective tastes and sensations. It's hard. And tasters who do that are hanging it out there just by making that effort, so I don't want to impugn their intent. And, frankly, it's fun to try to pick out and describe the flavors and feel of different whisk(e)ys. Some folks I know just have a knack for it -- much more than I -- and are more often on or near target. But many other descriptions rely excessively on metaphors and comparisons to things like bubble gum, pomegranates, cotton candy, toasted wheat bread, saddle leather, tobacco, bananas, butter, glue and just about anything else. When I read them I can only say, "you've got to be shittin' me." Who writes this stuff? It reminds me of people who stir instead of shake martinis because they "don't want to bruise the gin." Huh??!!

Those types of descriptions don't work for me. And I don't think that they work for many whisk(e)y drinkers. Most casual drinkers rate liquor by one benchmark -- "smoothness." But in the context of a tasting they are looking to be educated and given some basis for comparing and describing their experiences with different whiskeys. First, they want to know, "Will I like it and what can I relate it to in my drinking experience?"Second, "Is it worth the money?"

What Are You Drinking?
The first part can be accomplished by informing the drinker about the origin and composition of the whiskey: distillery, water source, malting, vatting, blending selections, aging, added coloring, and so forth. Those are the elements that give each whisk(e)y its unique qualities, including different vintages of the same whiskey brand. Those qualities establish the context for understanding the color, nose, taste or palate, and finish. It also helps potential buyers understand the relative prices, i.e., the work that went into a particular bottling.

Descriptions need not follow the nose, taste, color-finish model. They can be simpler. For example, the Irish Whiskey Society uses a house style which, used at it's recent Scotch tasting, described whiskys as "peated, peppery spice, quite a filling whisky," "light and fruity, a touch of coastal salt with faint peat," or "creamy, light smoke, a great all-rounder." That works well.

Ratings
The question of value -- not just price -- can be addressed through a rating system. Whisk(e)y experts such as Jim Murray and John Hansell are widely known for their out-of-100 numerical ratings. Sláinte reader and Paddy's Pubs blogger Paddy the Publican recently posted a nicely common sense A-to-F rating system that ranges from an "ineffable masterpiece" to "absolute swill." And Irish Whiskey Notes author, Irish Whiskey Society co-founder and my good friend David Havelin uses a very practical 1-to-10 (worst to best) rating system where, for example, an 8 or higher means that he'd buy it if money were no object. David's also considering adjusting or expanding his system to account for price and value.

Although maybe not a widely applicable example, here's an instance of a tasting metaphor that worked well: At the recent Irish Whiskey Society "Islands of Scotland" tasting, host Michael Foggarty said the nose of one Scotch reminded him of a particular brand of condom. (That meant he didn't like it, in case you were wondering.) His metaphor instantly connected with the other tasters who understood his allusion to the odd rubbery odor from that one whisky. As a marketing guy I instantly thought of bundled package promotions for those two products (only kidding). The point is, the comparison worked because it instantly resonated with the audience.

Weigh In
How do you describe or rate whiskeys, not just for yourself, but for those who are looking to learn more? Or should it be not much complicated then, "whayyda like?"

Recent Immigrants

2010-02-11T22:53:00Z

Of all of the Irish natives that I had the pleasure of meeting during my Dublin trip -- and in this case I mean the liquid kind -- 12 of them I met only briefly and in passing. But I invited those dozen to join me for an extended stay in the States.

That's a convoluted way of saying that 12 Irish whiskeys have joined my collection and will soon undergo a proper tasting. It would be rude of me to have them come all this way and not get to know them a bit better. Though I've had a dram of the Jameson-produced Crested Ten, the others remain sealed until I have an official quorum for a tasting. That would consist of at least one other friend or family member, so soon enough. I'll report our impressions after.

Here are the recent immigrants:

Three cask strength entries in the Connemara Sherry Finish, the Connemara Single Cask and the Irishman Cask Strength, plus the Tullamore Dew Single Malt.

I tried the Powers 12 in Dublin. It is head and shoulders above the regular Powers. The Crested Ten is an enjoyable and reasonably priced everyday whiskey.

Though I've tried its 15-year-old brandmate, I've not yet sampled the Tyrconnell 17. By all reports it Is an exceptional whiskey. I've tried the Port Finish and am looking forward to trying the Tyrconnell Madeira and Sherry Cask finishes.

Three real treats: The Green Spot 10, the Locke's Grand Crew Cask 696 (I've tried the 700. Excellent.) and the Midleton Single Cask.

Life is good!

Lucky 13

2010-02-06T18:03:00Z

I was slightly hasty in calling "a wrap" of Dublin at the end of the last entry. I left out a Sunday afternoon tasting graciously served up by my friend David Havelin of the Irish Whiskey Notes blog and the Irish Whiskey Society. David and I sampled 8 whiskeys from his personal collection, plus a few bonus beverages, at his place a few miles outside of Dublin City Centre. He has many more than 8, of course, but we focused on bottlings which I had had not tried, could not get in the U.S., or just felt like having.

We tasted:

Crested Ten
A pleasant Jameson blend common in Ireland and uncommon elsehwere. Decent pot still content. A good everyday whiskey.

Jameson Signature Reserve
Another blend for the Duty Free market. It's good, as in OK.

Bushmills 12yo Distillery Reserve
A decent malt available only at the distillery. Don't have an image.

Greenore 15
Very nice for a grain-based whiskey, though it also has that signature grain "sweetness."

Tyrconnell 15yo
I really like this. I had it a few evenings earlier at Bowe's and wanted another go. Not fair to compare it to the regular Tyrconnell which I can take or leave. Rich, malty and very, very likable. An excellent whiskey worth getting if you can find it.

Lockes Grand Crew (Cask 700)
This was a special issue from the Locke's distillery issued in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the closing of Ireland's Grand Canal. It's a great story that you should read on David's blog. And it's a wonderful whiskey. A real treat.

Dundalgan
Had to try this one as David had flagged it as a candidate for the worst Irish whiskey. It's a Cooley blend issued for the German discounting chain Lidl. Imagine Wal-Mart, Target, BJs or Costco. etc. in the States having a store brand whiskey. This is what it might be like. It's nearly undrinkable. But it is highly mixable with ginger ale, cola, etc., or so we believe. I'd buy this if I were in college, and/or broke. Reminds me -- in the cheap booze way -- of $5 cases of Schmidt's or Hamm's or even Billy Beer that we'd get on sale back in the day. And not that the label is a knock-off of the Jameson label or anything but...

Kellan
Another Cooley blend. Not bad, not great but generically pretty tolerable. Just not much to distinguish it though.

We then branched out from whiskeys to check out a couple of whiskey novelties. First was the interesting Spirit of Kilbeggan three-vial set of 1-month, 1-year and 2-year distillates (probably not right to call them whiskeys). They are taken from among the first production runs of the old Kilbeggan pot stills which Cooley resurrected and rejuvenated in 2007 after a 50-year hiatus. It gives you a sense of what a raw whiskey product is like and what it may become. Interesting stuff and available only at the distillery or at the Celtic Whiskey Shop in Dublin.

We decided then to compare the 1-month Kilbeggan to the Knockeen Hills poteen. They are different animals, of course, and on balance I prefer the whiskey-to-be. Poteen just tastes musty to me. Hard to describe.

Finally, we sampled some lovely Hildalgo Olorso sherry recommended to me by the gents at the Celtic Whiskey shop. It's nice to drink and fun to see if you can relate the sherry flavors to the sherry cask influences in some whiskeys. I hope to try the same thing with some madeira and port soon also.

And counting those whiskeys above, that's a total of 13 new-to-me Irish whiskeys that I sampled while in Dublin. Plus there were some that I already knew. And there were 7 Scotches.

To cap off an afternoon of Irish beverages, and this being Ireland, we went down the street for, what else? -- cheeseburgers and fries. We paid a visit to Eddie Rocket's. He apparently is Johnny Rocket's Irish cousin with similar tastes in cuisine and decor. It was tasty.

Now that's a wrap.

A Dublin Wrap-Up

2010-01-31T08:46:00Z

I'm back in the States after a great week in Dublin. While I had hoped to add a few more blog updates while there, it usually came down to a choice of sleep or writing after midnight, and believe me, I need as much beauty rest as I can get. So this is a wrap of a terrific visit in which I:

1) met great people and made new friends
2) witnessed what a quality group the Irish Whiskey Society is
3) tasted many new-to-me Irish whiskeys
4) expanded my Scotch palate and knowledge
5) enjoyed some good pubs where you can drink and talk without having to SHOUT over the music or the crowd
6) saw one of the true greats of Irish trad perform live
7) singlehandedly provided a major boost to the flagging Irish economy through my whiskey purchases.

Also, the flights, hotel, food and sights were good, and it didn't rain (sprinkles maybe) the entire week. Other than that the trip was terrible. I'm kidding of course, though the family history research part of the trip was somewhat less productive. It looks as if I may be compelled to return for additional research later. 'Tis a pity, I know.

Wednesday evening was the previously reported meeting at Bowe's. I went back there later in the week for an afternoon pint. Go there if you're looking for whisk(e)y, for a respite from the Temple Bar scene or for a traditional pub where you can actually hear each other in normal conversation and/or the game on TV. Good place.

The Whisk(e)y Lineup At Bowe's

Thursday evening was the IWS tasting at the Brooks Hotel featuring whiskys from the Islands of Scotland. Yes, it may seem odd that my first attendance at an IWS meeting involved Scotch. But it only reinforced my oft-stated point that the drinking isn't about the liquor, it's about the company and the craic. Both were great. As was the liquor.

Well-organized and well-run, the IWS is operates like an outfit that's been around far longer than the year or so that it's been in existence. The venue, the preparation, the tasting selection and procurement, the logistics and even the online booking are exemplary and part of a strong foundation for growth. They are serious about it with taking it too seriously.

I arrived early to watch the preparations. We poured the whiskys into sample glasses which were then placed on numbered spots on a place card at each seat. The place cards also showed a color-coded map of Scotland's primary distilling areas. Each of the approximately 30 participants also had a Glencairn tasting glass and a water glass to be filled from the pitcher of filtered water on each table.

The Whisk(e)ys Are Poured Into Sample Cups...

...And Set Onto Place cards. Three Of the Usual Sample Set of Six Are Shown, Though This Tasting Included Seven. This Also Shows The Color-Coded Map Of the Distillery Areas.

The presenter was Michael Foggarty, "Scottish Michael" formerly of Dublin's Celtic Whiskey Shop. A native Scot, he recently left the CWS and launched his own venture called Whiskey Island, conducting tastings professionally for businesses and other groups. He does a great job.

Michael Foggarty Giving Background On Each Whisky And Its Distillery

The tasting line-up in order was:

Arran 1997 Single Cask
Bunnahabhain Darach Ùr
Jura Superstition
Ledaig 15yo
Talisker 10yo
Scapa 16yo
Highland Park 18yo

Three Down, Four To Go

At the end of the tasting, participants are polled to determine favorites, then everybody can return to the bottles for a proper pour of their preference.

The Line-Up At The End Of The Tasting

David Havelin gives a great and concise account of that evening's whiskys at his Irish Whiskey Notes blog. He also applies his eminently practical ratings system. I concur with his rankings with exception of the Bunnahabhain (buhn-ah-HA-vin) which I rather enjoyed.

The cask-strength Arran cauterized the tongue without water but was marvelous with a fair splash of water. The Bunnahabhain intrigued me with how it manifested terroir, or the expression of its immediate environment. The floral and salty tastes to me just seemed to reflect vibrantly the distillery's seaside location. Michael gave an example of that type of influence, noting that some whiskys that you'd swear are peated are not, and only give that impression because the distillery's water source flows from a peat bog. The Jura was strangely rubbery, the Ledaig (le-CHIG) was a robustly peated whisky, the Talisker 10 is an assertive malt with strong but balanced peatiness, and the Scapa was mild and pleasant. The Highland Park 18 is really one of the best and most complete Scotches available. Marvelous stuff.

The evening concluded with an adjournment to the bar upstairs for a few pints. A great event all around. If you're planning to be in Dublin, the tastings are held on the last Thursday of each month at the Brooks Hotel. Check out the IWS events listing. You can even book your place online. Highly recommended.

Otherwise And Elsewhere...
A couple of days after the tasting I popped into the CWS to purchase a few Irish whiskeys that are hard or not possible to get in the U.S. I'll be writing about those in the next couple of weeks. I also grabbed several others at Duty Free on the way home. For some strange reason I decided not to get a couple of others that I had intended to. Aside from the financial impact I was starting to feel like a whiskey glutton (must be some latent Catholic guilt. Go figure.) In hindsight, it made absolutely no sense for me to leave those few on the shelves. It would be like having a huge 12-course meal but passing up the after-dinner mint so you could feel as if you were practicing moderation. Whatever. I'll get them next visit.

Finally, I managed to get one of the last 10 tickets to the final concert of this year's Temple Bar TradFest. While I had heard his music many times before, I had never seen the legendary Finbar Furey perform. What a consummate performer and a master musician. Staggeringly good. At one point while singing the famous "Green Fields of France" he and the band stopped playing, he put down the mike, stood up and simply sang it unaccompanied and unamplified. The entire 600 or so people in the audience at the Button Factory immediately became raptly silent until he reached the chorus again, when the entire place sang along. It was a moment. Pretty cool, if you like that sort of thing.

That's a wrap. Can't wait to go back.

Dublin: Day Two

2010-01-28T09:23:00Z

After a day of gripping (read "tedious") research at the National Library of Ireland, I gratefully connected in the evening for a few drinks with my Irish Whiskey Society friends David, Leo and Leo's lovely wife Joyce at Bowe's on Fleet Street.

Bowe's is an excellent little pub with a whiskey/whisky menu featuring more than 100 Irish, Scotch, American and other offerings ranging in price from 5 to 12 Euros per glass. It's great to be able to glance at the menu or at the bottles arrayed in line on a brass rail above the bar and say, "Hmmm, what do I feel like having now?"

And that we did several times. I started with a Paddy, then tried the Tyrconnell Port Finish, the Tyrconnell 15, and the Powers 12, then finished the evening with a Green Spot. Paddy is friendly and familiar. The Tyrconnell Port Finish has a nice complexity and an interesting finish. It's one of a trio of special finish Tyrconnells, the others being Sherry and Madeira which I have yet to sample. The Tyrconnell 15 is lovely and sets the stage for acquiring its 17-year-old sibling strongly recommended by David and Leo. The Powers 12 is very much a step up from the standard Powers and I'm looking forward to getting it in the States this year. And it's just hard to go wrong with Green Spot.

The four of us talked a bit about IWS' success, growth and plans to date, Leo's impressive (between about 350 and 600 bottles depending on how you count) whiskey/whisky collection, and this, that and the other thing. A fun night out with very nice folks.

Thursday evening is the January IWS tasting at the Brooks Hotel featuring Scotch from the northern islands. Will give a report with pix after.

Dublin Day One: "A Madman's Drink!"

2010-01-26T22:11:00Z

Appropriately enough, my whiskey-focused excursion to Dublin began with whiskey. After checking-in and doing the TSA Shuffle at Boston's Logan Airport, I sauntered toward the gate and decided to see what Scotches and Irish whiskeys they had at Duty Free. There were reasonable if small selections of both, including Jameson, Jameson 12, Midleton, Powers, Tullamore Dew (out of stock) and Paddy.

As I turned away from the shelves to exit the store, a friendly chap standing next to a Jack Daniels display asked if I'd like to sample either the standard Jack (nah, no thanks) or the Gentleman Jack. I've only dabbled in about a half-dozen bourbons so far, so the Gentleman Jack seemed worth a shot (literally, 'cause that's about what he oops-poured for me).

He explained that it was charcoal filtered twice vs. once for Jack and spent another three weeks or three months or whatever (I can't remember. Seemed short though.) in the cask. I figured that another round of filtering for standard Jack sure couldn't hurt. And it did help. It was a more drinkable version of Jack that I'll try again.

Soon enough, I was on the overnight flight to DUB. Once on the ground at Dublin International, I went through Customs and hopped into a taxi heading into the City Centre.

"A Madman's Drink!"
I brought up the subject of whiskey, of course, with the taxi driver. He had a reaction to the subject similar to what I've seen with other Irishmen.

"Whiskey. That's a madman's drink! I know people who are fine after a few pints, but give them a whiskey and they SNAP, just like that," he said, lightly snapping the fingers of his left hand for emphasis. "Happens in a second.

"A madman's drink," he said for a second time.

I gamely related how we -- we being my American drinking companions and my colleagues at the Irish Whiskey Society (IWS) -- had a different approach to the drink. Still lots of fun mind you, (the craic, so) but with less mindless and legless intoxication. He seemed unconvinced.

"My Da' was the only person I knew who could drink whiskey and still come out of the pub the same way he went in," he said with a great deal of admiration in his voice. "Everyone else, just mad."

His father preferred Jameson, he thought. Himself, well, he didn't touch the stuff. Too risky.

Reboot and Reconnoiter
An early hotel check-in, a bit of shuteye and a cup of coffee later, I headed toward the south side of the Liffey and the Old Stand, a familiar pub with decent food and coffee. I skipped having a lunchtime whiskey to preserve my meager brainpower for some afternoon activities. However, I did take a couple of reconnaissance photographs of their whiskey selection to give you an idea of what you might typically see in a Dublin pub.

The Handy Economy-Sized Wall Dispenser Version Tullamore Dew. I Think It's A Two-Litre Bottle

Jameson, Jameson Gold, Jameson 18, Powers 12, Midleton, The Irishman 70 and Single Malt, Crested Ten And A Few Others

I spent the rest of the afternoon and the remainder of the day's quota of semi-coherent mental functioning at the National Library of Ireland looking into my family history. On the way back to the hotel, I made a stop at that whiskey wonderland, that spirituous sanctum, that excellent expression of distilled products, the Celtic Whiskey Shop on Dawson Street. OK, that's a wee bit bloviated. Suffice it to say that they have an awesome selection of Irish whiskey and Scotch whisky.

"Irish Michael" Lawlor at the Celtic Whiskey Shop

I spent a few minutes chatting with the genial and very informative Michael Lawlor about the selection there and in the U.S., prices, marketing, the planned Porterhouse distillery in Co. Kerry, the Irish Whiskey Society, the upcoming IWS tasting, and so on. He also offered me samples of the terrific Kilbeggan 15 -year-old and the Bushmills-distilled Brogans, neither of which I had tried previously.

He's not only a central figure in the Irish whiskey world, he's a great retailer who would seamlessly shift from chatting with me to helping customers with queries about which whiskeys to buy. It was nice to see both first-time and repeat customers come in and ask for whiskey recommendations just as they would fine wines. Call Michael if you have any questions about shipping whiskeys to the U.S. or elsewhere.

That's plenty for today. More tomorrow perhaps after connecting with the gents at the IWS.

Back To The Source

2010-01-21T22:13:00Z

My first entry of the New Year is three weeks in as I've been busy with work (good problem, but a problem nonetheless). I've also been preparing for a week-long trip to Dublin starting next Monday, Jan. 25. While the main impetus for the trip is family history research, a large part of my visit will be to explore more Irish whiskeys and to connect with the fine folks at the Irish Whiskey Society (IWS).

I timed my trip to coincide with the monthly IWS tasting on Thursday, Jan. 28. The tasting at the Brooks Hotel will focus on whiskys from the Arran, Jura, Mull, Orkney and Skye islands in the north of Scotland. Though we won't be exploring Irish whiskey, I'm keen to expand my Scotch palate with some kindred spirits (pun completely intended). Some IWS committee members and I may engage in an ad hoc planning and discussion session (more like having a few jars with the boys) the night before.

In any case, I will post items of note and pictures during my trip as my brain and internet connection allow. Likely topics will be a visit to the Celtic Whiskey Shop on Dawson Street (this will be my second stop there), the tasting, news from the whiskey world, pubs, the Temple Bar TradFest happening that weekend and various and sundry things that seem blog worthy.

I've been in Dublin a couple of times before and have covered a bunch of the usual sites and about a dozen pubs before. But do any of you have any suggestions or requests that I may be able to accommodate during the trip? Lemme know.

Stay tuned, and check the blog during the week next week.

Sláinte!

Happy New Year! (A Little Early)

2009-12-02T17:39:00Z

Word of new and newly available Irish whiskeys in the U.S. in 2010 will warm the hearts (and other body parts) of American whiskey drinkers.

Malt Advocate Editor John Hansell's blog states that there will be a new release of Jameson Rarest Vintage Reserve, that a much-admired Powers 12-year-old will come ashore, that Paddy will stumble in around St. Patrick's Day and that the wonderful Red Breast 15-year-old will debut in the fall of 2010. This is great news that you should certainly raise a glass to.

I must give a big thanks to David Havelin and his excellent, well-informed and informative Irish Whiskey Notes website for calling this out. And yes, David, I am happier than a muc in cac, as it were.

The RVR will be changing in composition. I'll be intrigued to see how its already marvelous complexity will evolve. It will also be great to taste the 12-year-old expression of Powers. The "regular" Powers is a pot still standard and the whiskey equivalent of a comfortable old friend to me and others, though it can be challenging to some. If the differences between the standard Jameson and Jameson 12 are any measure then the Powers 12 promises to be a winner.

And Paddy, Paddy, Paddy. More folks than I can count here have longingly watched Paddy from afar, wistfully seeking its presence in U.S. liquor stores. Now granted, it's not what everybody considers a robust whiskey. But it is an eminently drinkable casual beverage. Accordingly, it appears as if limited amounts will be available around March 17. (Maybe they don't want it to overstay a visa or something.) I'll be looking for the promos early next year and will be curious to see how they position and price it, and how and where they market it. Let me know if you see something.

And while I've found a couple of bottles of Red Breast 15 here in the U.S., it will be exported to America starting next fall. It's lovely stuff, lovelier even than its younger, 12-year-old sibling that's widely available here already.

What great news heading into the holidays.

Getting Along With Alcohol

2009-10-25T15:23:00Z

In an earlier entry I wrote about the "art of drinking well." It was an attempt to explain my approach both to drinking and to this blog. In short form, it's about how drinking is simultaneously about the alcohol and not about the alcohol. Yes, it's about all of the nose-taste-color-finish aspects of a good whiskey -- or whatever libation you're hoisting. And it's about the buzz of the booze (amen for that!). But ultimately and more importantly, drinking, and enjoying Irish whiskey, is more about the sharing of time and tipple with friends, family and other kindred spirits. It's about the fun, the craic.

I bring this up again because it highlights a sometimes hidden barrier to wider enjoyment of Irish whiskey in the US, and elsewhere. There is a common perception that liquor -- and Irish whiskey in particular -- is less about the enjoyment of fine drink, and more about a shortcut to domestic trouble, moral turpitude, cirrhosis of the liver and early death. Or at least a nasty hangover.

I get this perception whenever I discuss Irish whiskey as "a hobby" with acquaintances. If I mention past or planned Irish whiskey tastings the reaction is usually something like "Wow! Are you going to have people sleep on the floor?!" It is assumed that we're going to kill a few bottles of something, start talking or singing loudly and badly, piss in the sink, then stagger off to sleep somewhere. And while I can get reasonably locked and loaded if I want, drinking has morphed into an activity more like eating -- something to be done more pleasurably than prodigiously.

You can drink well with many types of alcohol -- vodka, gin, rum, scotch, port, brandy, wine, beer and others. And any of those can be associated with overindulgence. But I can enjoy a glass or two of those and not get the same, almost reflexively negative reaction I get if I say I'm drinking Irish whiskey. Indeed, the others -- scotch and port in particular -- seem to convey some level of sophistication. But Irish? Nope. The reaction is far more likely to be either that I like throat-ripping rotgut, or, that I'm drinking to get drunk.

Ironically, some of the hardest negative attitudes about Irish whiskey are in Ireland itself. That stems from the country's tumultuous history with alcohol. There's national pride in the product, but many of the bartenders and other natives I spoke with in Ireland didn't know much about Irish whiskey, and some didn't drink at all. One evening in Galway, I committed a minor social faux pas by suggesting to my new-best-friend-for-a-night -- a local named Dominic -- that we switch to a whiskey after a few pints. He scowled faintly, shook his head as if I had proposed that we snort heroin, thought for a moment, then compromised on a hot whiskey (aka, hot toddy). Already into his fourth or fifth cider by the time he and I met, Dominic was no teetotaler. But whiskey to him was baaaaaad stuff.

Irish-Americans too have a rocky relationship with alcohol in fact, in anecdotes and by reputation. But having problems with alcohol is hardly unique either to the Irish or Irish-Americans, nor is Irish whiskey uniquely abused. Even so, it's that combination of fact and fiction that underlies the perception that "Irish = Drunk," and by association "Irish Whiskey = Drunk."

Part of the fun of introducing folks to the enjoyment of Irish whiskey is challenging that perception by opening their eyes and mouths to the range of good, really good and excellent brands available. Their perceptions begin to shift, from Irish whiskey being a get-hammered "drunk drink" to being a really good drinker's drink. I like to hear after a tasting that someone went out and bought a bottle of Jameson 12, Red Breast 12, Midleton or something else that tickled their fancy. The relative lack of awareness of Irish whiskey lends it a certain best-kept-secret status to those "in the know."

But don't get me wrong: I don't mean to imply that we start to portray Irish whiskey drinking as an exclusive, pinkie-in-the-air, ascot-or-pearls-wearing activity where we sit around talking about how our ponies did at the track and my-what-a-lovely-job-your-gardeners-did-on-the-front-promenade. Instead, I think that a natural perception of Irish whiskey is a midpoint between having your nose in the gutter and your nose in the air. It's about enjoying the whiskey, the talk, the banter, the music, the camaraderie and the company. I use the Irish "craic" (you could also just say "fun") because it captures those elements in a single word, and, of course, it's in context of the subject at hand.

So, keep spreading the good word and sharing the good dram. You'll be adding to the ranks of people who appreciate Irish whiskey, and maybe even find a new drinking companion or two. And, of course, the craic'll be mighty.

Where 'ta Get?

2009-10-23T17:18:00Z

I'm picking up from a comment by "Mister Booze" to the last blog entry about Paddy and asking Sláinte readers how and where they purchase some of the harder-to-find Irish whiskeys in the U.S. Paddy, of course, and Green Spot come to mind as do some of the Madeira cask and other bottlings of Tyrconell. I'd add Red Breast 15 to that list but it's limited-issue status all but ensures its scarcity here, and in Ireland for that matter. Or, if you think that you've found a less-common Irish whiskey in your neck of the woods, let us know. Let's start a Comment thread to compile and share good, accessible sources of some of the tougher-to-get brands. Also welcome are inquiries about where to find particular whiskeys and leads on good prices.

Be sure to list the city and state, the outlet, the whiskey (duh) and the price.

Let the Comments begin!

Paddy's Back

2009-10-12T15:41:00Z

I've agitated -- albeit very mildly -- in this blog for trying to get Paddy available in America. I use Paddy as an Irish whiskey recruitment tool of sorts, as a way to ease newbies into the uisce world and to expand their whiskey drinking horizons. It's worked wonderfully for that. But I've had to be a bit stingy and selective about offering it as the low-fuel light was showing on the one and only bottle that I picked up at Dublin Duty Free in 2008.

But two fresh new bottles of the stuff arrived at my house recently. They were purchased at their regular price of about $18 each vs. the $40-ish you pay if ordering online. Now before you get all excited and start asking "Where!? Where!?", I should say that the acquisition method is a more appropriate as a dubious topic for the Journal of Irreproducible Results (JIR) than a reliable way for us craic-seeking uiscephiles to get our punch.

Technically speaking, you can buy Paddy in the U.S. -- the standard 1-litre bottle for $18 -- so long as you're on your way out of the country. In other words, you have to make a stop at the Duty Free at a U.S. Airport. Then you have to get it back home, of course. A globe-trotting brother of mine made a stopover at Detroit on his way from Japan back to his home in Montreal. A driving visit to me in the Boston area resulted in two bottles of Paddy on my kitchen table.

Now, I know you're thinking, "Geez, Rich, that's feckin' brilliant! And incredibly helpful in my quest to procure Paddy here in the good ol' USofA. NOT!" And you'd be right to think that. As I said, it's fodder for my prospective JIR article. Though I'd probably have to include some references to laminar and turbulent flow, the adiabatic lapse rate, thrust-drag and weight-lift ratios, turbine efficiency and -- aw, what the hell -- the multiverse hypothesis for the publication to even consider it. But I digress.

The good news is that I now have two bottles of Paddy to use in my insidious efforts to expand the appreciation of Irish whiskey in the U.S. The bad news is that my brother has moved back to the States. Well, it's good he's back, but the whole wacky way we got Paddy really is irreproducible now. Other good news, in its way, is that now I have to start planning my next trip to Ireland to do all of the Ireland things I want to do, including a Duty Free stop on the way home. I owe my wife a visit to Italy first, but that's another story.

And now that I have a couple of litres of Paddy around the house, I'm still not drinking very much of it, or very often, at all. Fact is, with all of the other whiskeys here -- and some really good ones at that -- some of Paddy's appeal has waned for me. Now don't get me wrong. I like Paddy, especially with a whiskey recruit and a pint or two or three or so of stout. But for whiskey drinking, I'm likely to grab something else. But I think that this further supports my gateway-whiskey theory. Paddy gets people engaged, curious and appreciative of more and other whiskeys. My experience also supports the sentiment from some of my fellow whiskey drinkers that Paddy is the equivalent of a barley-based vodka or everclear. Paddy's smoothness -- the result of its low pot still content -- is both its strength and its weakness.

My mild Paddy agitation also included formation of a Facebook group called "Get Paddy to America!" It's more of a social media experiment than anything else. It has attracted a small but dedicated cadre of 54 members since January. But I think that thus far I've only proved the standard marketing communications wisdom that unsupported communications efforts don't do that well. I'd have to give that Group some energy and leadership if we want it to be more than one hand clapping, or one lip drinking depending on how you look at it.

There are some suggestions for getting Paddy in the U.S. both from Sláinte readers (check out the comments) and on the Facebook page.

How're you doing out there, all you Paddy-ites?

In A Word...

2009-09-01T15:38:00Z

...holyf***ingshit!

That vulgarly inarticulate expression was my spontaneous initial description of my first taste of Knappogue Castle 1951. Without regard to its price or reputation (both quite considerable), I was amazed by the experience of this unqiue whiskey. Bejeez, this stuff is beautiful and, frankly, well worth a cost that's usually between $500 and $1200 per bottle depending on where you find it.

This truly is a very special whiskey. From nose to taste to what pleasantly felt like a years-long finish, my eyes opened wide, my brow raised, and an almost involuntary smile spread across my face as I first sampled it. I tried no more for a couple of weeks until one of my brothers was visiting. The initial experience was affirmed and enhanced by sharing it and by watching and hearing similar reactions from him. He, however, stuck with a repeated "Wow!" for his verbal expression. It's not that I'm gratuitously potty-mouthed (ok, maybe a little), rather, I like to employ the full range of language and vocabulary available to me.

More Words
Part of the difficulty of finding the right descriptive words stems from the nature of this 36-year-old whiskey itself. You get flashes of apple, vanilla, oak, honey, cocoa, rose petals and as many other sensations as they are tastebuds. And I'm not usually one to wax over squishy-squashy tasting note descriptions. It goes off in multiple directions seemingly all at once. Just when you think you're picking out a flavor it zips you off to another place and sensation. Wild. Sensuous. Beguiling. Tantalizing. Sublime. Wow.

I've bought expensive bottles of whiskey before and almost always try to justify the purchase with the promise of saving the bottle for special occasions. The definition of "special" tends to become increasingly liberal over time, especially when friends and family are around. Then I slowly re-start the mindgame of preparing to buy another bottle of it. Ya wouldn't want to run out now, would ya?

But this really is a whiskey for special occasions and special company. If you have or get a bottle of it, you could save it. But I think it's better -- when it really does feel "special" -- to savor it mindfully, deliberately and fully with kindred spirits who will appreciate the beauty contained in the bottle.

Taking Stock

2009-08-22T16:13:00Z

With several new additions I figured it was time to list the whiskeys now in the collection. So, in alphabetical order:

Black Bush

Bushmills

Bushmills 10

Bushmills 16

Bushmills 1608

Bushmills 21

Clontarf

Clontarf Reserve

Clontarf Single Malt

Connemara

Connemara 12

Connemara Cask Strength

Feckin

Finian’s Five Provinces

Green Spot

Greenore 8

The Irishman 70

The Irishman Single Malt

Jameson

Jameson 12

Jameson 18

Jameson Gold Reserve

Jameson RVR

Kilbeggan

Knappogue Castle 1951 (yup, finally got one. The subject of a future entry)

Knappogue Castle 1995

Locke's 8 Single Malt

Michael Collins

Michael Collins Single Malt

Midleton VR 2007

Paddy

Power Gold Label

Redbreast 12

Tullamore Dew

Tullamore Dew 10 (not the new single malt)

Tullamore Dew 12

Tyrconnell

That's 37. Most have been procured in the U.S., a couple in Canada and a couple at Duty Free in Ireland or elsewhere. And yes, more are being sought.

I need to find a way to display them. Sadly, I keep them stowed in a pantry cabinet, conveniently close to the glassware but out of sight. I live in an antique house (1780) and most common home bars backs are far too tall for my ceilings. Some custom cabinetry would work but that's down my list of priorities at the moment. Let me know if you've seen or heard of good display methods I should take a look at.

Private Labels

2009-08-22T15:43:00Z

Two recent additions to the collection -- Feckin and Finian's -- illustrate the common practice of private labeling, or when a manufacturer creates a product for sale by an unaffiliated company under a different label and brand identity. Private labeling applies to countless products beyond whiskey of course. Canned goods, clothing and gasoline are three other typical examples.

From Whence They Come
Irish whiskeys come from one of three distilleries in Ireland. Those are the Midleton Distillery near Cork, the Cooley Distillery in Co. Louth (about 60 miles/100 km north of Dublin) and the Bushmills Distillery in Co. Antrim in Northern Ireland. That compares to more than 120 distilleries in Scotland. The staggering difference is the result of a tangle of historical, political and economic reasons that I won't get into here.

Many whiskey brands such as Jameson, Bushmills and Tyrconnell (Midleton, Bushmills and Cooley distilleries, respectively) are owned and marketed by the distillery at which they are produced. But those distilleries also make a variety of whiskeys under contract to other brand owners and marketers, (e.g. the venerable Green Spot). That includes some single malt, grain and blended whiskeys. And the blends may include whiskeys from different distilleries. They also make a variety of other distilled spirits.

There's an excellent list of whiskey brands and the distilleries at which they are made at David Havelin's Irish Whiskey Notes website. Look under the Reference heading for the Irish Whiskey Explorer.

The F Words
Feckin and Finian's are both produced by Cooley. Cooley is the largest independent distillery in Ireland, i.e., not part of either Pernod Ricard or Diageo, the two beverage conglomerates that own the Midleton and Bushmills facilities.

Feckin is a decent and drinkable offering -- consider it "average." It's produced for the Feckin Drinks Company of Portaferry, Co. Down. If you're unfamiliar, "feckin'" is a mixed-company way the Irish drop the F-bomb, not unlike the way "frickin" "friggin" or "freakin" are used in the States. Quite a useful word, especially in written form. Feckin whiskey's brand name conveys edgy coolness, and that's a desirable quality when you're aiming for the target audience of 25-34 year old males. It's a young blend with a heavy caramel coloring, a whiskey/spirity nose, an oaky taste with a prolonged spicy finish. If you called central casting for an Irish whiskey this may be what they send you, though it might have a black-and-white generic "Irish Whiskey" label a la Repo Man on it. I hear they're soon coming out with a 10-year-old expression named "Gobshite" and a vodka labeled "Buggeroff." (No, not really).

Finian's has a slightly deeper amber color, a mildly citrus nose that turns into a pronounced citrus-y taste (think TD's citrus tones x2) and a very long, noticeably warm and quite spicy finish. It's one of several private labeled whiskeys produced exclusively for the U.S. market, including a new one called Kellan.

Between the two I'd go with Feckin. It "tastes like Irish whiskey" just like unfamiliar meats "taste like chicken." Finian's citrus-ness is a tad overdone for me.

Don't mean to slam either with faint praise. Rather, and as I've often noted before, everyone's tastes vary. These are two entries that will introduce Irish whiskey to a broader audience through brand appeal and value pricing (about $20). Given my druthers for about the same price, I'd opt for a bottle of standard Jameson or Bushmills as an intro to the unin-uisce-ated.

Major props to Cooley in any case for continuing to expand the range of Irish whiskeys -- and some great ones at that -- on the market.

Whiskey Misc.: I Was Just Thinking...

2009-07-24T12:37:00Z

Random, indefensible thoughts, musing and opinions apropos of nothing other than the mid-summer doldrums:

I know I'm not supposed to like Tullamore Dew but I do. Not on a regular basis, of course. More as a casual pub drink with friends and whiskey newbies. But it's a pleasant enough dram that plays well with others.

Michael Collins was far more interesting than the whiskeys named for him. I wonder what he'd say about them and what he'd drink.

It's hard to go wrong anywhere, anytime or with anyone recommending Jameson 12 or Red Breast. Or Black Bush.

Midleton (most vintages) is a fine whiskey that at US$120 is an excellent value. It's also the one I use to get more experienced scotch drinkers to take a closer look at Irish. "Wow!" is usually the reaction.

Green Spot is what a classic Irish whiskey should be. Fun, engaging and full of character. Too bad it requires a trip to Ontario to get it. Not that I mind going to Canada of course.

Greenore 8 is surprisingly "sweet."

I will get a bottle of Knappogue Castle 1951 someday. Maybe more. And maybe sooner than "someday."

I hope that Irish whiskey appreciation continues to grow but without adopting the half-informed, status-centric affectations that too often surround scotch drinking. It's only drinking, fer feck sake.

Powers is like an old friend -- a crusty, take-me-or-leave-me-this-is-the-way-I-am-and-bugger-off-if-you-don't-like-it old friend.

Connemara Cask Strength is, as we might say in these parts, "wicked pissah." If you're unfamiliar with the local dialect that means it's really good -- kicks-ass-and-takes-names good. But it sure ain't for everyone.

Bushmills 21 is a luscious, sensuous, sexy drink. I know that's a weird way to say it. But it just has a certain something about it.

I need to be sober to fully appreciate the art in Jameson RVR. More than two fingers at a time is a waste.

I'd like to try the Tyrconnell madeira, sherry and port cask bottlings. Hard to find around here though.

If I were stranded on a desert island and could only take one whiskey with me it would be Green Spot. Or Midleton. And a brunette.

Is there such a thing as "good" poitin? Just wondering.

Oddly enough, one of the most popular entries in this blog to date is not about Irish whiskey. It's about The Knot.

I recently read a good blog entry in which the writer noted that he demonstrated that it's possible to write about Irish whiskey and not use the words shamrock, leprechaun, Black Stuff and other clichés. I agree with avoiding the hackneyed or affected use of such words especially by Americans. (as the warm and fuzzy, soft-spoken Bob Geldof once said, “Irish Americans are no more Irish than African Americans are Africans.”). But the writer also had "craic" on his no-good list. Call it whatever you want, but drinking and appreciating good whiskey is, in the end, all about the craic. And a little "sláinte mhaith" in context ain't no more out-of-line than a "skoal," "l'chaim," "za vas," or "here's mud in your eye."

I'm looking forward to my next trip to Ireland (as yet unplanned. But soon). Strictly a research trip mind you. Some family history research (yes, sitting in the NLI is gripping, I know). And some consultations with my colleagues at the Irish Whiskey Society. This may involve drinking.

Speaking of drinking, if you're a stout drinker (the beverage, not your body type), see if you can find O'Hara's on tap. It's a much darker roast than Guinness or even Beamish. Delicious. You can get it bottled but it's not nearly as good as the draught. It makes Murphy's taste like, well, not very much at all. And that's not a slam on Murphy's.

When I die I want Altan's version of "Jug of Punch" played at my wake and funeral. Have always liked that song.

Three "new" whiskeys are in the queue for the blog -- Feckin, Finian's and a special surprise guest. Stay tuned.

So, sláinte mhaith. And thanks for the craic.

And, for good measure, slan.

Spot On

2009-06-02T16:58:00Z

By reputation, Green Spot is considered to be among the best, classic, pure pot still Irish whiskeys. It is produced by Mitchell & Sons, a Dublin wine merchant which also touts Green Spot as the longest running continuously available pot still whiskey. The first and last time I tried Green Spot was during a hit-and-run stop at Neary's in Dublin in 2008. I remember it fondly though I can't say that I really had a chance to enjoy it fully.

Sadly, Green Spot is generally not available in the U.S. or in most places outside of Ireland. The closest place I could find was the Provincial government's LCBO liquor chain in Ontario, Canada (about a four-hour drive). By happy coincidence my oldest brother lives in Montreal and 45 minutes from the nearest LCBO outlet. A call to the store to set some aside and a previously scheduled visit from my brother resulted in a bottle arriving at my house.

Here just a month and only a third of the bottle remains. Something must be done...

Hey, This Is Good!
From the moment you bring the glass to your nose and mouth you quickly discover that Green Spot's reputation is well-earned. The nose is rich, or "dense" as Jim Murray describes it. The taste is full and your first thought about the edgy spiciness that jumps out is a cautionary "uh-oh." But it immediately softens quite nicely while retaining a pot still assertiveness -- the distinctive "flintiness" as it's often called -- and a long and complex finish. You find yourself thinking about, even admiring, this whiskey while you're drinking it. It's a wonderful whiskey that's a mere 8-years-old. Wise beyond its years, in a manner of speaking.

If you compare Green Spot to Red Breast, a 12-year-old pure pot still commonly available in the States, you can taste the 4 additional years that Red Breast spent in the cask with a fuller nose and softer finish. And yet it's the very and surprisingly agreeable edge and lasting finish of Green Spot that quickly made it a new favorite of mine and of my sibs.

Mitchell & Sons' website states that only 500 cases are made each year, mostly for the Irish market and with most sold through the company's 21 Kildare Street shop in Dublin. In addition to the "standard" they also offer limited runs of 10- and 12-year Green Spot from 2004, though both are likely hard to find even in Ireland.

Northbound Again
A combined personal and business trip north of the border in a few weeks presents another opportunity to fetch a couple of bottles of Green Spot (about C$95 a bottle). It would be nice to be able to enjoy it a little more freely instead of carefully rationing it as I usually do with whiskeys which I am unable to procure without a trans-Atlantic trip.

Let me know if you've found some in the U.S. And if you've had a chance to try it, let me know what you think.

Oh, For Peat's Sake!

2009-05-10T02:25:00Z

So there I was, innocently minding my own fuzzy-minded Saturday morning business at the liquor store (I know that sounds dodgy but stay with me here) looking to pick up a couple of bottles of red wine and other stuff for various upcoming events when I decided to take a peek at the Irish whiskey section. It was just for yucks as I know this liquor store pretty well and nothing had really changed there in months.

I'm glad I looked.

The three squat green bottles of Connemara single malt peated whiskeys were lined up shoulder to shoulder on the shelf. Actually, two of them are in paper or wooden tube packaging in case you go looking. All a-twitter, I immediately grabbed one of each and completely forgot about the wine. What can I say? I'm easily amused.

Why So Excited?
Connemara is different from most Irish whiskeys in that the malted barley is dried over peat smoke fires similar to how Scotch is made. To distinguish it from its Irish relatives the labels clearly state that it's "peated." It comes in three varieties: Connemara, Connemara 12 Year Old, and Connemara Cask Strength. I know from Sláinte readers that Connemara is available in the States but I hadn't seen any since last year in Dublin. I simply hadn't been able to get my hands on some.

By the way, the Connemara whiskeys are more terrific products from Cooley Distillery, the only independent distillery of the three in Ireland. Cooley also produce Greenore, Tyrconnell, Lockes, Millars, Kilbeggan, Locke's and Inishowen branded whiskeys, each with their own distinct qualities.

Not to overstate the obvious, but the peat defines the Connemara whiskeys. And while you might be tempted to compare them to various scotches, the Connemara trio are different drinks than scotch and from other Irish whiskeys. I found them lighter, more delicate and more subdued than many scotches, and yet they are fully, head-on assertive, loud and proud, peated whiskeys. They share some of the astringent mouth feel and antiseptic tones of some small batch scotches I've tried. But they are -- to be sure -- not Irish whiskeys that don peat coats to mime scotch. They are Irish whiskeys that offer their own different, distinct and pleasing experiences.

Initial Impressions
The "standard" Connemara is light gold in color with assertive peatiness and oak impressions that are powerful but not overpowering, and it delivers a moderate and pleasant finish.

The 12-year-old is fuller and richer in nose, taste and color than the younger "Standard." It's as if the volume of the song has been turned up to where you can really pick out the notes, flourishes, solos and nuances, along with a longer and clearer finish.

At 57.9% ABV or 116 proof, you might think that the Connemara Cask Strength will hit you smack in the nose, mouth and palate. And yet, it offers the faintest golden color and the slightest nose, is warm, almost sweet in the mouth with a surprisingly light smoothness for such strength. It builds in taste and sensation to a crescendo that finishes really, really well. I think part of the pleasure is how the experience differs from the expectation generated by its name and undiluted character.

I genuinely like all three, though the Cask Strength really distinguished itself.

But...
No buts from me. I'm a Connemara fan. And one of my brothers too came back for more of the Cask Strength. But some of my other whiskey-drinking siblings were less impressed, with my oldest brother saying that all three Connemaras were a "toss-up between Ronsonol and Zippo" lighter fluids. My sister scrunched up her face and frantically fluttered her hands in the air, while another brother berated me for having him try it in the first place. No accounting for taste, as they say. I tried to offer some, um, perspective and assuagement by having them try a little Laphroig 12-year-old scotch -- probably the peatiest creation known to mankind; it's as if you sat downwind of a turf fire for three days and got it in your clothes, sinuses and pores -- but they found little comfort. I poured them some Green Spot (another new addition and the topic of the next entry) and that set everything right again.

I plan to increase my sample size beyond my family, of course. And I'll be curious to have some of my scotch-drinking friends try on a little Connemara and will report the results. Either way, Connemara makes a strong impression.

Two New Additions, And Tasting Notes

2009-03-18T03:22:00Z

A tasting session with two recent premium additions to the collection gave us a fine opportunity to compare the entire range of Bushmills and Jameson bottlings in the U.S. It also prompted a broader discussion of tasting notes and how well people relate -- or don't relate -- to descriptions of nose, color, taste and finish.

The relative newcomers were Bushmills 1608 and Jameson Rarest Vintage Reserve. They are two very different animals for sure, so we didn't compare them against each other but against their brandmates.

First the Bushmills.

Bushmills 1608
Bushmills 1608 is a limited bottling from last year to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the Bushmills royal sanction to make whiskey. I had tried it before, albeit almost literally on the fly while passing through the Duty Free at DUB last year. It didn't initially strike me as a must-have even with the fairly attractive $75 price at Duty Free. That's a big reason why it took me until this year to track down a bottle for a little less than the typical $100 retail price in the U.S. Some places are now marking it up well beyond that because it was a limited issue.

We progressed from low to high in price with the "standard" white label Bushmills, then Black Bush, then the 10-year-old single malt, the 16-year-old, the 1608 and finally the 21-year-old.

Standard Bushmills is a good and very accessible whiskey, though as you might expect it gets outclassed by its more expensive brethren. Black Bush is an all-around nice drink and a favored tipple with its fuller nose, flavor and finish from sherry cask aging. The 10-year-old single malt continues to surprise me. Initial samplings a couple of years ago produced some nose wrinkling and the thought that a splash of water would open it up a little. But subsequent tastings have produced a finer appreciation of its bourbon cask influence. I will pour a glass when I want be more engaged with the tasting of the whiskey.

The 16-year-old is lovely with caramel overtones, a bourbon-cask vibrancy mellowed with time in sherry casks, and an excellent finish. The 1608 was very nice. But I didn't have a clear sense that it stood out from its other premium priced cousins. I felt that it had more commemorative/collecting value than being a gotta-have/gotta-drink whiskey. The 21-year-old stands head-and-shoulders above the others. Rich, luscious, smooth and complex with its time in bourbon and sherry casks finished with two years in madeira casks, to me it's well worth the additional $10-20 above the 1608. Simply delicious.

Jameson Rarest Vintage Reserve
We worked -- using the word "worked" very loosely here -- our way through the Jameson line from the standard, to the 12-year-old, the Gold Reserve, the 18-year-old, Midleton (VR '07) and finally the Rarest Vintage Reserve. The standard is always nice, reliable and pleasant to drink. The 12-year-old is a much-liked tipple here with pot still and sherry cask influences. The Gold Reserve shows its more varied parentage (bourbon, sherry and fresh oak casks) with mellow aplomb. The 18-year-old displays its 16+2 years in sherry and bourbon casks with a more peppery and complex taste and finish. The Midleton is simply a terrific, mature, full-bodied, bright, engaging whiskey that easily wins converts.

But it's hard, if not foolish, to compare the Rarest Vintage Reserve to any of its Jameson cousins. It very pleasantly challenges you to explore its tastes and very long finish. It makes you pay attention. And you should for at least two reasons. First, a lot of work clearly went into the blending with 20+-year-old grain and pot still whiskeys with port and bourbon cask aging. And second, at twice the price of Midleton ($250-300 a pop) you shouldn't drink it casually or distractedly. You can clearly pick out the plum and some of the other flavors mentioned in the tasting notes enclosed in a luxe wooden box (a cask-et, if you will). It's a serious whiskey and the new Jameson branded high-end.

Confounded, With A Hint of Cynicism
As we sat there reading the RVR's extensive tasting notes, the discussion switched to the nature and value of tasting notes. Some felt that there was more than a little marketing, product positioning and power-of-suggestion going on. Being a marketing guy myself, I appreciated the work behind the packaging. But some of the taste descriptions just didn't resonate at the table. It wasn't that the RVR's tasting notes were off (the plum is definitely there), but that tasting notes in general were often distracting and unhelpful.

Tasting notes that relate to the actual composition and lineage of a given bottling can be enormously helpful, instructive and invite the drinker to appreciate what they are passing by their eyes, nose and palate. But others, in attempting to describe the inherently and highly subjective perceptions of drinking, just get way too squishy. That often can turn into silly snobbery as in, "well if you can't discern the mandarin orange, avocado, clarified butter, orchids, butterflies, Italian leather, unicorn mane, pony dung and pixie dust in this whiskey then you're not a real drinker, so there!" I exaggerate, but you know what I mean.

At the Irish Whiskey Society's website, a recent forum posting by "Bushmillsfreak" gave a plainly and well-stated example of how different drinkers relate to tastings and how you can enjoy and appreciate whiskeys without relying on tasting notes. From a February tasting in Dublin he wrote:

"I'm not into the nose, palette and finish thing. I'm more a no thanks or yeah, I'll have a bottle of that sort of guy. Anyway, last night I had a Bushmills 16 year old, followed by a Tyrconnell 15 year old Single Malt followed by a Bushmills 1608. This was with a view to finding out which was worth a second shot (first!). Guess what! The Tyrconnell won!! This kind of surprised me 'cos the 16 yr old has been my favourite whiskey for years. I'm really disappointed with the 1608 too, I don't think I'm the only one."

On top of subjectivity, I find that my own perceptions of taste vary with time and circumstance, and even with what I've had to eat that day. Some days, the pot still juiciness in a Powers tastes right on. But on others, it's tad harsh. Jameson 12 or Black Bush are reliable choices, but those, and even Midleton, can hit me flat on occasion. And I know that the whiskey hasn't changed since the last time I poured it. On the other hand, another whiskey might reveal tastes and enjoyment that I hadn't fully appreciated before. Go figure.

So, short of describing whiskeys on a 1 to 5 Craic-o-Meter scale (though I still might try), I'll use the more practical tasting notes that inform rather than suggest. Finally, it's also just fine to like what you like. That works for me.

What works for you?

The Official Word on Clontarf

2009-03-04T12:14:00Z

It's official: Castle Brands recently discontinued the Clontarf Special Reserve in the U.S. It also discontinued the Clontarf Trinity packaging. The company emailed me the other day to pass the word along and provide updated, better-quality images of the Clontarf Black Label and Clontarf Single Malt that you can use as a field identification guide when you're out whiskey shopping. No details on the particulars but given the work apparent behind their website and advertising there's probably some research behind the move. You may still find a few bottles of either the Special Reserve or Trinity packaging on liquor store shelves. I've seen both within the past six weeks in the Boston area.

New Labels
Here's a better look at the updated labels:

These appear to be the "Irish Twins" mentioned in some of the company's latest advertising.

I'm sorry to see the Special Reserve and Trinity head to the Great American Bar In The Sky as I enjoy the Reserve and the Trinity packaging always got raves, including from a few non-whiskey drinkers who said they'd buy it just for the packaging. But upward and onward as they say.