What whisk(e)y are we drinking? (Part 2)

Didn't spot that 😋

The picture looks like the standard Bourbon Cask Irish Whiskey from WCD, presume it's that

Never knew that about gin (admittedly I know next to nothing about gin), how is sloe gin a thing but not other-fruit-put-in-gin a thing? How come sloes get preferential treatment?

I naively assumed damson gin would be damsons soaked in gin too infuse the flavour so it would still be gin, it's that not the case? (I mean, I assumed the flavouring process was probably short-cutted but in principle that)

Yes, Sloe Gin has historical context and it is deemed that people know what it is.

You can't add a load of sugar to gin and still call it gin. Also, gin had to be min 37.5% ABV and the predominant flavor must be juniper (although I don't know how this would be challenged or tested).

My wife still makes a batch of sloe gin for Christmas. I always thought it was a flavoured gin until she put me straight.

Pretty sure I saw the Dundalgan specials on the shelves in LIDL.

Is it still coming from West Cork Distillers, anyone know?

Is it still gin if you don't add the sugar? I add sloes myself, but not sugar. Prefer to leave that to when it's finished, and use sugar syrup if it needs it when making a drink.

Currently making some compound "gins", with a kit someone gave me. Minimum unit pricing means base vodka isn't cheap here, so had a friend get a couple of litres duty free for me.

Called into Dunnes there at the weekend to see if they had any of the Power Johns Lane left at €50. 'We don't do it anymore he says nobody buys that stuff have you tried Black Barrel'?

Im gutted I bought this every year on bargain and its a great whiskey! Neither Dunnes stores in my town now does anything nice. They rarely even have Redbreast 12 in. Black Barrel is grand but way overpriced going by the ridiculous reductions it gets every year.

Maybe a little obvious staying with Spots, but the cask strength Blue is €95...

https://www.celticwhiskeyshop.com/Blue-Spot-7-Year-Old-Cask-Strength

Though I'll never tire of recommending the Cask Strength Dark Silkie...

https://www.celticwhiskeyshop.com/silkie-dark-cask-strength

Yep, on my third bottle 🤣

Obviously it's personal taste, but it's my favourite Irish whiskey

Power's Rye is great value at €30!

...the stout cask isn't great. It's got a really odd flavour to it 😕

I get that flavour off all the west cork and dundalgan I've tasted. It's really herby / grassy in an overpowering way. Haven't tried their age statement stuff, 5 and 7, cause I've been afraid it'll have the same

Dunvilles do two PX whiskies I think .One is good and one is amazing !( 65-75 and 85-110 price points respectively )

Have you tried the Teelings Chesnut PX? It's my favourite PX finish, available in the Celtic whiskey shop.

A blended bourbon is the same as any other blended whiskey, blended malt, blended grain, etc. as long as the final product is majority from corn, it's bourbon. So hypothetically a blended bourbon irish whiskey could exist, but I'm not sure any Irish bourbon exists. The reality is, that picture is West corks standard whiskey (ex.bourbon cask).

I don't think that's strictly correct regarding Damson Gin. It's not legally recognised as its own thing, (like sloe gin is) but that doesn't mean you can use it on a label. All sorts of fruit and botanicals can be used in Gin. If the end product meets the criteria for Gin, then it's Gin. So a Damson gin would need to meet 37.5% like all gin, sloe only needs to be 25%.

The poster says the the Lidl damson Gin is 40%, if correct that's fine to call Gin, as long as it was made with juniper too. Blackwater presumably had to change the name as it fell short of alcohol content. Strangely enough they currently call it Hedgerow Gin. Which seems to be a mislabel, as at 25% its not Gin. On the other hand, their Strawberry Gin is is fine as it's 40% - despite the fact strawberry is specifically recognised.

There are hundreds of gins with other ingredients listed in their name. Orange Gin, Citrus Gin, Rhubarb gin. All fine as long as they meet the standard for Gin.

You can actually add sugar or sweetners (or leave residual sugar) and still call it Gin. You only can't call it Dry Gin (or London Gin).