I completely get you but there is a beauty to them both visually and physically (once you learn how). Also, we still accept wine corks as a normal thing. Imagine trying to open one of them without knowledge and the right tool! And don't get me started on waxed closures!
Yeah, a bottle stopper that people need instructions for is a bit daft if you ask me.
Just to add : I found them frustrating until someone showed me how to use them, too.
Yeah, I've seen them a lot in France, and keep a bunch of them around the house. It was a nice touch when I saw Waterford using them.
Yeah, there's a knack. You don't try to push it up, you push it kind of laterally and it clicks. Then I comes out really easy. It's actual very satisfying when you know how to open them. I really like those stoppers.
https://youtube.com/shorts/WptTeOKhNjA?si=pkm6vv9nGLEVZ205
You generally don’t twist, or pull, those types of stoppers. You push it with your thumb, and it should pop off easily.
Was just finishing my Waterford Luna I got a few months back as an anniversary gift from the missus.
While it didn't blow me away, I quite enjoyed it but the glass cap infuriated me.. the rubber seal was really not sufficient to twist it off so ended up having to pull with force.
Lo-and-behold, this finally happened..
.. was literally a thimble full left so was happy to chuck it and not risk inhaling a small shard / particle.
Was gonna send them an email with feedback and then noticed they must be in bother financially.
Shame to see!
There's only so much whiskey the market can (or maybe should) drink. These are for the most part priced at the premium end of the spectrum, and not all would merit that. When you've got shelf upon shelf of often young spirit with not much track record in fancy bottles, if somebody forks out €60 plus and gets disappointed a couple of times, are they going to be less likely to do it a 3rd time?
Ignoring for a minute the likes of the Redbreasts and Spots that have been around a while, Scotch has the benefit of familiarity in that distilleries would have their 10/12/14/16 yo regular offerings that have been a constant for decades, and which were very good value until relatively recently, so you have some sort of idea what to expect from different bottlings.
Just my 2c, I do like some of the newer Irish offerings, but at the asking price, they're certainly not an everyday tipple.
Scary times.
First Waterford, then Blackwater, then Powerscourt 🫣
Powerscourt (aka Fercullen) Distillery was mentioned in the business papers over the weekend.
Losing about €3 million a year.
Powerscourt Distillery, a whiskey manufacturer based on the famous Co Wicklow Powerscourt Estate, breached a loan agreement with a large US lender after a €4.6m funding round was delayed.
https://www.msn.com/en-ie/money/other/delay-in-4-6m-funding-round-at-troubled-powerscourt-distillery/ar-AA1zAGGj?ocid=finance-verthp-feeds
Ahh right thanks. Thats too far from me, not worth the trip. Im between Celbridge and Athlone. Hopefully Blackwater will do another batch release of something this year under the Puca brand!
The Puca Single Grain (in the green display box) saw that last week in ALDI Bayside Dublin.(it's not far from the DART station if that's handy for you) They'd had some since Christmas on the shelves but that was the first time I noticed it reduced to MUP.
And the Ardfallen 10 saw that yesterday in ALDI East Wall Dublin. No sign of Puca there.
Which Aldi did you see this in? Havent seen this in ages! Must be old stock, didnt think any was still hanging around!
Opened the 16 year old Friend at Hand Bruce's Share. It's a tawny port finish, from Bushmills... 46% abv.
The lads undersold it... Maybe familiarity breeds contempt. I'm comparing this to a Glenallachie 9 year old Oloroso finish limited edition, 48% abv, and the Bruce's Share is far and away my favorite, at a comparable price.
Maybe the respective cask quality, maybe the distillate quality, probably a few things, but it isn't just about the age statement, I think.
And sticking with Aldi, picked up a bottle of the Ardfallen 10 in East Wall today, haven't seen it in any of the other stores in my neck of the woods since Christmas.
The Puca 7 year old single grain is also down to €22.09 in Aldi. Wonder if they are selling the stock off.
Another light easy sipping whiskey.
Maybe we will see something new in for Paddys Day or the return of the Ardfallen 10. Fingers crossed.
A shockingly short two nights later I have to add that the Aldi €22.09 triple casked Ardfallen goes down ludicrously easy .Way too easily :-( ( I’d almost wonder is it 40% , it has no alcohol burn and hardly any ethanol overpowers the nose .If you add a drop of water you’d quaff it like Miwadi :-( Nice sip at the price but …it’s like wine ….! Pondering whether this is the product or my descent into binge drinking ! Fairly sure it’s at least 50/50 the product !( That lovely Bushmills 46% Portuguese wine casked airport special didn’t go down half as fast )
Picked up a 16 year old from The Friend at Hand, tawny port cask finish.
Also a Cognac and orange liquor finished Shortcross.
Very impressive store and museum, definitely a Belfast "must visit".
Store staff were knowledgeable, very friendly and I was particularly impressed at how patiently they were managing the questions of the non whiskey drinking tourists who wandered in to buy a souvenir. No sign of phoning it in or being sick of the same question for the thousandth time. Nice to see.
More for cocktail making, no?
Am very, very partial to a smoked old fashioned.
Had to leave a bottle of some Teeling 46% Portuguese wine ‘airport special’ ( well worth €31 !) behind in UK ( Will return to it later in the year hopefully ) and now stuck with this Aldi €22.09 ( presumable minimum price ) Ardfallen double ( triple ?- Green label not black) casked irish .Im almost certain its West Cork .Its certainly not as good as their awesome ten year old ( on sale at Christmas) but maybe their WC stuff is maturing a bit.It had tasted very immature until recently .What can I say about this after a few sips ? Should I have splashed out the extra 90cent and got a Bush White ?Hmmm …not sure but , you know what .Its ok ….def more nuanced than its other bottom of the range Irish rivals .It looks pale ( would be surprised if much / any caramel colour added ) and even my Mrs said it smelled ‘weak’( she declined the invitation to have a neat slug !) It does taste a little ‘weak’ compared with the peppery potstill bite of a Powers or the honest Bush .Its like that glorious Christmas 10 they had with everything sadly toned down 20-30% ….But it’s better than any previous West Cork / Aldi .For the neat sipper it lacks bite but the blender has done a good job with what he has to work with .In the early Pandemic period I got a couple of bottles of WC including cask strength and Sherry casked and they were ( especially the latter ) unimpressive to say the least .Jn a few years WC could be back to providing the really decent ‘Dha Chasca’ style stuff they were doing at a fab price / quality point but this time with their own spirit !
Big fan of Bunnahabhain too. Haven't seen that one, guessing it's a travel exclusive as it's a litre bottle?
(Edit, just checked, £51 in Heathrow and I'll be there next month, tempting!)
Years ago I toured all the distilleries in Islay (highly recommend it as a holiday), Bunnahabhain was the last of the day so pretty drunk by then, jumped off the end of their pier, that was a cold swim back in! 🤣
I'm not even the first cousin of a whiskey expert but I find it relatively strong on the nose and so light on the pallette with a subtle but long lingering smoke.
Its arguably too easy to drink.
Ah Bunnahabhain! The whisky that made me aware that there's a whole world of wonderful scotch out there. How is it?
Ah sure look...
Got one at home. Still unopened. I feel a sale coming on.
The marketing for this kind of thing usually says they "create a memorable drinking experience" . Probably fair enough, I think… They are a bit of theatre, and this kind of thing plays well in a bar or restaurant setting. A nice glass, well presented, with smoke wafting out of it… Is it a gimmick? Yes, undoubtedly, but presentation does matter so I don't mind it too much.
I don't think it seriously actually elevates the contents of the glass in any way, in taste terms, however, whether that be just whiskey or a mixed drink.
Wouldn't use it at home.
Has anyone tried one of these whiskey smoker kits? I'm assuming they're a gimmick?
Having another go at Powers Three Swallows after my first ever taste a short while ago and am finding it much nicer that I initially thought. I was underwhelmed after my initial tasting but this time it seems a lot richer.
Yes ,quite a few bottles of Achiil including peated cask strength there last weekend but I left only one Irish American 10
Has achill cask strength?
