Thanks, didn't know that at all. Saved me a trip anyway as the SuperValu in Skibbereen has a lot of the range all at the same price as the online shop
What kind of price was it? Good value?
This looks like something the fine residents of this thread might enjoy. Sadly I'm away
€33 in, Sat 29th Nov. Day and evening sessions
Get into the Christmas spirit with Celtic Whiskey Festive a one-day celebration of Irish whiskey, craft spirits, and festive fun at one of Dublin’s most beautiful venues!
Hosted in The Great Hall at IMMA, this is your chance to meet 30 of Ireland’s top whiskey and craft spirit producers, including Midleton, Teeling, Two Stacks, Ahascragh, Walsh Whiskey, Echlinville, Copeland, Belfast Distillery, Micil, The Shed, Clonakilty and many more. Sample their best drops and discover your new Christmas favourites.
https://www.universe.com/events/celtic-whiskey-festive-2025-tickets-WT3KBF
I suppose value is all relative. This is their website: https://www.scottishroutes.com/tours/4-day-islay-whisky-tour/
We really enjoyed it. I’m a big fan of Islay whiskeys, but my wife thinks they smell like disinfectant of turf. Despite that, she really enjoyed it too.
Even though Islay relatively small, there’s still a fair bit of driving to get round all the distilleries, so the guided tour is ideal. You get to taste samples in every distillery. Some of the roads are worse than rural Ireland.
We flew into Glasgow, in the evening, then met the bus early the following morning to start the tour. Day 1 & 4 are mostly travel. It’s about 3-4 hours from Glasgow to the ferry, then two hours on the ferry from the mainland to Islay. It’s all part of the experience. The actual tasting / tours happen on day 2&3.
Happy to answer any questions for anyone thinking of doing a tour. Feel free to shout.
(No, I’m not affiliated or on commission!)
Teeling Renaissance 5, an 18 year old single malt finished in Calvados casks. 46% abv. Túath glass. One of my better purchases over the years! Probably 4 servings left in the bottle now. A beauty.
Looking to buy a whiskey present for my Dad. Lazy option is an MVR. So lets say the budget is €240. But wondering if there are any similarly priced more interesting options. A set of green, yellow and red spots is not much more, and is a nice set imo.
Alternatively, a subscription might be a better "gift". Anybody familiar with either of these?
https://eu.flaviar.com/pages/gift-subscription
https://www.thetastingvault.com/products/fine-malts-whiskey-tasting-pack
Haven't seen the price for a while but Kavalan Solist Fino was about that when we got it for my dad's 70th a few years ago. Top notch stuff
This might be worth a look...
https://creatur.ie/
The tastings for the group are very good too, and there's a few extra exclusive bottles likely to be on the way with it.
Bit late for festival season… Foxes Bow to launch 100ml whiskey pouch, RRP €6.99
Initially available in Carry Out, and next month will be part of ALDI's "Grow with ALDI" listing.
https://www.shelflife.ie/foxes-bow-unveils-first-whiskey-pouch
That'll liven up football, rugby and gigs for me!
I bring my hip flask to afternoon cinema trips. This may be of interest.
Genuinely is one of those "how has no one done this before?" ideas. Hopefully it works
I’ve been doing this for a long time. 🤣
I also bring chilled cocktails to the cinema.
🤣 Brilliant
Where do you get the pouches from?
I take my hipflask with me a lot, but this may be a little easier sometimes
€6.99 per 100ml is €48.93 per bottle - RRP is usually €39 and often goes on sale for €25-29
think I'll be sticking to my hipflask
I actually think that markup is fairly reasonable. Obviously you're paying extra for the convenience, but I'm definitely going to give them a go at some point
If they're reusable €6.99 will be a bargain.
I have a number of flatish 50ml sample bottles. 2 or 3 of them often fill my pockets going to gigs!
Alcopops, flavoured vodka etc have been coming in pouches for a long time, specifically for smuggling them into venues.
You can buy reusable pouches, 10 for a fiver or whatever on places like Amazon. I assume you could reuse a caprisun pouch (the ones with the lid) although rinsing it might be tricky.
I doubt it would catch on for whiskey but good luck to them.
Very, very nice.
It'd be fairly easy to wash out and refill a yoghurt pouch. Not sure if the stewards at the Brandywell would fall for it though if they find a few packs of "half time snack" suckies on me though…
We saw some deals in a UK airport last week: two bottles for £22 and another deal two bottles for £25.
The choices in each deal were limited. I wasn't too pushed about it, as no Irish whiskey was included, and I am unsure about cheap Scotches. My wife was looking for a bottle, so I ended up more or less having to buy a litre of Grant's Triple Wood, not knowing much about it, other than Grant's bought Tullamore Dew.
She justified it by saying I could make hot whiskey, if it's too harsh to drink neat. We went ahead, paying 25 in total.
I looked it up later, and the reviews are actually okay. It's the last remaining family-owned large distillery, and this product is now the third biggest selling Scotch in the world. It is a blend of 60% grain spirit and 40% malt, and is matured in three woods. I opened it on Saturday night, nervous that it would be too peaty, or too burning.
It turns out to be okay, and my worries about being disappointed are unfounded.
It's a great deal at £12.50 a litre.
I subsequenty noticed Grant's Triple Wood for sale in TESCO. Is it available widely in Ireland?
Two all-time favourites tonight.
Red Spot now, after a small drop of Sailor's Home: Horizon, a 10 year old blend finished in Barbados Rum casks. Two very different drops, and the contrast made them all the more enjoyable.
My gig go-to is a bottle of Coke containing about 40% whiskey (a naggin), makes the trip on the Luas pass quite pleasantly. I wouldn't expect to get past security with it though - you might in Trinity provided you take the cap off 😁
There's some funny stuff on the Slane threads with lads stuffing freezer bags full of vodka down their jocks.
Anyone remember the fully opaque plastic silver coloured Coke bottles? You could have anything in there 😉 that's probably why they've never been seen again.
Our stupid licensing laws strike again.
Family member will be travelling through the airport (to EU) so not duty free.
Having a look at what is 20% off in the airport at the moment, any recommendations out of this lot? I haven't tasted any of them myself yet. Budget is €40 or so.
Teeling Sommelier Alentejo
https://www.dublinandcorkdutyfree.ie/alcohol/whiskey/irish/teeling-whiskey-sommelier-selection-alentejo-70cl/392219.html?lang=en_IE&category=alcohol-save-20
Sailors Home Journey (rum cask finish)
https://www.dublinandcorkdutyfree.ie/alcohol/whiskey/irish/journey-blended-irish-whiskey--70cl/377645.html?lang=en_IE&category=alcohol-save-20
Blacks of Kinsale Triple Threat
https://www.dublinandcorkdutyfree.ie/alcohol/whiskey/irish/triple-threat-irish-whiskey-70cl/384831.html?lang=en_IE&category=alcohol-save-20
Kilbeggan Single Pot Still NAS
https://www.dublinandcorkdutyfree.ie/alcohol/whiskey/irish/single-pot-still-irish-whiskey-70cl/367851.html?lang=en_IE&category=alcohol-save-20
West Cork Single Pot Still 5yo
https://www.dublinandcorkdutyfree.ie/alcohol/whiskey/irish/west-cork-5-year-old-single-pot-still-irish-whiskey--70cl/389694.html?lang=en_IE&category=alcohol-save-20
I love that Teeling. I've picked it up twice now at the airport. Also the Teeling cap is nice.
Kilbeggan would be my choice of the above, good to know there is a sale on as I'm traveling soon.
+1 on that
Has one tried Jameson Triple Triple?
