Kilbeggan Challenge

IrishWhiskeyCha

In order to mark the 50th anniversary of the Grand Canal’s closure to commercial traffic in 1959, to celebrate the achievements of the boatmen who worked the commercial boats and to promote the restoration of the Kilbeggan Line, the combined muscles of Cooley Distillery, Inland Waterways Association of Ireland (IWAI), Heritage Boat Association (HBA), 107B restoration barge project, Kilbeggan Harbour Amenity Group and the Irish Whiskey Society (IWS); intend to ship a whiskey cask by canal from Locke's Distillery in Kilbeggan to Dublin for the first time in more than 50 years.

This will entail moving the cask down the (still dry) Kilbeggan Line to Ballycommon as this year’s “Kilbeggan Challenge” on Saturday 29th August 2009. There, it will meet with the HBA fleet heading East and be loaded on to the former commercial canal boat “107B” which will transport the cask to Dublin and on to a celebration with the former Canal Boatmen to mark the 50th anniversary of the end of the commercial era on the canal.


If you happen to be in the area please feel free to pop along.


To read more about the whiskey see HERE

To check out the schedule see HERE

BeerNut

"Grand Crew":D
More puns in whiskey , please.

Looks like great fun. Is anything happening when it arrives in Dublin?

IrishWhiskeyCha

I think the Dublin part has been put off till a later date in October when there will be a reception held for the retired boat men.

The original idea was to unload the cask and bottle the whiskey but logistics and clearances for mooring and ceremonially unloading the cask have yet to be clarified.

If this cannot be cleared with the authorities it may not happen but I'll report back asap.

Slightly unclear so sorry about that

Red Sleeping Beauty

Is there a free measure of whiskey if you go along ?

IrishWhiskeyCha

Alan Rouge wrote: »

Is there a free measure of whiskey if you go along ?

I think if people are around Ballycommon they might get to have a taste, but I didn't tell you;) . I won't be there and actually have no idea where Ballycommon is but I hear it's near Tullamore ???

In regards to the rest it cannot be done in the one day or week-end as some parts of the Royal Canal are inpassable to trhe old barge boats so now it's going to happen in stages. This is all being done voluntary and is a non profit effort but it seems to be growing legs by the day as it appears to be generating a lot of interest.

The current planned date for the the Boatmen's presentation is the October
Bank Holiday weekend. I understand that Mary McAleese will be in attendance but times and place still have to be finalised and to be confirmed.

The exact timetable of progress along the canal is also in the air and things can slip from one week to the next. However I believe its heading to Edenderry next week, then a possible diversion to Athy for the ploughing championship 19-24/09. It will intercept the "3 men in a boat TV programme" probably the 1st/2nd week in October - that will probably somewhere close to Dublin possibly around Sallins or Hazelhatch - depends!

SO as clear as mud really :rolleyes:

yknaa

Here is an earlier thread on the project I started which includes a link to newspaper feature on it which may be of interest
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055646170

yknaa

Just wondering if anyone has had a sample of the whiskey yet? Hope the project was a success.

Brockagh

I've tried one of the bottles, and it's very good. I tihkn the Celtic Whskey Shop will have some bottles.

IrishWhiskeyCha

Forgot all about this thread ... yea the event was a huge success. Over 100 peopel turned out for the Kilbeggan part and it great fun.

The whiskey is not bad either. Demand was so strong among all the involved associations that 2 casks were bottled in the end.

These are basically Single Cask Strength Tyrconnells.

Cask No 700

A wonderfully more heavier nose than your usual Tyrconnell. Malt enveloped by sweet floral notes (but not perfumed) and followed by muted dry grass.

Quite oily and thick on the palate with some lovely fresh fruits (mango etc).

Followed by Big wood spice burst at the end (white pepper)


Cask No 696.

This has a heavyish malt nose for me with nut and plenty of fruit with a slightly fruity vinegar in the back ground.

This has a more obvious Tyrconnell fruitiness on the taste. Then a welcome sour note balancing the sweet fruit

These note may sound like they are off but far rfom it they are great individual casks