Go Irish - Teeling Irish Whiskey

I'm not Irish and don't do a lot of celebrating on St. Patrick's Day but one thing this Irish holiday represents (besides the Irish and great whiskey) is the entrance of Spring.  After a rather long and at times harsh winter, I'm looking forward to warmer weather and with that, digging in to some new whiskey. 

Teeling has a long history of making whiskey dating back to 1792 where Walter Teeling began distilling in Dublin.  Fast toward to 1987 and John Teeling opens up Cooley Distillery which prior to his purchase was making Potato based alcohol.  Since Cooley's opening they became a force in the Irish distilling scene racking up numerous international awards.  Point is, they know whiskey.  In 2011, The Teelings sold Cooley to Beam Global for a cool $95M.  Now, Jack Teeling is kicking off a new venture by sourcing whiskey from his fathers former distillery with the release last year of Teeling Irish Whiskey.  This is a small batch Irish blend that is finished in Flor de Caña rum casks for around 6 months.  This is non-chill filtered (NCF) and is bottled at 92 proof. 

This expression interested me as I'm not sure there's another Irish whiskey with a second finish using rum casks.  I'm a big fan of Balvenie and they offer a rum finish 14 year old Scotch that to me is average with the rum not balancing so well with the scotch base.  So, I was maybe a tad skeptical with the Teeling. 

The whiskey is 35% malt whiskey (100% malted barley) and 65% grain whiskey (95% corn and 5% malted barley) and according to Teeling, aged between 4-7 years in first fill bourbon casks.  After that first aging, it's then rum cask finished. 

Color: Very light pale straw
Nose: Molasses (backstrap), vanilla, grain whiskey 
Entry: Grain forward, vanilla just a touch of cinnamon
Finish: Rum notes, mild oak with a touch of pepper toward the end.  Medium in length.  

I like the fact that it's NCF and they didn't cheat us on the proof.  This is an easy sipping Irish and one that I will keep on the bar on a regular basis.  I have quite a few Irish whiskies but this rum finished expression is a nice deviation from the norm.  Teeling has plans to offer future expressions with additional second finish expressions as well as super premium aged single malts. 

The Teeling Irish Whiskey Small Batch is readily available in numerous markets and runs about $40 a 750ml.  

Note: This whiskey was provided by the PR firm representing Teeling here in the U.S.

Go Irish! Knappogue Castle Irish Whiskey

This second blog post is a follow on to the review I did for Contarf.  Castle brands has a number of expressions and the three I'll focus on for this post is Knappogue 12 year, 14 year Twin Wood sherry finish and 16 year Twin Wood sherry finish, all single malts. 

Irish whiskey dates back quite a few centuries and in the 16th century Queen Elizabeth I was quite the fan of uisce beatha or "water of life". Peter the Great declared that of all the wines in Europe, Irish whiskey was the best. At a point in the 19th century, Irish whiskey took off on a global basis and

while competing with blended Scotch was considered the most popular.  In 1880 Irish whiskey was the most popular spirit in the world due in part to a devastating crop infection that almost wiped out the Cognac industry.

By the 20th century, Irish whiskey took a number of body blows that significantly interrupted growth and nearly killed it off.  The Irish War of Independence, English closing its market to the Irish, American prohibition which was particularly harmful as low grade bootleg whiskey was passed off as Irish whiskey and then World War 2 were just a few noteworthy events.  In 1880 there were approximately 160 distilleries in Ireland but by the end of WWII, only seven remained clinging to life.

At one point there were only three distilleries in operation in Ireland but since the late 20th century, Irish whiskey began gaining in popularity again.  Today there are seven distilleries with another nineteen either under application or in the process of build out.

Ok, enough history.  Let's talk whiskey.

Knappogue Castle 12 year - this expression is one I've enjoyed over a couple of years.  I mentioned that Castle's Contarf could be distilled by Jameson but the reality is, it could be Bushmills as well since they triple distill.  No matter who distilled the whiskey, this expression is a light, smooth and somewhat creamy whiskey.  On the nose I pick up vanilla and mild oak and some citrus notes.  The entry is smooth, sweet and clean with moderate fruit and a honeyed quality to the finish which is medium in length.  I would consider this an nice entry level Irish whiskey which is no way detracts from its pleasant flavor.

Knappogue Castle 14 year Twin Wood- On the nose is toasted nut, sherry and summer fruit.  The entry has a bit more kick than the 12 year as it's bottled at 92 proof rather than 80.  On the palate I get a touch of bitterness like bitter chocolate, caramel, nut and some dark fruits from the Oloroso sherry cask.  The finish is moderately long with the sherry notes hanging on the palate to the end.  A very nice expression and one I'm glad to have in the bunker.

Knappogue Castle 16 year Twin Wood - The nose oak forward, dark fruits and vanilla.  Entry is slightly dry, dark fruits, caramel, oak with a buttery mouthfeel.  About mid palate I pick up a slight pepper and floral profile.  This whiskey has nice transitions, is full bodied and the 80 proof is tricky as the whiskey doesn't drink low proof.  This is a classy whiskey and now I'm on the hunt for a bottle of my own.

March 17th is St. Patricks day so maybe the Contarf or any of the Knappogue expressions above would be appropriate for celebration. 

Go Irish! Contarf 1014 Irish Whiskey

The tag line on this blog is "The ridiculous pursuit of Bourbon (...and other whiskies)" and in the other whiskies column would sit Irish whiskey.  I've slowly added numerous expressions of Irish whiskey to the bunker over the last couple of years.

Full disclosure, this review is from a sample received from the PR firm representing Castle Brands which distributes Clontarf.  The fact sheet indicates the whiskey comes from Dublin which would mean distillation is most likely from Irish Distillers Group (Jameson). 

The Gaelic spelling of Clontarf is Cluain Tarbh meaning “Bulls' Meadow.” It refers to an area north of Dublin where a famous and decisive battle – the Battle of Clontarf - between the Irish, under the leadership of High King Brian Boru, and the Vikings, took place in 1014. 

Ireland at the time was heavily forested, rural and rich in natural resources. Large parts of the island that historically had been divided up among many fractious clans were controlled by the

High King (the Ard Ri) named Brian Boru. There were also coast trading cities, such as Dublin and Limerick, built and controlled by the Vikings. And there were some rebellious Irish allies who were against the High King. Boru took them all on and routed the Vikings in a bloody conflict. He himself was killed at the conclusion of the battle, however, the Vikings mostly left Ireland after the battle, hence the pride felt by the Irish in subsequent centuries for this historic victory. 

Clontarf 1014 is a blended Irish making up ten percent pot stilled single malt whiskey; the rest of the blend is a combination of pot stilled and column stilled grain whiskey.  Whiskey is aged 4 years in bourbon casks.  Color is very pale and the viscosity is thin in nature.  On entry, the profile starts off sweet and malty but then turns grainy exhibiting its youth.  Keep in mind that the climate in Ireland is much different than KY when aging whiskey.  The more moderate and wet climate means the whiskey does not age as aggressively as say Bourbon or Rye whiskey.  Additionally, I don't know if first or re-fill bourbon casks are used.  My guess would be re-fill casks as there is little barrel influence in the profile.  The finish is short and just a tad bitter. 

Castle brands recommends this be enjoyed neat, with a dash of water, on the rocks or mixed with ginger ale or ginger beer.  My recommendations is don't add water or ice.  At 80 proof it's already a very easy sipper and adding more water doesn't make sense.  

As a whiskey, it's light and easy to drink and at about $20 this is one for the bar or to share among friends.  As I say in all my posts where I get samples provided to me, I call it the way I see (or drink) it and this one will get the same consideration.  For me, not one I would carry in my bunker as it's simply too light and young a whiskey.  Taste being subjective, others may find this is what they're looking for.  

In the coming week, I'll be adding three more reviews from Castle Brands; Knappogue Castle 12 year, 14 year single malt twin wood, and 16 year single malt sherry finish.

Exam-o-Dram - Concannon Irish Whiskey

As a fan of all things whisk(e)y, I'm always stoked about trying a new expression.  Irish whiskey has recently been seeing a resurgence in popularity.  It wasn't too long ago there were only 4 distilleries operational in Ireland but in recent years that's changed along with some boutique bottlers and blenders.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I was contacted by a PR firm in New York representing Concannon and asked if I would review the whiskey.  I accepted the offer to and they sent me a couple of sample bottles.  I only mention this so it's clear there are no expectations that my review be anything but my own and that's the way this review will be represented.

Concannon is a joint venture between Cooley distillery and Livermore Valley-based Concannon Vineyard and John Concannon is the Brand Ambassador and brain child behind this expression.

Concannon Irish is a blend from Cooley aged for about 4 years and then goes through a second fill in Concannon petit Sirah wine casks for about 4 months.  I'm intrigued.....let's see what it taste like.

The color is a very pale-straw like color.  As I swirl the whiskey, the viscosity is limited not really clinging to the glass.  The nose is light and fruity with a definite presence of wine, almost to the dominant.  The grain aroma is there but the wine influence masks the grain to some extent.

The entry is immediately sweet and then some grain and youth pops up at mid palate and continues toward the finish.  The wine notes are present but not as dominant as the nose.  The wine finish amps up the sweetness of the whiskey a bit and at mid palate oak takes a front seat along with bits of vanilla and essence of spun sugar.  There's an off note on the medium finish that I can't put my finger on that's maybe a combination of oak and tannin. After a few minutes I can taste mild grape on the palate which is a little odd. 

This is an interesting expression but not one I would say is great.  It's an easy drinker, approachable and unassuming. The wine presence may put some people off but I think it's an interesting experiment.  For me, I would prefer less of the wine influence and a little more age on the distillate as it needs more body and maturity.

I like the fact that Concannon is thinking outside the box and not just releasing another blended expression and for about $25 or less a bottle, it's a small investment to give it a try if this interest you.

Knappogue Castle 1995 - Blind Tasting

Knappogue Castle Vintage selections denote year of distillation, this one in 1995 is 13 years old and was distilled at Bushmills (prior to 1993, Cooley). There's no color added so it's a very pale blond. I found the color interesting as this whiskey is aged entirely in bourbon barrels. Even though it's second use, I would have expected something a little darker. This selection comes in at 80 proof but to me, drinks like something more than that.

This is the 7th selection in the blind Irish tasting and for the most part, the results exhibited a somewhat lopsided bell curve with tasters approving more than disapproving.  Interesting data point, the Beverage Tasting Institute gave this selection an exceptional rating of 92.  Our tasting panel was not quite as generous.

My thoughts on this selection is that it's a very delicate whiskey exhibiting a profile that was somewhat grassy with citrus overnotes, honeyed, light summer berries and a touch of spice about mid palate.  The finish was somewhat oily and moderate in length.  The Knappogue is a lighter experience than say Jameson 12 and while both are 80 proof, the Jameson is a blend not a single malt like this selection.

Scores came out as follows:

95-100 Classic Whiskey	0
90-94 Excellent Whiskey	0
85-89 Very Good, Above Average Whiskey	4
80-84 Average Whiskey	6
75-79 Fair Whiskey	1
74 and Under - Pass on This Whiskey	0

The tasting panel had the following comments on this Irish Whiskey:

"A delicate nose of malt, spice and citrus (grapefruit, maybe a little orange). Sweet on the palate, with a clean finish."

"Nose is very fruity, some tropical notes (Mango, papaya) and some fruit cocktail notes.
Palate: Fruit yielding to malt notes. Exceedingly light with floral notes.
Finish: Fruit stripe gum."

"Very light color, presented initially as fruity on the nose...but then ended with an alcohol kick.
Light legs in the glass leading to an OK mouth feel. Found this to be ok on the initial sip but thin and leading to a very short finish and that wallop of heat that was so evident from the initial nose....."

"Color of this whiskey is very light. Very clean, bright fruit nose.....this one is very interesting on the palate…grapefruit on the back end of the finish? This one packs a good deal of flavor, appears to have more age and is quite interesting."

This is an Irish whiskey that is interesting enough to keep on the bar when you want something easy to sip on.  Somewhat complex with a good mingle of flavors.  I'm not sure if this particular release is still available but the pricing should be reasonable if found.  If this one cannot be located, maybe try the current 12 year.

Midleton Very Rare - Blind Tasting

I'll point out right up front that the Midleton Very Rare Irish Whiskey is expensive with the typical range around $125 to $150 for a 750ml bottle.

This offering comes from Irish Distillers, a Pernod Ricard company, who also distribute Jameson, Paddy and Powers and up until 2009 also distributed Wild Turkey Bourbon.

This was selection #6 in the Irish blind tasting and I included it for the simple reason that it's a premium blend and I wanted something top shelf in the mix.  I first came across Midleton back in early 2010 and vacillated purchasing the bottle due to the price.  I ended pulling the trigger and for the most part am glad I did.

This blended whiskey comes from 50 hand selected casks by the Master Distiller and contains whiskey that is as young as 12 years up to 25 years old.  This label first appeared in 1984 as a special annual release.  Midleton has won many awards at various spirits competitions and is well regarded in the industry as well as world whiskey enthusiasts.

At 40% ABV, this is not a powerhouse whiskey but is instead an elegant dram exhibiting flavors of aged oak, honeycomb, summer fruits and baking spice.  The finish is long and smooth coaxing the drinker to take yet another sip. To me, a very good example of a high end blend and one to be savored and shared among those that appreciate a unique and rare whiskey.

This selection received good marks among the tasting panel

95-100 Classic Whiskey	1
90-94 Excellent Whiskey	4
85-89 Very Good, Above Average Whiskey	1
80-84 Average Whiskey	2
75-79 Fair Whiskey	1
74 and Under - Pass on This Whiskey	0

Comments from the panel consisted of:

"Caramel, malt, sherry, spice, and a hint of citrus. As good as it gets."

"I like the fruit flavors but the metallic aftertaste was a bit of a turnoff for me."

"Wow! A stunner. Seriously I could drink this all day and all year."

"DELICIOUS !!!!  I really enjoyed this whiskey and it comes closest in our sample to date to the type of flavour profile that I look for when reaching for an Irish Whiskey."

"To me, a one dimensional whiskey, not unplesant, but not something I'd crave."

The Midleton Very Rare has a limited distribution and may be difficult to find in some markets.

Michael Collins - Blind Tasting

I'm trying to play catch up here so bear with me.  As a reminder, I hosted a blind tasting of Irish Whiskey and the Michael Collins was selected due to its age.  Coming in at 10 years, I figured this would provide additional complexity to the whiskey even though it's bottled at 80 proof.

This is a Single Malt offering from Cooley that is distilled twice instead of thrice as many Irish selections tend to be.  Why is the number important?  For those that are curious, the more you distill, the more flavor is stripped from the distillate.  The Michael Collins is also an interesting selection as it's slightly peated.  I noticed the peat and smoke just a touch with the fruit profile playing a more dominate role overall in the whiskey.

From the website, Michael Collins is described as such:

"Robust and complex, with a subtle peatiness, Michael Collins 10 Year Old Single Malt is double distilled for proper balance of purity and character, then matured in small bourbon seasoned casks for a minimum of ten years.  Michael Collins 10 Year Old Single Malt has a slightly sweet nose that is rich and complex with hints of ripe fruit, meadow flowers and peat. Clean and smooth, the dry-to-medium finish has a lingering light smokiness that is made to savor."

The tasting panel liked this selection for the most part as the bell curve was above average.  It ranked as follows:

95-100 Classic Whiskey	0
90-94 Excellent Whiskey	1
85-89 Very Good, Above Average Whiskey	5
80-84 Average Whiskey	2
75-79 Fair Whiskey	0
74 and Under - Pass on This Whiskey	1

Some comments from the panel starting with my own:

"The nose was bready and sweet with a hint of smoke and peat. Very inviting. The entry had sweet start that exhibited traces of orange peel, vanilla biscuit with a subtle smokey peaty finish. Nice deviation from a normal Irish (e.g. Bushmills, Jamesons)"

"Nose shows light smoke, reserved fruit and scotch like nuances. I suspect a bit more age as the nose reveals increased complexity. Less sweetness on the nose and a bit more alcohol. The palate reveals good depth of flavor, fruity sweetness, hints of smoke and nice balance. This is a much more interesting whisky and it exhibits good complexity… once again it is very scotch like. Good finish with a lingering smokiness."

"Lots of honey and fruits in this one. Very enjoyable, and definitely my favorite so far. I think this could handle some extra proof and become something outstanding. Well picked....."

 "A nice start with white grape juice and some malt notes but it dulls pretty quickly, getting flat and watery.  The finish isn't much, slightly malty."

"Initially sweet and delicate, this one seems to deliver some heat mid-palate; a little bit of dryness with vanilla, some of those pear notes and a nice lingering finish that seems to dry out as it goes along"

 This whiskey runs about $40 which in my opinion, is a fair price for this offering.  Michael Collins 10 year is not overly complex but delivers enough flavor and interest to make this a regular resident in the bunker.  This label also comes in a blended version that is not age stated.

Good Bye Benchmark and Michael Collins

I'm on a roll!  I've had some success in draining those low fill bottles.  It's a bittersweet success though as some of these selections are not in production any more and chances are, I won't find more. 

A 1978 Benchmark gave up its last the other night.  One of tastiest and smoothest dusty bourbons I have is the Benchmark.  This particular bottle was non-age stated (NAS) and came in at 86 proof although I suspect it was older than 4 years just by the depth of flavor and long finish.  Whenever I drink this bourbon, I think of velvet.

Second dead bottle was a Single Malt Irish, Michael Collins coming in at 10 years old and 80 proof.  This particular Irish has nice transitions for a low proof.  Fruit, spice and sugar coated nuts.  A very pleasant whiskey.

So now I'm on to other selections on the list.  The BTAC stuff is going to take some time as I don't hit those that often; not sure why, but I don't.  My tastes have changed over time and I'm less inclined to hit the big barrel proof bruisers.

Connemara Peated - Blind Tasting

When selecting whiskies for the Irish tasting, I purposely picked a peated expression in order to have a selection that deviated from the more standard Irish profile.  The Connemara is a peat monster; at least to my palate.  This particular expression is double distilled (rather than triple distilled) and aged in oak casks and bottled at 80 proof.  This selection is from Cooley distillery and they offer a couple expressions of Connemara with this one being their base offering.

To be honest, I couldn't even finish this whiskey.  I was just too nasty for my palate since I'm not a lover of high peat content and this one was over the top for me.  The tasting panel was pretty split on this whiskey.  A little more than half liked it and the rest agreed with me.  Here are how the numbers stacked up:

95-100 Classic Whiskey	0
90-94 Excellent Whiskey	0
85-89 Very Good, Above Average Whiskey	5
80-84 Average Whiskey	2
75-79 Fair Whiskey	0
74 and Under - Pass on This Whiskey	4

If you like Scotch, particularly those from Islay, you may find this Irish agreeable.  Here are some comments from the tasters:

"An unpleasant nose dominated by rubber, with a little smoke and malt in the background. Bitter on the palate."

"Peat tea with honey, well balanced sweet and peaty elements. A nice flavor profile but a bit weak tasting.  The peat is lighter on the finish but still very present."

"Beautifully complex - drinks nicer and smoother than the nose would suggest (didn't much care for this nose on an Irish whiskey), finish that goes on and on - great legs on the glass - just enough warmth on the sip to add to the complexity of the entire experience..works greatly with the sweet woody taste."

"A nice medium mouthfeel, this is pleasantly different than what I was expecting; there’s a sweet smokiness that follows the nose with a pleasantly drying smokey finish that lasts a while."

Bottle comes packaged in 750ml and is priced around $40.  If you like Irish Whiskey and you like Peat....knock yourself out.

Jameson 12 Year - Blind Tasting

I for one think the Jameson 12 year is a good solid pour. When I first tried this I was surprised at how good it was. I'm not sure why I was surprised but I didn't get the impression this was anything more than a pedestrian mass produced whiskey. Now the Jameson takes up residence on the bar.

Established in 1780 by John Jameson in Dublin, this brand is now one of the top selling whiskies in the world producing more than 30 million bottles annually. This whiskey is distilled in pot stills using malted and unmalted (green) barley and the results produce pretty tasty whiskey.

The Jameson beat out the Bushmills by a good margin but in fairness, the Bushmills is not age stated so potentially younger whiskey and is a blend.

95-100 Classic Whiskey	0
90-94 Excellent Whiskey	2
85-89 Very Good, Above Average Whiskey	5
80-84 Average Whiskey	4
75-79 Fair Whiskey	1
74 and Under - Pass on This Whiskey	0

For the most part, the tasting panel liked this selection and had some of the following comments:

"A nose of brown sugar, malt and pumpkin pie spice......looking forward to learning what this is because we'll probably buy some"

"Nose is forward and very attractive. White fruit, honey, roasted nuts, yeasty bread and creamy nuances. Sweet entry with apple and pear notes jumping forward. Honey, shortbread, buttery notes and apricots. Creamy mouth feel makes this whisky very approachable"

"This is a very nice whiskey but a little too timid for my taste"

"I can't really find much to like or dislike about this one. Just an easy drinker that doesn't warrant much thought"

"Nose is malt, mild leather with a sherry kicker. Nice"

"First sip hits the tongue like velvet with the sweetness dominating"

Last year the San Francisco World Spirits Competition award the Gold to Jameson 12 year. The label is widely available and and can be found in various sizes, the 750ml being the standard. Price is in the $40 range.

Bushmills Black Bush - Blind Tasting

This selection is the second in the Irish tasting line-up. As I mentioned in the Greenore posting, most of my whiskey buddies primarily drink bourbon. The difference between bourbon and Irish can be quite stark with Irish being a softer and gentler whisky. This profile type isn't always well received among bourbon drinkers.

My love of bourbon and subsequent dabbling in other world whiskies comes from the pleasure of trying new things. Delicate or bold, for the most part, it's fun trying new expressions. For others though, bourbons big bold flavor profile is the go to, not some sissy, triple distilled Irish whisky.

The Greenore didn't fair so well only garnering a mediocre rating but the Bushmills did fare somewhat better. The description from the Bushmills website states "Bushmills' premier blend, with a significantly greater proportion of malt to grain whiskey than the white label. Selected Spanish Oloroso sherry-seasoned oak casks mature the malt, before it is blended with delicate sweet single grain whiskey."

The Bushmills is 80pf, is a smooth drinker and has decent flavor but in the end is still a low proof blend. From a flavor profile it's a little more exciting than the Greenore with touches of bittersweet chocolate, sherry and plum. At a higher proof, I'm sure this would drink with a little more charisma. Black Bush is an all around decent whisky and I would have no problem ordering from a bar. If at home, I would reach for other selections.

As I mentioned, the tasting panel scored this one slightly better than sample #1 with an overall average score of 82:

95-100 Classic Whiskey	0
90-94 Excellent Whiskey	0
85-89 Very Good, Above Average Whiskey	3
80-84 Average Whiskey	8
75-79 Fair Whiskey	0
74 and Under - Pass on This Whiskey	1

"Nose reveals hints of smoke, green apple, tangerine and sweet notes. Lots of fruit on the nose."

"Honey flavored, a hint of butterscotch.very uncomplicated but pleasant."

"Not very complex but enjoyable all the same."

"It's a good whiskey, but I feel that if it were higher proof it would be potentially great."

As you can see from the scores and comments, it's a pleasant whisky, enjoyable but not overly complex, and bottled at a higher proof would be a bonus. This bottle comes in 750ml size and runs low to mid $30's and is widely available. For me, this one was good but in the end, not one I would probably pick up as there are other expressions I like better, even if they do cost more.

Greenore 8 year single grain - blind tasting

This is the first in a series of posts I'll be doing on Irish Whiskey. My fellow enthusiasts primarily indulge in all things bourbon or rye. In an effort to broaden their whiskey tasting experience, I volunteered to host a virtual Irish tasting that encompasses 8 different selections. My picks span a broad range of Irish expressions (as much as I could with only 8 selections) in order to give the tasters a good experience.

All these tastings are conducted double blind. So there's no confusion, that means each participant receives 8 bottles simply labeled with a number; they know it's Irish but that's it.

The tasting panel spans drinkers who are hardcore bourbon and rye drinkers and those that dabble or delve into other whiskeys like Scotch or Irish.

Greenore comes from Cooley distillery and is the only single grain Irish Whiskey in production. BTI scored this one a 91-Exceptional. Additionally, this whiskey won a double gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2008/2009 coupled with a best in class & gold medal at the 2009 IWSC. I chose this one due to the fact it was single grain and age stated.

Here's how the group rated this particular whiskey

95-100 Classic Whiskey	0
90-94 Excellent Whiskey	1
85-89 Very Good, Above Average Whiskey	1
80-84 Average Whiskey	4
75-79 Fair Whiskey	2
74 and Under - Pass on This Whiskey	1

Some comments from the panel:

"Very little flavor overall and would be a good drink for a non drinker. Taste like water."

"Does not really fit the profile I had of an Irish whiskey; I might had thought I was sampling a Canadian whiskey."

"Soft and creamy mouth feel but does not coat the palate. Tons of sweet fruit. Beautiful flavor that transitions very well front to back."

"This is my first go at Irish so I have no idea what this is but I wouldn't kick it off the bar."

"Clean and bright. Good flavor on entry that exhibits nut, fruit and a touch of citrus and honey"

The whiskey is available in most retail that carry a broad base of whiskies. Comes in 750ml bottle and runs about $45. For those that like bruiser pours, this one isn't it. If you can appreciate a finer more delicate dram, this one may please.

Green Spot comes home

My love of bourbon is no secret but I also love other whisk(e)y including Irish. I've slowly been collecting various offerings over the last year or so and find Irish whiskies to be very inviting to my palate. Last night my wonderful mother-in-law produced a bottle of Green Spot (in a canister no less) and placed it gingerly in my hands. Oh baby! I love this expression.

MIL traveled to Ireland last week and she made the mistake of asking "is there anything you want me to pick up for you?" Well, as a matter of fact....yes. Green Spot. For the first half of the week she looked high and low as they toured various towns and came up empty. Finally, after conversing with a bar manager she asked if he had ever heard of Green Spot. "Best Irish whiskey there is" was his response. He pointed her in the right direction to a local store where she found said bottle. The price was a whopping $67 which has been reimbursed but that's not all it will cost me. She had to walk in the pouring down rain a number of blocks to get the whisky. I know I'm not going to hear the end of it nor will re-payment for her wet adventure be quick and easy.

I'm ok with paybacks as she did me a solid and picked up the one bottle I wanted to add to the bunker (now I have two).

Another year is history

I'm not going to broadcast how old I am but I did celebrate a birthday this past weekend. Now that I have less time on this earth, I decided it was time to open one of my prized semi-vintage bottles.

My bottle of Haller's County Fair Bottled in Bond has been sitting in my bunker for the better part of 4-5 years. A fellow enthusiast found two such bottles in the Northeast sitting on a small liquor store shelf for something around $15. Distilled in 1972 and bottled in 1978, this particular bottle is very unique and comes from a distillery not in operation for some time.

The provenance on this particular bourbon is a little sketchy and some information indicates it came from the old Continental Distillery (Publicker) near Philadelphia PA. The Distilled Plant Number (DSP) on the back indicates distillation took place at DSP-KY-24 and bottled at DSP-PA-12. So if you go strictly by the DSP number, it would stand to reason that this was distilled at the old Glenmore distillery in Owensboro KY and bottled by Continental in PA. Bourbon historian Charles Veach once told me that this was distilled by Charles Medley at Glenmore so all indicators point to KY and Glenmore as the origin.

I enjoyed a moderate pour over the weekend and was captivated by the nose and entry. This bourbon is loaded with fruit like dates, raisins and cherries. There is also hints of chocolate floating around in the background. This is one of those drinks that you savor; never rushing to finish. The Haller's County will be consumed ever so slowly in order to enjoy over the long term.

Finally, my family helped me celebrate and gifted me two bottles I've been eyeballing for some time; Jameson 18 year Irish and Yamazaki 18 year Japanese. Both distinct and outstanding in their own way. The Jameson was buttery smooth and exhibited a degree of complexity I have not typically found in Irish whiskey's.

Finally, I have to give honorable mention to a beer I enjoyed over dinner; Epic Brewery Smoked Oak. For those that enjoy a malty beer with a profile of chewy caramel, this is your beer. Very interesting and one I'll hunt down again to put in the bunker for later enjoyment.

Global Tippler – Irish Whiskey

I'm gonna throw you a curve ball and talk about an Irish whiskey that is very hard get. My goal with the Global Tippler was to present some interesting whiskeys whether availability was narrow or broad and in the case of this whiskey, it's pretty stinking narrow. My foray into Irish whiskey started out with a very good example discovered in Redbreast 12 year and I found it to be such an interesting whiskey, I only wanted more. The pot still character of many Irish whiskies makes it a very unique pour which really intrigued to me.

Mitchell and Son is a long standing establishment found in Dublin Ireland that got its start in 1805. Mitchell and Son began purchasing whiskey from Jameson around the 1920's that had been aged in Sherry casks for approximately 5 years, the whiskey was then vatted and aged for an additional five years before being sold as a 10 year bonded whiskey. Originally called Pat Whiskey because the label had a picture an Irish gentleman in a green jacket, the name was eventually changed to Green Spot, as it's sold today. Today's offering is a blend of 7 and 8 year old whiskey with 25% of the distillate aged in Sherry Casks. At 80 proof, it's a light drinker but still exhibits lots of flavor. Jim Murray described it as "unquestionably one of the world's great whiskies". Well, I can't say I've had all of the world's great whiskies but his point is well taken; Green Spot is an excellent example of a pure pot still Irish whiskey that deserves a spot on any top shelf.

Color: Light golden hue. Like the color very much

Nose: A mix of odors ranging from light sherry, honey, menthol and maybe pear

Entry: On entry, there's a burst of flavors that makes me believe the nose fibbed to me. The sherry makes its presence known right up front and then subsides to a honeyed, floral quality. Very slight drying around mid palate

Finish: The mid palate transitions to something reminiscent of Concord grape, turning mildly sour, but not in an unpleasant way. The sourness lingers and then diminishes leaving you with a small smile on your lips.

I shy away from giving whiskies numerical ratings so all I'll say is this particular whiskey is up there on my "gotta have" list. If you like Redbreast or pot still whiskies, the Green Spot will……well, hit the spot.

Name: Green Spot Irish Whiskey

Distillery: Jameson – Midleton

Availability: Very limited. About 500 cases per year and can found in Ireland, the UK and Canada. If there are other locations, let me know.

Price: Around $75 US (not including shipping)

Size: 700ml with TE screw cap

American writer Oliver Herford once said "The Irish gave the bagpipes to the Scotts as a joke, but the Scotts haven't seen the joke yet." Next stop, the land of bagpipes, mens skirts and lots of good Scottish whisky.

Whiskey throw down – better late than never

Back late last year and then in the New Year I mentioned that I was going to attend a whiskey throw down. Well after snow storms, illness and conflicting schedules, we finally came together and completed the task of going head to head between bourbon and Irish whiskey. It all started when my wife's Aunt started talking smack about bourbon and how it was for mullet heads with wife beater shirts. She said Scotch and Irish whiskey were a more "dignified" drink. Of course, I stepped up nose to nose and accepted the challenge.

About 10 family members got together and I began the process of explaining the origins of bourbon and the different recipes one can encounter when purchasing bourbons. I started off the sampling with an '88 Weller Special Reserve. This particular bourbon comes from the famed Stitzel Weller distillery and is of course a wheated bourbon at 90 proof. A wonderful example of a soft yet flavorful bourbon. My second sample was Sazerac Rye (Baby Saz) in order to provide an example of the opposite end of the whiskey spectrum. Third offering was Old Charter 12 year "Classic 90" which is a high corn bourbon (86%) so they could experience this type of bourbon. The last was a Wild Turkey 101 8 year so they could taste a high rye bourbon. Going through this type of progression gave everyone a new understanding and appreciation for bourbon as their thinking was somewhat one dimensional (think mullet). Now, I know the Saz is not bourbon but my intention was to go from one extreme (wheat) to the other (rye) so they could understand the unique and diverse nature of American whiskey. After the first round, I brought out the big guns; 2007 George T. Stagg at a whopping 144.8 proof and a Thomas H. Handy a slightly less 134.8 proof. My wife's Aunt took a sip of the GTS and I think her eye's spun around inside her skull and I watched with muted satisfaction at her discomfort.

At the end of the evening, my wife's Aunt and others expressed surprise at the uniqueness of bourbon and declared undying allegiance to bourbon to the end of their days (ok, I made that last part up). So, in the spirit of fairness, we broke open the two Irish whiskey my wife's Aunt brought and I'll have to say, she too brought a big gun. The first was Paddy's Old Irish Whiskey which is triple distilled and aged in oak for up to 7 years. It's blended to ensure its softness yet deliver enough flavors to make it appealing. This it does in an engaging fashion as I instantly liked this particular whiskey. Unfortunately, Paddy's is not sold in the U.S. The second Irish presented was a Bushmills Millennium. Curse Auntie for bringing such a stellar example of an Irish whiskey. My thoughts of whiskey domination were now in serious jeopardy. The Bushmills Millennium is a 24 year old whiskey, distilled in 1975 and bottled for the Millennium in late 1999. This whiskey was unlike any Irish I had ever tried delivering heaps of honey and malt. It was never overpowering but well balanced and perfect. At the end of the evening Auntie generously gifted both the Paddy's and Bushmills to me and I in return, gifted her a Pappy Van Winkle 15 year. I've found my new favorite Irish whiskey; unfortunately, it can't be found anymore so I'll have to nurse this bottle over a long period of time.

I can easily declare victory over the Irish but only because that's how it is in my world, plus Auntie will never know that I did so.