Irish Whiskey

by **mcgoo** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 10:45 am

I like nice, smooth whiskies. So far ive tried Jameson 18, Green Spot, Redbreast 12, Jameson Gold. What other whiskies would people recommend i try?

thanks

by **les taylor** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 10:50 am

Redbreast 15

by **irishwhiskeychaser** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 11:07 am

Well you have started on a good base and at the top end really.

Where are you based????

Jameson 12yo is also well worth and to compare against the 18yo. Be interesting to see if you think the 18yo is the extra money after you taste the 12yo. Powers 12yo is also another cracking blend and more interesting than the Jameson's to me.

There are still a few you can try with varying characteristics.

Blackbush has always been a great value for money blend (70% Malt) and I prefer it over the Bushmills 10 & 16yo

If you want a decent Bushmills Malt I'd go for a cask strength sherry cask from Bushmills which are usually not much more than the 16yo. Usually only available in duty free and specialist shops though.

If you are in Europe try and get your hands on Redbreast 15yo this is my top Irish for the last couple of years. However if you search ebay sometimes you can come across the now defunct Jameson 15yo Pure Pot Still released for the Millennium. Another cracking bottle if you are willing to spend a few quid more.

Also on the higher price side is of course Midleton VR (Very Rare). This stuff is probably the smoothest easiest Irish you can drink. Just a bit too expensive and too smooth for my liking.

Tyrconnell & Knappogue Castle are also other Single Malts which are smooth but lighter than the Bushmills, potstills and potstill based blends.

Should keep you going for a while :wink:

by **irishwhiskeychaser** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 11:35 am

From a scotch prespective 3 distilleries that I can recomend that should appeal to you would be

Auchentoshan especially the Three wood (Lowland)

Balvenie 10yo or the 12yo Double Wood (Speyside)

Dalwhinnie 15yo (Highland)

by **mcgoo** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 11:48 am

Thanks for that, im actually in Dublin at the moment but moving to Belfast this weekend.

I was thinking about Redbreast 15 and MVR myself, might see if i can squeeze a bottle from the missus (not literally of course...)

by **irishwhiskeychaser** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 12:56 pm

You probably already been to Ally's Celtic Whiskey Shop on Dawson St so.

He has a great selection in all fairness.

You can order online from him also when you move to Belfast which I'm sure you are also aware.

http://www.celticwhiskeyshop.com/

Ally seems to be out of the Redbreast 15yo

This German online retailer has some

http://www.spirituosen-superbillig.com/

if you buy a 3-6 bottles it is worth you while buying from here. I have dealt with them numerous times and they are dependable.

Beaware that not all items are good value... cheaper to buy Powers 12yo here !!!!

by **Quaichuser** » Sat Jun 30, 2007 1:47 am

I concur with those on the Redbreast 12. Haven't been lucky enough to find the 15 yet. It doesn't get over here.
I can also recommend the Black Bush and Bushmills single malt from experience. both excellant and affordable.

As for SMSW's both Dalmore and Longmorn are smooth and easy to get to know. And as IWC mentioned Balvenie. ( I prefer the 12 to the 10)

by **killerwhale** » Sat Jun 30, 2007 6:06 am

Blackbush, if you like a sweet, sherry style, it's very good and the price is right...
Connemara, super easy to drink, lovely fruit, some peat/smoke.... excellent Irish.

by **Wendy** » Sat Aug 25, 2007 3:59 pm

I delayed heading out of the city last night, after being invited for dinner with a friend who had just returned from a trip to Ireland. His grandmother was from Dublin and had always wanted to take her family back home with her. But, sadly died before getting the chance. It was an extra special trip for my friend as it was his first visit, but in his words, "not the last."

I was completely surprised and over joyed when he gave me a gift of Midleton Very Rare 2006 Irish Whiskey, 40%abv, No. 015598. In Jim Murray's 2007 WB, he scores it a 92, "...and the best Midleton for some time. An uncut diamond."p.274 The presentation of the wooden box with the Midleton crest mounted on the front is also a lovely added touch.

I am thrilled with this gift. As, Harry and Frodo will be witnesses, it will be added to our next March's Irish Whiskey tasting.

Cheers,
Wendy

by **irishwhiskeychaser** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 6:10 pm

New Irish Whiskey on the go...

Don't have much info about it but I presume it is a cooley as it is a peated single malt...

Craoi na MÃ³na Irish Peated Single Malt Whiskey (Eventhough I thought it was spelt CroÃ means Hearth of the Bog)

Not had the pleasure yet but hope to get my hands on it ...

see

http://www.bbr.com/US/db/product/65510B/Craoi-na-Mona-Irish-...

by **Mr Fjeld** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 12:01 am

irishwhiskeychaser wrote:New Irish Whiskey on the go...

Don't have much info about it but I presume it is a cooley as it is a peated single malt...

Craoi na MÃ³na Irish Peated Single Malt Whiskey (Eventhough I thought it was spelt CroÃ means Hearth of the Bog)

Not had the pleasure yet but hope to get my hands on it ...

see

http://www.bbr.com/US/db/product/65510B/Craoi-na-Mona-Irish-...

I think I saw this in the tasting section of issue 65?

by **BruceCrichton** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 12:51 am

Greenore grain whiskey, Connemara and Connemara CS are great places to start.

by **Virginia Gentleman** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 3:39 am

What is up with the price of Connemara 12? Compared to a Scotch whisky of the same age it is almost triple the price. I like it. I hope it comes down in price someday.

by **Aidan** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 9:30 am

Virginia Gentleman wrote:What is up with the price of Connemara 12? Compared to a Scotch whisky of the same age it is almost triple the price. I like it. I hope it comes down in price someday.

Yes, it's too expensive. The reason they give is the popularity of the standard Connemara. They weren't able to hang on to much older stock. They were also "taken over" for a very short period for IDL and lost all the stoch from that period.

You can get cask strength versions from Cooley at 10, 12, 13 and 14 years that are much better value, and much better taste-wise too.

by **Aidan** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 9:32 am

PS

And the new Craoi na Mona is Connemara, bottled for Berry Bros, according to the people in the shop. It was reviewed in Whisky Mag recently.

If the people in Berry Bros are correct, the different scores received for that and the standard Connemara in the same issue are a little puzling.

by **irishwhiskeychaser** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 11:45 am

Aidan wrote:PS

And the new Craoi na Mona is Connemara, bottled for Berry Bros, according to the people in the shop. It was reviewed in Whisky Mag recently.

If the people in Berry Bros are correct, the different scores received for that and the standard Connemara in the same issue are a little puzling.

Maybe the are being very loose with the term the same ...

Maybe it is more like similar ... :roll:

by **Aidan** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 1:58 pm

They could be, sure enough. Or it could be that nobody is very good at rating whiskies. I suspect that there's a lot of bluffing involved.

by **IainB** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 2:12 pm

Which scored better?

by **IainB** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 2:21 pm

irishwhiskeychaser wrote:This German online retailer has some

http://www.spirituosen-superbillig.com/

if you buy a 3-6 bottles it is worth you while buying from here. I have dealt with them numerous times and they are dependable.

Beaware that not all items are good value... cheaper to buy Powers 12yo here !!!!

I've recently ordered some from the whisky exchange and it works out about â‚¬50 per bottle - a good â‚¬30-â‚¬40 cheaper than the Celtic Whiskey Shop. Don't tell Ally! That said, out of loyalty, I'll order some from him if they get it back in too.

by **irishwhiskeychaser** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 4:32 pm

IainB wrote:
irishwhiskeychaser wrote:This German online retailer has some

http://www.spirituosen-superbillig.com/

if you buy a 3-6 bottles it is worth you while buying from here. I have dealt with them numerous times and they are dependable.

Beaware that not all items are good value... cheaper to buy Powers 12yo here !!!!

I've recently ordered some from the whisky exchange and it works out about â‚¬50 per bottle - a good â‚¬30-â‚¬40 cheaper than the Celtic Whiskey Shop. Don't tell Ally! That said, out of loyalty, I'll order some from him if they get it back in too.

Sounds like a good deal ... I did not notice it on theirsite lately though ...

Probably need to re-order myself

by **IainB** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 4:40 pm

Ooops. It was there last week. Seems to be gone now. Maybe I've bought it all!!!!

Did you ever go into that pub on Quay st. since and see whether they really had the 15YO or whether I was just drunk!!!

Better still, I'll be in Galway the week after next. I'll go and check it out myself!

by **Deactivated Member** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 4:33 am

1) Just because two different bottlings are both peated Connemara doesn't mean they will both score the same.

2) Just because two whiskies are essentially the same doesn't mean a taster will rate them alike in two different circumstances.

by **Aidan** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 9:05 am

3. Just because someone calls themself an expert, it doesn't mean they are.

I'm aware of points 1 and 2. And point 4 could be that the guy in the shop is totally wrong. It's worth noting all the same.

I think the whole rating system is wrong anyway. They should not be told what region the whisky is from. It should be done completely blind.

Edit: I don't mean to be disrespectful to the tasters, who know a huge amount about whisk(e)y. But the whole tasting thing is a bit random, making it almost pointless.

by **IainB** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 9:46 am

There's all of the above, and also the issue of which casks the distiller uses for their own bottlings and others. I can't remember which scored better, but and independent bottler using a different brand name could also be a way of offloading casks that may not be quite up to scratch. The reverse also applies if you let an IB select their own casks.

by **Aidan** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 10:06 am

The Connamara scored much better.

by **IainB** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 10:29 am

There you go then. Cooley probably don't have vast amounts of stock so maybe they keep the best for themselves nowdays?

By the way, I came accross a minature over the weekend that I'd filled with the 1980's Redbreast for you some time ago. Do you want to send me an address and I can send it on?

by **Aidan** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 10:39 am

Yes, that could be the case, sure enough. But I just don't know. But the guy in the shop said that I might as well just buy the Connemara, as it's exactly the same. Of course he could be wrong, but I just don't think any of these tasting notes are consistent, unless it's Ardbeg or something like that.

Yes, I'll pm you my address. I promised to send stuff too, which I never got around to. I will do it now.

by **Aidan** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 1:17 pm

I believe that the Tyrconnell Madeira finish will be Irish whiskey of the Year in the next Whisky Bible.

by **IainB** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 10:15 am

Aidan wrote:I believe that the Tyrconnell Madeira finish will be Irish whiskey of the Year in the next Whisky Bible.

Really?? Great news for Cooley. And personally, my favourte from them so I can see where he's coming from. And as I said before, it's the only whiskey from somewhere other than Midleton that my parents will drink. (Well apart from Bushmills 1608 of all things!)

Have you heard anything about the Sherry finish becoming available yet?

by **Aidan** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 11:53 am

I don't know specifically about the sherry, but there will be more Tyrconnels coming out in Ireland soon. The 15 yr old is already available elsewhere, and is coming out here in the next month or so.

The release of the Jameson Vintage is scheduled now for October or November.

by **IainB** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 12:15 pm

The Jameson vintage?? I'd heard they were revamping the range but no specifics. Do you know what's planned?

Any idea if we'll still be able to get some sort of 15 yr old PPS?

by **Aidan** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 12:32 pm

No, they're not doing a pure pot still. It will be somehting to "compete" with Midleton Very Rare. In that price range. It's going to be a high-quality blend. Jameson Gold to be repackaged into the new shape bottles and released on the general market.

by **Mr Fjeld** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 3:25 pm

I know irish blend are good whiskies - I love the 12 btw, but why don't they make more pure pot stills? I cannot help but feel it's a little weird all the time taste of the thing is fantastic and at the same time it's "special" enough to get single malt drinkers interested?

by **IainB** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 3:37 pm

Mr Fjeld wrote:I know irish blend are good whiskies - I love the 12 btw, but why don't they make more pure pot stills? I cannot help but feel it's a little weird all the time taste of the thing is fantastic and at the same time it's "special" enough to get single malt drinkers interested?

This is one of the great mysteries of IDL which has exercised the minds of most or all Irish members of this forum! Who knows? They have a fantastic product. They briefly had a 15yo out too, which has now been discontinued. Why don't they bring out a range? What aren't they shouting it from the rooftops? Who knows?

by **Aidan** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 4:23 pm

I don't think they have the stocks at the moment. They also believe that, because of the nature of pure pot still, they can make really excellent whiskey by blending it. I agree, but it would be nice to have another pure pot still on the market.