What Whisky/Whiskey are we drinking this month?

ZV Yoda

Cazale wrote: »

Comparing some Midleton tonight. The one on the left is Barry Crockett Legacy and the one on the right is Midleton Very Rare 2017. Both stunning whiskeys. The very rare has 32-year-old grain whiskey and 26-year-old single pot still as part of the blend. I'm struggling to pick a winner. Luckily I have a bottle of both to compare again.

Interesting. Does MVR vary much year on year? I’ve only owned 2 bottles - currently a 2018, and previously a 2002 back in 2003.

I had a glass of the 2018 earlier. I find it quite bland. I seem to remember the 2002 was a lot more enjoyable.

I have a bottle of Bushmills 21 and I’d have that over the MVR every time.

Rew

killbillvol2 wrote: »

Opened the Bannow tonight. Another thumbs up. Hard to compare them 24 hours apart though so a side by side tasting will be required at the weekend. Both dangerously drinkable though.

But first, the the Boann tasting tomorrow night. Looking forward to it.

Early next week before I get mine Bannow seems to be the pick for most. Will be very interesting to put all 4 beside each other in another couple of weeks.

There are 4 bottlings going to the US in Sept (possibly one of those being diverted back to Ireland though).

Id say anyone collecting is already thinking of packing it in.

mik_da_man

Rew wrote: »

Early next week before I get mine Bannow seems to be the pick for most. Will be very interesting to put all 4 beside each other in another couple of weeks.

There are 4 bottlings going to the US in Sept (possibly one of those being diverted back to Ireland though).

Id say anyone collecting is already thinking of packing it in.

Yeah, it was said at the start "Best of luck to anyone who wants to collect all of them"
Lots of different ones this year, possibly up to 16 some exclusive to different global markets. Not an easy collection to fill.

irish_goat

killbillvol2 wrote: »

But first, the the Boann tasting tomorrow night. Looking forward to it.

On that as well. Keen to try the calvados cask. Got me wondering why we don't have more apple distillation going on in Ireland. Longueville House the only one I know of and that's fairly new.

killbillvol2

mik_da_man wrote: »

Yeah, it was said at the start "Best of luck to anyone who wants to collect all of them"
Lots of different ones this year, possibly up to 16 some exclusive to different global markets. Not an easy collection to fill.

Luckily I don't have the discipline (or space) to collect whiskey and not drink it. I managed to wait a full hour before I cracked open the first bottle on Wednesday nght!

BeerNut

irish_goat wrote: »

Got me wondering why we don't have more apple distillation going on in Ireland.

I reckon for most cider producers, the cider is a sideline: they're primarily apple farmers. Distilling would be a sideline of a sideline, and extra red tape.

Effects

I guess we don't really have a tradition of Calvados/distilled cider here in Ireland.
I made 100 litres of cider last year, of which I put aside 80 to get distilled at some stage.
Still working on getting a small barrel to age it, but might have one brought over from France and get it resized here to suit.

Effects

irish_goat wrote: »

Longueville House the only one I know of and that's fairly new.

These guys do something similar, although not sure if they distill is themselves.

Effects

I picked up a bottle of Waterford Ratheadon on Wednesday at Drink Store in Stoneybatter.
Keeping it for a special occasion. Which is this Monday or Tuesday.

the beer revolu

irish_goat wrote: »

On that as well. Keen to try the calvados cask. Got me wondering why we don't have more apple distillation going on in Ireland. Longueville House the only one I know of and that's fairly new.

Longville house have been doing this for years - I first tasted it back in around 2001.

We, at Blackwater Distillery have a cask of apple brandy maturing. There should be a limited, single cask release later this year. We distilled Legacy cider.

Why isn't it more common?
Well, producing cider is expensive and, unlike microbrewers, cider producers can't avail of lower duty rates.
Most cider producers don't have distilling facilities or permissions. The only two I know of are Longuevill House in Cork and Highbank Orchard in Kilkenny.
For distillers to buy in finished cider and distil, it works out very expensive.
There is no tradition of people paying premium prices for Irish apple brandy - it's a hard sell.

We did it more as an experiment and a bit of fun rather than a commercial venture..

cloudatlas

I joined the whistler tasting last night and I found the young spirit to be a bit rough to be honest. The imperial stout was the most interesting but I'm not sure I'd like a whisky on my shelf which had such a prevalent taste of chocolate and coffee.

I didn't understand what their USP was either whereas I understand the mission of Waterford and Blackwater a lot better.

killbillvol2

cloudatlas wrote: »

I joined the whistler tasting last night and I found the young spirit to be a bit rough to be honest. The imperial stout was the most interesting but I'm not sure I'd like a whisky on my shelf which had such a prevalent taste of chocolate and coffee.

I didn't understand what their USP was either whereas I understand the mission of Waterford and Blackwater a lot better.

The event was interesting if a bit rambling. I wouldn't be rushing out to buy any of the three but I thought the Calvados was the best of them.

I'm with you on the USP. They seem to be blending a lot of stuff (I don't think they answered where they were getting the distillate) and sticking it in different types of barrel.

the beer revolu

killbillvol2 wrote: »

The event was interesting if a bit rambling. I wouldn't be rushing out to buy any of the three but I thought the Calvados was the best of them.

I'm with you on the USP. They seem to be blending a lot of stuff (I don't think they answered where they were getting the distillate) and sticking it in different types of barrel.

From reading promotional material, they seem quite happy for people to assume that they have produced the liquid themselves.

Regarding the source of the liquid, some of the big distilleries make their clients sign non disclosure agreements regarding where it was sourced from.
Another reason for not disclosing where it was made is that, for future bottlings, the source may change.

Personally, I think it should be a legal requirement to state where the whiskey in any bottle was actually brewed and distilled. Just a simple distillery number which could be looked up would suffice. Tequila has this system.

killbillvol2

the beer revolu wrote: »

From reading promotional material, they seem quite happy for people to assume that they have produced the liquid themselves.

Regarding the source of the liquid, some of the big distilleries make their clients sign non disclosure agreements regarding where it was sourced from.
Another reason for not disclosing where it was made is that, for future bottlings, the source may change.

Personally, I think it should be a legal requirement to state where the whiskey in any bottle was actually brewed and distilled. Just a simple distillery number which could be looked up would suffice. Tequila has this system.

I agree 100%. Too many Irish 'distilleries' are more about marketing than product.

Boann are distilling now but none of the stuff they're selling now was distilled by them as far as I can tell.

Mellor

the beer revolu wrote: »

Personally, I think it should be a legal requirement to state where the whiskey in any bottle was actually brewed and distilled. Just a simple distillery number which could be looked up would suffice. Tequila has this system.

I think information is always useful. So I’d be happy with such a system.

But it begs the question, if Irish Whiskey is required to be distilled in Ireland. How is this actually verified? Other than assuming people aren’t importing large amounts of distillate.

Hogzy

killbillvol2 wrote: »

I agree 100%. Too many Irish 'distilleries' are more about marketing than product.

Boann are distilling now but none of the stuff they're selling now was distilled by them as far as I can tell.

At the other end then you have far too many irish whiskey's being released long before they are 'ready' so to speak (especially Single Pot still). You end up with that sawdusty, ethanol new age taste whilst having to fork out more than what a Redbreast 12 or even a redbreast 15 would cost.

the beer revolu

Mellor wrote: »

But it begs the question, if Irish Whiskey is required to be distilled in Ireland. How is this actually verified? Other than assuming people aren’t importing large amounts of distillate.

Revenue police this. They need to track the production and move of all alcohol, anyway.

the beer revolu

Hogzy wrote: »

At the other end then you have far too many irish whiskey's being released long before they are 'ready' so to speak (especially Single Pot still). You end up with that sawdusty, ethanol new age taste whilst having to fork out more than what a Redbreast 12 or even a redbreast 15 would cost.

Market forces should sort that out after a while.

But there are going to be more whiskies designed to be drunk younger. If done right, whiskey of any age can be lovely.
I love well made new make spirit!

Wailin

Let's just be happy that Irish whiskey is booming again. In a few years time we will have plenty of choice for aged bottles. They need to start somewhere.

Mellor

the beer revolu wrote: »

Revenue police this. They need to track the production and move of all alcohol, anyway.

I’m aware they supposed to.
I’m just wondering if they do a good job of it.

Hogzy

the beer revolu wrote: »

Market forces should sort that out after a while.

But there are going to be more whiskies designed to be drunk younger. If done right, whiskey of any age can be lovely.
I love well made new make spirit!

You'll have to sort me out with some samples of whatever Blackwater are releaseing, id love if you proved me wrong

the beer revolu

Mellor wrote: »

I’m aware they supposed to.
I’m just wondering if they do a good job of it.

They appear to.

L1011

Hogzy wrote: »

You'll have to sort me out with some samples of whatever Blackwater are releaseing, id love if you proved me wrong

Pop in to 1661 in Dublin when it reopens (they do sell food so it might be Monday) and they have some fantastic poitins. Which is new make

There's one that's either 3 or 6 month aged which basically tastes like Black Bush; which is a bit perturbing when its nearly entirely clear.

BonnieSituation

L1011 wrote: »

Pop in to 1661 in Dublin when it reopens (they do sell food so it might be Monday) and they have some fantastic poitins. Which is new make

There's one that's either 3 or 6 month aged which basically tastes like Black Bush; which is a bit perturbing when its nearly entirely clear.

And their grub is very very nice as well anyway.

So definitely worth a trip in regardless.

That poitín sounds lovely. Do you know it's name? Is it house or branded?

Buddy97mm

Irish Whiskey has had Geographical Indication (GI) status for the last couple of years and every step of the production process is monitored to ensure it meets the required standards and uses only spirit from this country. This is in addition to the supervision and control of the same process from a duty perspective. Whilst the source of spirits used in some Irish whiskey is often intentionally misleading and difficult to determine, there is little scope for it to be other than Irish.

Cazale

cloudatlas wrote:

I didn't understand what their USP was either whereas I understand the mission of Waterford and Blackwater a lot better.

I think they have way too many products launching. I was confused by the amount of them being discussed. I'm a big imperial stout fan so that was the one I liked the most.

Cazale

Not a whiskey but I am trying some Barrel aged Leann Follain stout tonight which I picked up from the Liberties Distillery last year. The regular version is one of my favourite drinks but the barrel ageing really gives it an edge. Sublime stuff. €18 for a 750ml bottle so not a session drink. Some information from the O'Haras website below.


The eighth edition of our Barrel Aged series sees our Leann Follain aged in first fill American bourbon oak barrels supplied by our good friends at The Dublin Liberties Irish Whiskey Distillery to create a stout that is best when opened quickly and enjoyed slowly.

To craft this beer we fill casks which were previously used for American bourbon with our full bodied and rich O’Hara’s Leann Folláin Extra Irish Stout. The stout is then aged in the barrels for 3 months where it picks up the intricate flavours of the bourbon and subtle characteristics from the carefully selected oak cask. After aging we then bottle condition the beer to give a gentle carbonation, bringing out the best of both the stout and the bourbon.

L1011

BonnieSituation wrote: »

And their grub is very very nice as well anyway.

So definitely worth a trip in regardless.

That poitín sounds lovely. Do you know it's name? Is it house or branded?

I unfortunately can't remember the name. Believe it was branded. The lady who's always been behind the bar when I'm there - manager/owner potentially - highly recommended it; which is about all I can give as hints as to how to find it again. Wasn't particularly dear either.

lolokeogh

Ardbeg Perpetuum...gave to me today as a present,anyone tryed it?i will not open as i hate whiskeys/scotch

Hogzy

lolokeogh wrote: »

Ardbeg Perpetuum...gave to me today as a present,anyone tryed it?i will not open as i hate whiskeys/scotch

Heard nothing but good things!!! Some gift to be fair!