What Whisky/Whiskey are we drinking this month?

Starlord_01

Starlord_01 wrote: »

[Update] A friend was in Midleton on Saturday, they were sold out when he was there but they said it will be online this week.

Happy Friday folks :D:D

https://shop.jamesonwhiskey.com/collections/whiskeys/products/jameson-crested-x-eight-degrees-brewing

Cazale

Dingle Sherry Cask Tasting Pack €35

What's in the pack? 6 x 30ml

In autumn 2013, Celtic Whiskey purchased 6 old solera sherry casks from Bodegas Emilio Hidalgo, one of the regions top wineries. There was a cask for each sherry type that the bodegas produced; Manzanilla, Fino, Amontillado, Palo Cortado, Oloroso & Pedro Ximenez. On the 24th October 2013, these were filled with Dingle Triple Distilled Single Malt and they have been maturing in Dingle ever since. A fantastic opportunity to try some nearly 7 year-old Dingle Single Malts at cask strength and see what differences the cask influence has caused. This is sure to be a super popular tasting. The only slight issue is that along the way the casks were moved and we are no longer sure exactly which cask type is which so some guesswork will be required.

Zoom tasting will take place on Wednesday October 14th at 8pm with Graham Coull, Master Distiller at Dingle Distillery and co hosted by our whiskey specialists Luke and Alan from the Celtic Whiskey Bar.

https://www.celticwhiskeyshop.com/Dingle-Sherry-Cask-Tasting-Inc-Delivery

Cazale

Cazale wrote:

Dingle Sherry Cask Tasting Pack €35

Unsurprisingly this tasting with six 7yo cask strength Dingle Whiskeys fully matured in Sherry Casks has sold out!

killbillvol2

Cazale wrote: »

Unsurprisingly this tasting with six 7yo cask strength Dingle Whiskeys fully matured in Sherry Casks has sold out!

It was a great price. I jumped on it as soon as you posted! Cheers.

Effects

Picked up a bottle of Redbreast 15 at the airport instead of the Balvenie. Set aside to collect on return!

Hotblack Desiato

I hope it's essential travel :)

Indestructable

Cazale wrote: »

Unsurprisingly this tasting with six 7yo cask strength Dingle Whiskeys fully matured in Sherry Casks has sold out!

I did a tour of the Dingle distillery recently, very interesting story. I'm disappointed I missed this.

More widely known for their gin at the minute, the success of it surprised even themselves I think.

ZV Yoda

Went out to pick up L plates for my son. Passed an O’Briens on the way.

Arrived back home with L plates... and a bottle of RB21 :-)

BonnieSituation

Cazale wrote: »

I'm planning to go to Islay for 3/4 days to visit all the distilleries. Was going to be early next year but obviously covid will push that out. Should be a serious trip!

That's a great idea for a trip in 2021. Best get my tongue prepped as I'm brutal with scotches.

BonnieSituation

ZV Yoda wrote: »

Went out to pick up L plates for my son. Passed an O’Briens on the way.

Arrived back home with L plates... and a bottle of RB21 :-)

Was heading up to the mother's to grab my passport and passed by O'Briens as well and finally got the Black Bush I have been promising myself all week. Looking forward to it.

A few other things on sale behind the counter that I didn't notice on the website, though I might have been blind to them.

artanevilla

I'd have planned a trip to Islay myself this summer. Alas.

FYI there is a ferry from the North to Islay.

Cazale

artanevilla wrote:

FYI there is a ferry from the North to Islay.

That's the plan. It'll be ropey enough coming back with four days worth of Ardbeg onboard!

killbillvol2

I was in the brother's house earlier - his missus is the whisky drinker there. Someone at work had given her a bottle of Bowmore 12. She hated it - I generously relieved her of it to save any upset.

oleras

BonnieSituation wrote: »

Was heading up to the mother's to grab my passport and passed by O'Briens as well and finally got the Black Bush I have been promising myself all week. Looking forward to it.

A few other things on sale behind the counter that I didn't notice on the website, though I might have been blind to them.

Would much prefer to touch and read the bottles at my own pace, 2 people staring at you while you choose is very off putting imo.

Decent sale though, picked up a M&M single grain and a Knappogue 12.

Ivefoundgod

oleras wrote: »

Would much prefer to touch and read the bottles at my own pace, 2 people staring at you while you choose is very off putting imo.

Decent sale though, picked up a M&M single grain and a Knappogue 12.

Always found that odd about O' Briens. I can understand it for say Midleton or something like that but for your average bottle don't get why they don't have something like the supermarkets where there is an electric tag on it or something. Its not fun at all trying to see in behind the counter and you can't pick up a bottle to have a look. Its the same with all their spirits in fairness but for whats supposed to be a sort of fancy off license they don't do a great job on spirits.

artanevilla

Rittenhouse Rye this evening. Basically alcoholic caramel and 50% not that you can tell. Delicious.

Hogzy

Cazale wrote: »

Dingle Sherry Cask Tasting Pack €35

What's in the pack? 6 x 30ml

In autumn 2013, Celtic Whiskey purchased 6 old solera sherry casks from Bodegas Emilio Hidalgo, one of the regions top wineries. There was a cask for each sherry type that the bodegas produced; Manzanilla, Fino, Amontillado, Palo Cortado, Oloroso & Pedro Ximenez. On the 24th October 2013, these were filled with Dingle Triple Distilled Single Malt and they have been maturing in Dingle ever since. A fantastic opportunity to try some nearly 7 year-old Dingle Single Malts at cask strength and see what differences the cask influence has caused. This is sure to be a super popular tasting. The only slight issue is that along the way the casks were moved and we are no longer sure exactly which cask type is which so some guesswork will be required.

Zoom tasting will take place on Wednesday October 14th at 8pm with Graham Coull, Master Distiller at Dingle Distillery and co hosted by our whiskey specialists Luke and Alan from the Celtic Whiskey Bar.

https://www.celticwhiskeyshop.com/Dingle-Sherry-Cask-Tasting-Inc-Delivery

Thanks for the heads up on this Cazale! Bought one for myself!

Ivefoundgod

Finished off the last few drams of Talisker 10 I bought in the annual Tesco christmas reductions last December. Never really got on with it before but came across it during a a bit of a rearrangement and said I might as well finish it off and have to say it was nicer than I remembered it being. I think when I got it first I was too used to irish whiskeys and found it a bit much but having been experimenting with Laphraoig and Laguvalins amongst others the last year I gained a bit of an appreciation for it. I wouldn't be rushing out to get it again but for the price I paid (i think €30) I'd happily pick up another bottle to have in the press.

newbie runner

Great value for that € 30 last year.Was really surprised what drove the price so low,even if it was around Christmas.

Hotblack Desiato

Indestructable wrote: »

I did a tour of the Dingle distillery recently, very interesting story. I'm disappointed I missed this.

More widely known for their gin at the minute, the success of it surprised even themselves I think.

The gin was a stopgap because there's no legal period of ageing required, unlike whiskey. A lot of Irish distillers failed in the early 20th century because they had a fortune in capital tied up in ageing barrels, but not enough "liquidity" !

Hotblack Desiato

Ivefoundgod wrote: »

Always found that odd about O' Briens. I can understand it for say Midleton or something like that but for your average bottle don't get why they don't have something like the supermarkets where there is an electric tag on it or something. Its not fun at all trying to see in behind the counter and you can't pick up a bottle to have a look. Its the same with all their spirits in fairness but for whats supposed to be a sort of fancy off license they don't do a great job on spirits.

Yeah it's a pain in the arse, it's why I never buy whiskey in Molloy's, but their range and pricing is shyte anyway.


Given some posts above, should we organise a 2021 group Islay trip? :cool:

Ivefoundgod

newbie runner wrote: »

Great value for that € 30 last year.Was really surprised what drove the price so low,even if it was around Christmas.

Seems to happen every Christmas or at least for a few years anyway. From memory all the Diageo brands go down to €30ish. I recall getting Cardhu 12, Talisker 10, Chivas 12 and i'm nearly sure I got Bushmills 10 at a nice discount as well though might not have been €30. They also usually have the likes of Black Bush, Crested, Caskmates and things like that for €25. It does be an expensive month for me on whiskey alone

Hotblack Desiato wrote: »

Yeah it's a pain in the arse, it's why I never buy whiskey in Molloy's, but their range and pricing is shyte anyway

Yeah I don't get it at all. Theres an older lad works in the Carlow one, might be the owner actually but he has the sense to get the **** out of the way if you're browsing and is up to speed on his whiskeys as well so can have a chat with him but 9 times out of 10 its young lads or girls who haven't the sense to get out of the way and worse again try bull**** you about a subject they know nothing about. Just leave me be :mad:

BonnieSituation

oleras wrote: »

Would much prefer to touch and read the bottles at my own pace, 2 people staring at you while you choose is very off putting imo.

Decent sale though, picked up a M&M single grain and a Knappogue 12.

Yeah I agree. But like that, saw the Knap 14 (Next week's purchase) behind the counter and not on the website, or it wasn't during the week when I last looked. The 3 quid off the RB12 is a bit of a sop.


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Had a few glasses of the BB earlier and managed to leave the Method & Madness and Waterford alone.
As I mentioned before, it was always a favourite of mine in my twenties and it didn't disappoint again as I sat over it with a few episodes of Better Call Saul. Very glad for it to be in the rotation now.

---

I've a lovely new cabinet in the new apartment I moved into on Wednesday, so I'm all for filling it over the next while with yer help.

Cazale

BonnieSituation wrote: »

.

---

I've a lovely new cabinet in the new apartment I moved into on Wednesday, so I'm all for filling it over the next while with yer help.

Here is mine after sorting my samples out. Need help emptying it at this stage! Need to sort out the full bottles and craft beer next.

Pierrette

That's one impressive shelfie Cazale!

Ivefoundgod

Lovely collection Cazale. Are all the branded miniatures from tastings and things like that or did you buy some of them? I notice you've a lot of scotch minatures, wouldn't mind picking some of them up somewhere.

Rows Grower

Cazale wrote: »

Here is mine after sorting my samples out. Need help emptying it at this stage! Need to sort out the full bottles and craft beer next.

Very nice, I have the same cabinet with the minatures on the top shelves too.

My one went on an awful diet over the Covid though and needs sorting out and replenishing.

Cazale

Ivefoundgod wrote: »

Lovely collection Cazale. Are all the branded miniatures from tastings and things like that or did you buy some of them? I notice you've a lot of scotch minatures, wouldn't mind picking some of them up somewhere.

I've been collecting them for the last five years so have picked them up from loads of places. The scotch ones I picked mainly up the north in Supermarkets. Another good place I found for miniatures is Freeneys Bar in Galway. I'm in Galway a few times a year so always drop in to buy some. The Whisky exchange has a good selection of Scotch.

https://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/c/395/single-malt-scotch-whisky-miniatures

Some bars doing samples worth checking out:

https://bar1661.ie/rare-exclusive-special-whiskeys-by-dram-online-delivery/

https://dropsfromthesky.com/

https://www.dickmackspub.com/shop/

30ml samples

https://www.masterofmalt.com/samples/all/

https://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/c/813/single-malt-scotch-whisky-samples

https://www.whiskay.com/category/mystery-samples/


The rest I got during Belfast Whiskey Week and some from sample swaps etc.

Hotblack Desiato

Took advantage of some decent offers in the O'Briens whiskey sale.

Black Bush €25
The Irishman Founder's Reserve €30 - Love this. Got two
Jameson Caskmates Stout €25
Green Spot €50
Redbreast 12 €60

These are pre-VAT reduction nominal prices, so the actual price was a bit less. Free delivery over €100 too. Hope it arrives when the wife's out :pac:

Weepsie

I having visited a pub for the first time in 6 months last week, eating a substantial meal and had more pints in my alloted time than I'd probably have in a normal pre covid day stumbled into an obriens and woke up with a 3 Swallows Release on the Kitchen table last week.

Might pop back with a clearer head and reg the RB 12

Cazale

killbillvol2 wrote: »

Bunnahabhain Tasting tonight had 4 excellent whiskys. I'd only tried the 12 before. The 18 stood out. Might treat myself to a bottle.

Did this tasting tonight. Really enjoyed it. The 18 and the Toiteach A Dha were my picks.

killbillvol2

Cazale wrote: »

Did this tasting tonight. Really enjoyed it. The 18 and the Toiteach A Dha were my picks.

I bought the 12, 18 and Toiteach a Dha in a fit of indecision!

Cazale

killbillvol2 wrote:

I bought the 12, 18 and Toiteach a Dha in a fit of indecision!

Haha good man!

Starlord_01

Anyone know what Jameson are teasing on their Instagram page? 3rd post to be exact.

Mellor

Starlord_01 wrote: »

Anyone know what Jameson are teasing on their Instagram page? 3rd post to be exact.

It's from around the day the Crested Stout was promoted. But it's not the same bottle.

Starlord_01

Mellor wrote: »

It's from around the day the Crested Stout was promoted. But it's not the same bottle.

I'm not sure it is.

One of their comments: "Keep an eye on our channels over the next while"

lawrencesummers

Bit of a ‘thing‘ breaking out on IG with Becky Paskin calling out the sexual references of Jim Murray’s Whiskey Bible.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CFWy3DEM9mf/?igshid=54h3raax04c5

I guess it’s part of a wider debate depending on what angle you view it from - misogyny / #metoo / cancel culture / Objectification of women etc etc.

Personally I’ve never read his ‘bible’ or any bible for that matter but the quotes she uses to demonstrate her point just look like **** journalism from a fairly perverted individual to me.

Is anyone a fan of the book?

Black Sheep

To be honest, no, I don't think she gives a fair assessment of Jim Murray or his writing.

I suspect her goal is to generate some publicity and discussion, and she's succeeded in that, as off the back of your post I did go and read her comments.

She criticises Murray on the grounds that his writing in the Whisky Bible is 'sexist' and 'vulgar'.

To me the two are quite distinct.

To be 'vulgar' is somewhat subjective. Many great writers are vulgar (Stephen King is the one that always springs to mind for me, he's obsessed with bodily processes). I think some of my colleagues are vulgar, but they probably think I've got a stick up my arse. Someone might think me talking about a stick up my arse is itself vulgar...

Anyway, She criticises Murray's 'explicit language'... Actually, I think by most people's standards he's not that explicit and if even the material she quotes strikes anyone as risqué or perverted then I guess I must have a higher threshold than I thought. She's also cherry-picked less than 40 references from a Whisky Bible that has hundreds and hundreds of entries, so ... I'm not even sure he's that vulgar, really.

But anyway, if she thinks that vulgar journalism in the whisky community should be policed, then... I'm sorry, I just don't agree, it's very reactionary.

To be 'sexist' is, it is fair to say, more objectively wrong.

It's true that Murray writes freely about sex and that metaphor is a common one for him. But does that make him sexist? I'd argue not, actually. It might make him come across as a bit cringeworthy or like your uncool dad making reference to how hot your mum was back in the day... But I don't believe he crosses the line into creepiness or objectification.

He does mention seduction, but funnily enough it's in the context of seducing or being seduced by "the woman in your life". Err, that's pretty wholesome, actually! Married people in relationships are OK to engage in a bit of seduction last time I checked, as long as it's not with someone outside the relationship.

In fairness to her I don't think she makes any reference to him being misogynistic or perverted, which you mention in your post.

The closing argument is that his language cements the idea that whisky is a 'man's drink' and does damage to the broadening of whisky's appeal, progress within the community and so on. To be honest Murray won't be to everyone's taste, but absurd to claim the choice of language and use of sex as a metaphor in his tiny little reference book casts such a long shadow. She must have a pretty poor assessment of womens' ability to stand up for themselves, but really I just question whether she's not tilting at windmills here. This ample nonsense and unacceptable behaviour out there, this just isn't it.

Last thing to say: I'm actually not that big a fan of Murray's. I have a few of his Bibles and I did order 2021, but I read them more for entertainment than necessarily taking him as Whisky God (Which presumably the author of the Whisky Bible would be).

Black Sheep

Interesting to read how much support she has for her post, in the comments.

I think there is a generational divide here around language and what is acceptable and what is not. But the vitriol in the comments is remarkable to me.... He's a misogynist, he's a tosser, he shouldn't be published, he's creepy, he's a pig, he needs to piss off, he's a relic... I'd like to think it's partly just that people express themselves in a very angry way on the internet, but ... wow.

Pretty sure Murray is self-published, however, so unless he either cancels himself or people stop buying the Bible he'll be blighting their lives for a while longer.

the beer revolu

I had no idea Jim Murray wrote such garbage reviews of whisky.
I know the quotes are cherrypicked but, oh my, that's some sh1te, embarrassing writing!

Cazale

Black Sheep wrote:

Pretty sure Murray is self-published, however, so unless he either cancels himself or people stop buying the Bible he'll be blighting their lives for a while longer.

The Whiskey exchange, Celtic Whiskey Shop and a load of distillery shops have decided to stop selling it. The 2019 edition I have contains 4700 reviews. I read it all the time and use it as a reference guide. It's far from perfect but it's probably been the single greatest source for me discovering new whiskeys and different releases from distilleries I've liked. Only last week I bought five Laphroaig samples based on the book. I don't always agree with the scores and some of his opinions infuriate me but that's the nature of reviews.

I've been thumbing through the book here the last few minutes and I couldn't find any reviews of a sexist nature. I'm sure there are a few risque references like the ones highlighted but people are going on like it's 120 days of sodom. I'm more upset over his vitriol over sherry finishes to be honest.

I'll buy the 2021 edition before the copies are all burnt.

killbillvol2

Cazale wrote: »

The Whiskey exchange, Celtic Whiskey Shop and a load of distillery shops have decided to stop selling it. The 2019 edition I have contains 4700 reviews. I read it all the time and use it as a reference guide. It's far from perfect but it's probably been the single greatest source for me discovering new whiskeys and different releases from distilleries I've liked. Only last week I bought five Laphroaig samples based on the book. I don't always agree with the scores and some of his opinions infuriate me but that's the nature of reviews.

I've been thumbing through the book here the last few minutes and I couldn't find any reviews of a sexist nature. I'm sure there are a few risque references like the ones highlighted but people are going on like it's 120 days of sodom. I'm more upset over his vitriol over sherry finishes to be honest.

I'll buy the 2021 edition before the copies are all burnt.

A friend of mine gives me a copy for Christmas every few years. I find it very handy for weeding out sh1te.

Jim Murray is obviously a dinosaur and I'm sure doesn't mix in the type of company that he offends.

Just randomly picked a good few reviews and didn't find any of the offending material. She appears to have done her research in depth for a thorough hit job. She could just as easily have asked him to tone down the salacious BS for the next addition.

lawrencesummers

Cazale wrote: »

The Whiskey exchange, Celtic Whiskey Shop and a load of distillery shops have decided to stop selling it. The 2019 edition I have contains 4700 reviews. I read it all the time and use it as a reference guide. It's far from perfect but it's probably been the single greatest source for me discovering new whiskeys and different releases from distilleries I've liked. Only last week I bought five Laphroaig samples based on the book. I don't always agree with the scores and some of his opinions infuriate me but that's the nature of reviews.

I've been thumbing through the book here the last few minutes and I couldn't find any reviews of a sexist nature. I'm sure there are a few risque references like the ones highlighted but people are going on like it's 120 days of sodom. I'm more upset over his vitriol over sherry finishes to be honest.

I'll buy the 2021 edition before the copies are all burnt.

The 2021 could Well become the Must have collectors item of the whiskey world!

I’ve never read it, had no intention of doing so either and less after reading how he writes, but not because some people might find it offensive, because I think those reviews that were quoted are just bad reviews.

I grew up around the time that Diet Coke was launched with women in mind and a topless man drinking a can of it at ever advertisement break on TV, That doesn’t bother me and I can’t see how anyone would be offended, and if someone is offended by this then just don’t read it.

lawrencesummers

killbillvol2 wrote: »

A friend of mine gives me a copy for Christmas every few years. I find it very handy for weeding out sh1te.

Jim Murray is obviously a dinosaur and I'm sure doesn't mix in the type of company that he offends.

Just randomly picked a good few reviews and didn't find any of the offending material. She appears to have done her research in depth for a thorough hit job. She could just as easily have asked him to tone down the salacious BS for the next addition.

I think that’s an important point, she seems to have the goal of extinction in mind instead of change. Maybe clarifying what is wrong and writing an open letter to ask for change is a better idea instead of seeking a war.

BonnieSituation

lawrencesummers wrote: »

I think that’s an important point, she seems to have the goal of extinction in mind instead of change. Maybe clarifying what is wrong and writing an open letter to ask for change is a better idea instead of seeking a war.

But that doesn't get as much attention though as you and others have so eloquently said above.

gozunda

Black Sheep wrote: »

Interesting to read how much support she has for her post, in the comments.

I think there is a generational divide here around language and what is acceptable and what is not. But the vitriol in the comments is remarkable to me.... He's a misogynist, he's a tosser, he shouldn't be published, he's creepy, he's a pig, he needs to piss off, he's a relic... I'd like to think it's partly just that people express themselves in a very angry way on the internet, but ... wow.

Pretty sure Murray is self-published, however, so unless he either cancels himself or people stop buying the Bible he'll be blighting their lives for a while longer.

As detailed it's part of the whole toxic 'cancel culture' and virtue signalling than seems to be endemic atm.

All from the stable of Intolerance and social media screamers ...

Black Sheep

To be honest I think less of the Celtic Whisky Shop and The Whisky Exchange for stopping to stock his books. It seems knee-jerk. If most of us here are actually only agreeing he has written some poor reviews ... Should that be grounds for taking him off the shelves?

Strictly speaking he's not 'cancelled' because I guess he can continue to sell his book direct to customer, or in other retailers, but still seems weirdly punitive when there isn't a whole lot of compelling evidence there is anything morally unacceptable about what he has written.

Black Sheep

The one question I did have, and perhaps others can advise me... Is there a business motive for the retailers and distillers to try to take Murray down?

Does his Whisky Bible have an effect on whisky prices or the market that some of these retailers don't like? To be honest I would have thought even if his reviews are a bit silly or contrarian then they are the ultimate winners... More publicity, more sales, jacked up prices for his highly scored drinks?

Just wondering if there is anything else at play.

lawrencesummers

Black Sheep wrote: »

The one question I did have, and perhaps others can advise me... Is there a business motive for the retailers and distillers to try to take Murray down?

Does his Whisky Bible have an effect on whisky prices or the market that some of these retailers don't like? To be honest I would have thought even if his reviews are a bit silly or contrarian then they are the ultimate winners... More publicity, more sales, jacked up prices for his highly scored drinks?

Just wondering if there is anything else at play.

Just the fear of being Highlighted as the one that doesn’t do anything I suppose and the negative publicity that brings.

Cazale

My two passions in life are Bob Dylan and whiskey but if I had to choose one forever I wouldn't hesitate to say goodbye to whiskey. So I was delighted to hear he has released a new episode of his theme time radio show for the first time in 11.5 years. Each show Dylan picks a specific theme and plays songs and tells stories based on it. I was even more delighted to hear that the theme of this new episode is whiskey. Apparently he shares a few whiskey cocktail recipes and stories from the Clancy brothers about drinking whiskey.

Dylan has his own whiskey called Heavens Door so I have procured my own sample of Double Barrel to try while I listen along. Now this being Bob Dylan it ain't no Proper 12.

Currently €135 in Celtic Whiskey Shop with a Straight Rye and Tennessee Bourbon also released at €102 each. It's going to be a great couple of hours.

https://www.celticwhiskeyshop.com/Heaven's%20Door%20Double%20Barrel