For Peat's Sake (Whisk(e)y Tasting)

IrishWhiskeyCha

Are you a man or a mouse ... the Irish WHiskey Society are preaching fire and brimestone this month .....

For Peat's Sake

There's no smoke without fire, and the Irish Whiskey Society's October tasting is sure to set your tastebuds alight!


When the malted barley used to make whiskey is dried with peat, it adds an alluring extra character – the warming scent of the smoke used in the drying process. The result is whiskey redolent of a crackling Hallowe'en bonfire, something to warm the cockles of the heart and enflame the palate all at once.


Peaty whiskeys were commonplace in Scotland and Ireland in the Nineteenth Century, when the bogs were the only source of fuel for drying the malt. In more recent times, Irish whiskey has become largely unpeated, but just across the water our Celtic cousins still appreciate a dram with a touch of smoke in it.


The Mecca for smokey whiskey fans is the small island of Islay, just off the Antrim coast, where some eight working distilleries all produce world-renowned spirits with varying degrees of smokiness.


In our October tasting, our peated whiskey expert Michael Slevin will explore how peat can add amazing complexity to whiskey, and he will introduce us to some of the finest peated whiskeys to emerge from Islay and elsewhere.


Michael's selection includes some older whiskeys and some sherried whiskeys, to help illustrate how the smokey character mellows in complexity over time, as well as how the peat interacts with the many other taste elements in whiskey.


This is a tasting aimed as much at those who are trepidatious about smokey whiskeys as for the peat fanatics. If you've ever wanted to learn how to access these remarkable whiskeys, this is your chance!



When: Thursday, 28th October

Doors open: 7:30pm (please wait in the bar before this time so we can set up the room)
Tasting begins: 8:00pm sharp

Where: Brooks Hotel, Drury Street, Dublin 2.

How Much: Members: €15
Non-members: €22.50
You'll need to pre order your tickets.
Please reserve and pay for your place on our booking page.

IrishWhiskeyCha

Not 100% sure what the line up will be but it won't be bog standards like Ardbeg & Laphroaig 10year olds so you are sure to get your moneys worth. However a little birdie told me that we may possibly host the Irish launch of Connemara's Turf Mór

IrishWhiskeyCha

Okay I have an update for this and it is looking that attendees are in for a treat.

The line up is ...

First off this tasting is going to be used as the Irish Launch of

Connemara Turf Mór.

Port Ellen 26yo - ní bheidh a leithid arís ann - this distillery closed in 1983
Big Peat - a vatted Islay malt from Douglas Laing - it doesn't have to be a single malt to be perfect!
Bowmore 25 - sublime ...
Lagavulin Distillers Edition - finished in Pedro Ximinéz (sherry) casks - a desert Island whisky (not whiskey!)
Laphroaig 20yo - a sherry cask offering
Bunnahabhain 11 - a rare peated Bunny from 1997

d'Oracle

IrishWhiskeyCha wrote: »

Not 100% sure what the line up will be but it won't be bog standards like Ardbeg & Laphroaig 10year olds so you are sure to get your moneys worth. However a little birdie told me that we may possibly host the Irish launch of Connemara's Turf Mór

I see what you did there.:D

the beer revolu

Any plans to do tastings outside of Dublin?

adrian522

cool, nice whisky line up, only tasted the 25 YO bowmore before, looking forward to it already...

Brockagh

the beer revolu wrote: »

Any plans to do tastings outside of Dublin?

Looking into tasting events in Kilkenny and/or Galway

the beer revolu

Ok,
More specifically, any plans to do one in Cork?

Brockagh

the beer revolu wrote: »

Ok,
More specifically, any plans to do one in Cork?

I will ask. If there is the interest there, why not?

IrishWhiskeyCha

the beer revolu wrote: »

Ok,
More specifically, any plans to do one in Cork?

I've tried to get numbers in Galway but failed miserably last year, I think I got about 4 other people interested. However I'll be trying again next year. It really is a matter of trying to coax all those closet whiskey fans out in to the open

Basically the IWS just started in 2009 and we did not have any resources and were starting fro m scratch. We're now on our second year and doing quite well in Dublin. Hopefully with a bit of advertising we might be able to get a few going outside in the provinces. However specifically in relation to Cork we would need a member living there to get the ball rolling ... a you volunteering

the beer revolu

IrishWhiskeyCha wrote: »

However specifically in relation to Cork we would need a member living there to get the ball rolling ... a you volunteering

Hmmm....
Not sure it would be worth my while being a member as the majority of events would still be in Dublin.
I could probably round up a half dozen or more people for an event, though.

IrishWhiskeyCha

the beer revolu wrote: »

Hmmm....

Not sure it would be worth my while being a member as the majority of events would still be in Dublin.

And we wouldn't expect people to either ... the idea is to get various self running branches around the country.

the beer revolu wrote: »

Hmmm....
Not sure it would be worth my while being a member as the majority of events would still be in Dublin.
I could probably round up a half dozen or more people for an event, though.

Was not neccessairly looking in your direction

But unfortunately we probably cannot really facilate without a dedicated volunteer. We would at minimum need a contact that can organise venue and drive the event.

What we are trying to do at the moment is use current members outside of Dublin to expand the membership and expand the society to an extent that there may be fairly regular meeting in those places.

However if we progress and grow further say by next year we maybe in a position to do such a road show with out such a contact. It really is a personell and commitment issue to be honest.


P.S. in relation to the October Tasting there will be a surprise Connemara exclusive also.

adrian522

Congratulations to all those involved in organising last nights event.

Keep up the good work...