Good Irish Whiskey's

Saruman

Im sitting here having a Greenore on the rocks... its fantastic stuff. I live 10 mins down the road from Locke's Distillery in Kilbeggan. Great place if you like whiskey.

Anyway, being part of Cooleys they also do Tyrconnell, Connemara as well as Lockes, Kilbeggan and a few others such as millars gold etc.

The Greenore now goes down very smooth. It has a honey/vanilla taste to it.

I took a note of some prices today.

Connemara - Dunnes: 32.99 - Kilbeggan: 29
Tyrconnell - Dunnes: 29.99 - Kilbeggan: 27
Greenore - Dunnes: Not available - Kilbeggan: 30

So anyone know of somewhere cheaper to get these whiskey's?

Incidently i got the Dunnes prices in Tullamore today since im not far from there either. Great distillery there too

Brockagh

You can get them cheaper by buying them online and getting them posted to Ireland, particularly from Germany.

Saruman

Any links?

Brockagh

Or, you can get them on eBay.

Here are a couple of those websites, but there are lots more.

http://www.whisky24.de/tws/index.php?cat=c527_Blend-Pot-Still.html

http://www.spirituosen-superbillig.com/s01.php?shopid=s01&cur=eur&sp=en&ag=1&pp=sucheaug&aug=12&augn=Irish+Whiskey

Mr Magnolia

I like the Cooley Distillery's whiskeys myself. I've never tried the Greenore though, I'll have to sample. The Tyrconnell goes down easy.


edit/ spl.

DeVore

If you want really good irish whiskeys then

Crested Ten
Red Breast
or Middleton Rare are my first choices. I do admit that Kilbeggan do a lovely drop too!

Its a crying shame no one in Ireland is developing the whiskey side of tourism. If you travel to Scotland at all the government makes a huge asset of the Whiskey tours and what-have-you.

DeV.

Mr Magnolia

True. Jameson do a distillery tour that's worth a visit, on a smaller scale I know.

BeerNut

DeVore wrote:

Its a crying shame no one in Ireland is developing the whiskey side of tourism. If you travel to Scotland at all the government makes a huge asset of the Whiskey tours and what-have-you.

I think that's a sub-shame from the greater one that there are only three whisky distilleries on the island, and only one of them isn't owned by a heartless foreign company.

If you developed whisky tourism in Ireland, what would you tour?

Saruman

I have not done the Jameson tour... some day..
I did not do Kilbeggan either, i just go there to buy whiskey.
I did do the Tullamore tour though. Very good, even gives a history of the Tullamore fire which was caused by a hot air balloon... They have a Balloon festival each year
At the end you try either Tullamore Dew or Irish Mist.
I believe that in Kilbeggan though you get to try a few different whiskeys and try to guess each one
Actually the Kilbeggan place gives you free samples that i swear are larger than ordering at a bar.

ROCKMAN

Lads ye may know this or not. But if you are ever in Waterford you should check out Downes Pub they have their own whiskey and its a beautiful little drop.

rediguana

I've only recently started drinking whiskey. I'm a Redbreast fan at the moment.

SameDifference

This is the best stuff...

Middleton Very Rare

kaimera

SameDifference wrote:

This is the best stuff...

Middleton Very Rare

€125 in Tesco last I checked.

Really tempted or else 18yo Jameson.

monkeyfudge

Green Spot is a favourite of mine. Tastes a lot like Middleton and is made in the same casks... but it's a good deal cheaper. Not many places have it though. You can get a measure in the Palace Bar on Fleet Street in Dublin anyway.

http://www.mitchellandson.com/green_spot.html

SameDifference

^ have to try that

Brockagh

The Kilbeggan Distillery is now distilling again, so we have four distilleries.

They have over one hundred distilleries in Scotland, so the have a better means to exploit this in terms of tourism. And the Irish whskey market is very small compared to the scotch whisky market.

The stuff they serve in Downes pub is just other whiskeys all poured into one bottle. Probably something like Jameson and Kilbeggan mixed together. I have never tried it, though. There's another pub in Waterford that does the same thing, but can't think of the name of it off hand.

Just the normal Powers is my favourite whiskeys. Jameson are unveling a new blend soon - a Jameson Vintage. It's supposed to be very good. Also, they have just released the Jameson Gold outside the dutyfree market. This is also a very good whiskey.

BeerNut

Brockagh wrote:

The Kilbeggan Distillery is now distilling again, so we have four distilleries.

Good news. So are they making anything new there, or have they just shifted some production from Cooley?

Brockagh

It's an unusual one, as single malt is a distillate made from malted barley distilled in one distillery. At Kilbeggan, they are distilling spirit that has been distilled once in Cooley, so I don't know what it will be called.

Cooley will still operate as normal, but this is more a pet project or a boutique distillery.

I'm hoping they'll eventually make pure pot still when they're up and running properly - they are still in the development process.

ROCKMAN

Brockagh wrote:

The Kilbeggan Distillery is now distilling again, so we have four distilleries.

They have over one hundred distilleries in Scotland, so the have a better means to exploit this in terms of tourism. And the Irish whskey market is very small compared to the scotch whisky market.

The stuff they serve in Downes pub is just other whiskeys all poured into one bottle. Probably something like Jameson and Kilbeggan mixed together. I have never tried it, though. There's another pub in Waterford that does the same thing, but can't think of the name of it off hand.

Just the normal Powers is my favourite whiskeys. Jameson are unveling a new blend soon - a Jameson Vintage. It's supposed to be very good. Also, they have just released the Jameson Gold outside the dutyfree market. This is also a very good whiskey.

If that is true (which I find hard to believe) some one knows what their doing and have got the mix just right as it is a very nice drink.

Brockagh

ROCKMAN wrote: »

If that is true (which I find hard to believe) some one knows what their doing and have got the mix just right as it is a very nice drink.

It is true, although I'm just guessing at the contents.

Jaden

I've just noticed that the OP puts ice in his drink - Oh dear.

Should Irish have ice in it? With mainstream offerings, maybe, but surely ice in a Bushmills 16 or a Middleton VR is a crime.

You'd never dream of putting ice in Scotch, would you?

RE*AC*TOR

ROCKMAN wrote: »

Lads ye may know this or not. But if you are ever in Waterford you should check out Downes Pub they have their own whiskey and its a beautiful little drop.

Strictly speaking its their own blend, they don't do any distilling.

However, I will agree that No. 9 has its merits, a very agreeable drop altogether.

I also agree that ice detracts from whiskey. Sure plane old Jameson or some of the other "popular" blended whiskies its not a major issue, but even then I'd prefer not to.

To be honest I have largely ignored the better Irish whiskies in favour of single malt scoth. Talkisker 18 is about my favourite at the moment, although I'm itching to try some of the single malts coming out of Japan (source in Dublin?)

Jaden

Japanese malts are over-rated, and hard to get.

Have a look at the attached (it's my collection). I've also set up a Whisky group on social.ie, worth a pop over to see if we can get like minded individuals together.

Brockagh

Irish whiskey is brilliant, but we don't have the same range as the scots do. However, for me, pure pot still Irish whiskey is the best in the world.

I'm also a collector, but mainly Irish whiskey. I'll attach what I have when it's updated.

In a blind tasting among the world's "experts" a few years ago, a Japanese whisky did best, I believe. However, I don't know what it was. I don't know a lot about Japanese whisky, but it's all pretty much made like scotch. Some of it is very good.

Brockagh

Bushmills 12 yr old Millennium (1680)
Bow Street 1963 x 2
Bushmills 1975 Millennium
Cadenhead Bow Street 1964
Bushmills 1975 Millennium x 3
Bushmills 1982 Millennium
Bushmills 5 yr old
Bushmills Bourbon Cask
Bushmills Bremen 2004
Bushmills Rum Cask x 2
Bushmills Sherry Cask
Cadenhead Cooley 14 yrs old
Erin Go Bragh
Greenore 8 yr old Limited Edition
Hennessy Na-Geanna
Hewitts x 2
Jameson 12 yr old (Asian market)
Jameson 12 yr old (faded label)
Jameson 1780 (1980s)
Jameson 1780 (1980s)
Jameson 1780 (1990s)
Jameson 1780 (1990s)
Jameson 5 yr old pure pot still x 2
Jameson 7 yr old pure pot still (square)
Jameson Distillery Horse
Jameson Grace
Jameson Millennium 15 yrs old
Jameson Millennium 15 yrs old
Knappogue Castle 1951 x 3
Knappogue Castle 1990 x 2
Knappogue Castle 1991
Knappogue Castle 1992
Knappogue Castle 1993
Knappogue Castle 1994
Michael Collins Blend
Michael Collins Single Malt
Midleton 25 yr old pure pot still x 3
Midleton 26 yr old pure pot still
Midleton Sudduethce Zeitung 12 x 2
Midleton Very Rare 1984
Midleton Very Rare 1994
Midleton Very Rare 2004
Old Belfast 10 yr old blend
Old Comber 30 yr old x 2
Old Irish Gold over 24 yrs old x 2
Paddy Cork 800
Paddy Unusual bottle
Paddy 1970s
Paddy 1980s
Paddy 1980s
Powers 1970s
Powers 1980s
Powers 1980s
Powers 1980s
Powers 15 yr old
Redbreast 12 - 1970s
Redbreast 15
Redbreast 15
Redbreast blend x 2





SCOTCH

Ardbeg 1977
Ardbeg 1977
Ardbeg Oogling
Ardbeg Nearly There
Ardbeg Peat Pack
Ardbeg Peat Pack
Ardbeg Peat Pack
Ardbeg Serendipity x 2
Arran 11 yr old single cask x 4
Ben Nevis 40 yr old
Bladnoch Congnac Finish
Brora 30
Bruichladdich PC 5
Glen Moray 16 Aged in Wine Barrels
Glenfarclas 1974
Glenmorangie Artisan Cask
Hazelburn 8
Hazelburn 8
Highland Park 1977 Bicentenary
Highland Park 1977 Bicentenary
Highland Park 1982
Invergordon 1971
Invergordon 1971
Mortlach 9 yr old
Laporoaig Feis Isle
Port Ellen 1982 24 yr old
Port Ellen 1982 24 yr old
Port Ellen Second Annual Release
Rosebank Rare Malts 20 yr old
Rosebank Rare Malts 22 yr old
Tullibardine 30 – Stillman's Dram
Talisker 175th Anniversary

Saruman

Jaden wrote: »

I've just noticed that the OP puts ice in his drink - Oh dear.

Should Irish have ice in it? With mainstream offerings, maybe, but surely ice in a Bushmills 16 or a Middleton VR is a crime.

It depends on the Whiskey. I put it in the Greenore at first. When i posted it, i had just come back so was drinking it for the first time. I never put ice in it again though after that.
I have never had a very good bottle though. I will have to try middleton or one of the older Jamesons.
what's Jameson Gold like?

Brockagh

I think the Jameson Gold is very good. It is unusual because some of it is matured in virgin oak, like bourbon.

Mr Magnolia

Purchased 2 bottles of the 8yr matured Greenore yesterday, I was buying one for a gift and said I'd have to try it myself.

I'm really impressed.

RE*AC*TOR

Just following up on the Japanese Single Malts - my wife gave me a present of Yamazaki 12 year old (Suntory). It was excellent. I'd definitely go back for more.

At the moment I have a bottle of 12 year old Bruichladdich. My first tastings were very dissapointing. I was considering using it for cocktails. But I reckon it must have been down to what I ate for dinner that night (pork with lots of garlic and chinese spices). The residues of the food must have thrown the taste, as subsequent tasting have been superb.

Also recently had some of the Arran Malt (no age given - so maybe about a 6 year old). Hides its youth reasonably well, pleasant enough, without being too spectacular or really cutting a distinctive flavour of its own. Won't be rushing back too soon. But its a young distillery so in a few years, maybe I'll have a stab at some of the older varieties.

johnnyskeleton

Brockagh wrote: »

Bushmills 12 yr old Millennium (1680)
Bow Street 1963 x 2
Bushmills 1975 Millennium
Cadenhead Bow Street 1964
...
Rosebank Rare Malts 22 yr old
Tullibardine 30 – Stillman's Dram
Talisker 175th Anniversary

Do you drink from all of them, or do you just collect the bottles?

Also, what's the redbreast 15 year old like?

Brockagh

johnnyskeleton wrote: »

Do you drink from all of them, or do you just collect the bottles?

Also, what's the redbreast 15 year old like?

I open a lot of them, but I buy faster than I can drink. Some I won't open, because they're too expensive. For example, I bought the Midleton 25s for €380, but now they're about €1,000, and much more in places like the Whisky Exchange.

The Redbreast 15 is brilliant. One of the best Irish whiskeys I've tasted. I believe they're not making it anymore, so it would be an idea to get some before it's all gone.

The Arran malts didn't have an age statement until they produced their 10 yr old a couple of years ago, so it could be anywhere up to nine years old. I didn't like their malt at first, but have had a couple of single cask Arrans that have been really good.

Roger33

1x + 2x = What you want.

Thanks for bringing this stuff up. If blows the lid off the whole Irish pot still whiskey myth.

The supposedly "exquisite" Red Breast 12 (and unjustifiably more expensive 15) should really be labeled as "single marketing gimmick whiskey."

If you took a single grain whiskey, like Greenore, gave it a Sherry finish, and added a little caramel spirit, you'd basically have the same thing.

Its nice to have these whiskey's every now and then - kind of like eating a sugar cookie. In fact, Greenore is a much better buy because it's cheaper, and is more of a pure barley product.

If you want to taste the finest Irish Whiskey possible, you have to do some home blending. Combine 2 parts Bushmill's era Knappogue Castle (code name for pure unadulterated Bushmill's single malt) with 1 Greenore. You'll be left with a lightest-yellow whiskey which is superior to any other Irish Whiskey (of any age or disguise) on the market.

Have one bottle of my above mentioned blend and another bottle of elijah-12 type bourbon around and your whiskey collection is complete. If you're feeling barley, go for the blended Irish; if you're feeling corn, go for the elijah.

If you have a pretentious accountant type around asking for a scotch, run the Irish blend through the bottom of your barbeque, and then pour what comes out through a coffee filter into a glass. I guarantee you that they'll say its lovely, and for once listening to tasting notes will be enjoyable.

Cheers.

Brockagh

Roger33 wrote: »

1x + 2x = What you want.

Thanks for bringing this stuff up. If blows the lid off the whole Irish pot still whiskey myth.

The supposedly "exquisite" Red Breast 12 (and unjustifiably more expensive 15) should really be labeled as "single marketing gimmick whiskey."

If you took a single grain whiskey, like Greenore, gave it a Sherry finish, and added a little caramel spirit, you'd basically have the same thing.

Its nice to have these whiskey's every now and then - kind of like eating a sugar cookie. In fact, Greenore is a much better buy because it's cheaper, and is more of a pure barley product.

If you want to taste the finest Irish Whiskey possible, you have to do some home blending. Combine 2 parts Bushmill's era Knappogue Castle (code name for pure unadulterated Bushmill's single malt) with 1 Greenore. You'll be left with a lightest-yellow whiskey which is superior to any other Irish Whiskey (of any age or disguise) on the market.

Have one bottle of my above mentioned blend and another bottle of elijah-12 type bourbon around and your whiskey collection is complete. If you're feeling barley, go for the blended Irish; if you're feeling corn, go for the elijah.

If you have a pretentious accountant type around asking for a scotch, run the Irish blend through the bottom of your barbeque, and then pour what comes out through a coffee filter into a glass. I guarantee you that they'll say its lovely, and for once listening to tasting notes will be enjoyable.

Cheers.

I like Redbreast a lot. There is a lot of pretentious nonsense in the whisky world, but just because you don't like somehting, it doesn't mean it's bad or it's a gimick.

A single grain whiskey is very different to a pure pot still. Most grain whiskey is not made from barley, but corn. In the U.S., obviously, they also add rye and wheat to this. Also, it is usually made in "industrial" column stills. They can still be fantastic.

I don't know what grains are used in Greenore. If you can find a source that says it's only barley, I'd be interested in reading it. I think they use malted barley and corn.

It is very uneconomical to run a just barley mash through a column still - it's a more expensive product and the column still strips most of the flavour from the spirit, so you're much better off using a cheaper grain. And it is unlikely you'd get much out of a pot still if just unmalted barley was used in a mash.

Pure pot still is made from barley (used to have some oats and rye, but no longer). It is almost impossible to say if it's totally distilled in pot stills, due to the complicated nature of the Midleton distillery and the secrecy behind its production.

The unmalted barley used is, in effect, malted by the enzymes in the malted stuff.

According to Irish distillers, none of thier aged products contain spirit caramel. That includes Redbreast 12 and 15, Jameson 12, Jameson 18 etc etc etc.

But you're right - the Redbreast 15 is too expensive.

davros

I like the idea of trying to blend an expensive-tasting whiskey from cheaper components. Someone recently told me that an old trick for disguising a cheap whiskey is to add a drop of sherry.

shanel23

Love Midleton VR and make the journey into the Celtic Whiskey once a month for a bottle of the excellent Green Spot - Whenever in the Palace always finish off the night with one

Not a fan of ice in Irish but will go for ice whenever am having a bourbon ( not that often though - and it's gotta be Jim Beam )