What whisk(e)y are we drinking? (Part 2)

Black Sheep · 25-03-2023 10:15pm

I always do specify no ice, funnily enough, for that exact reason.

Anaki r2d2 · 25-03-2023 11:33pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120399581#Comment_120399581

Kind of fells like a complete piss take. On one hand a fab Yellow spot for example, distilled in midleton, matured and sold as a 12yo for 80e.

Compared to a makey up story & bought in 15yo for 165e. 2x the price for???

odyssey06 · 26-03-2023 3:37pm

There's an article about Keepers Heart "Irish American Whiskey" in the Sunday Indo business section:

Unusually, the whiskey is a blend of Irish and American whiskies... while the Company's whiskey matures, the American whiskey for Keeper's Heart was sourced from Midwest Grain Products in Indiana, and the Irish whiskey is from Great Northern Distillery.

The company could consider investing in an Irish distillery in addition to its current US whiskey facility in Minneapolis.

According to Brian Nation, "It is very authentically going to be American whiskey. We are not pretending to call it Irish whiskey. We are proud to say we are producing American whiskey, be it the triple-pot distilled rye or triple-pot distilled bourbon in the Irish style of triple-copper pot distillation."

So American whiskey, but made in Irish style blended with Irish whiskey?

https://www.independent.ie/business/irish/former-jameson-master-distiller-brian-nation-to-bring-us-brand-keepers-heart-to-ireland-42403327.html

Black Sheep · 26-03-2023 7:10pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120402748#Comment_120402748

That sounds a lot like Brothership, which was being touted around a few years ago. I tried a sample of that and it was very pleasant. A blend of sourced pot still Irish whiskey and sourced 'American whisky'.

It might not be everyone's cup of tea but at least these kinds of hybrids are something a bit different, it's not just another sourced Irish whiskey with a nice bottle and a fancy website.

Black Sheep · 26-03-2023 7:14pm

I opened my Wolfburn Latitude last night, and having another one tonight.

Quite interesting... I'm more impressed tonight than I was last night (My palate is a bit clearer I think).

The first thing you notice is that it's very pale. The natural coloration and bourbon barrel finish makes it look almost like water, something which always gives me a bit of a kick.

It's lightly peated and the tasting notes are autumnal and orchard fruits, but I also get the peat and a bit of cocoa. It's like a chocolate and apple confection in front of a turf fire.

This is undoubtedly a young whisky - perhaps only 4 years old? Am I wrong, I don't know.. And there is quite a tang of 'new make' in the background. Last night I got more of that, and was a bit put off.

I can enjoy this, and the Wolfburn business up in Thurso sounds wonderful, all very authentic and everything "by hand". At 57 euro I think it's reasonably priced compared to what this would be if it was an Irish-made product (Maybe add another 40 euro?).

Citizen Six · 26-03-2023 8:51pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120401258#Comment_120401258

Isn't the whole Yellow Spot story kind of made up as well. I know they aren't trying to hide it, but it's not historically what Yellow Spot was, yet they use that lore to sell the product.

the beer revolu · 27-03-2023 9:33am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120401258#Comment_120401258

Once you go over around 12 YO, whiskey seems to get exponentially more expensive. Still, what they are charging for older Irish whiskies at the moment, seems somewhat off balance. I guess it's getting harder and more expensive to source older liquid.

A few years ago at Blackwater, we were selling a sourced 17yo for €120. That seems pretty cheap compared to what's our there, now.

Black Sheep · 27-03-2023 1:16pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120403932#Comment_120403932

Well, the distillery of origin is known when it comes to Yellow Spot. I think that transparency is all that's required.

I must admit I'm not clear whether the Spot line-up is actually owned by Irish Distillers or it's Mitchell & Sons and it's just supplied by Irish Distillers.. I thought it was the former these days but maybe not.

I think the problem with sourced whisky is when it's not clear it's sourced, when you have a "distillery" nearly actively misleading the consumer. Glendalough has been in this territory, IMO, probably Clonakilty as well, maybe there are others.

the beer revolu · 27-03-2023 1:38pm

I don't buy the Mitchell's story at this stage. I'm pretty sure that the Spot range is owned and managed by IDL. I'd imagine Mitchell's get a small licencing fee and access to specials etc.

This is merely speculation, though.

lawrencesummers · 27-03-2023 4:09pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120400736#Comment_120400736

i would have asked him for a glass of ice after hearing that.

Black Sheep · 27-03-2023 4:43pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120406211#Comment_120406211

I think you're right, but I've nothing to base that on other than the prevalence of the Spot line-up, the closeness with other Irish Distillers products etc.

the beer revolu · 27-03-2023 5:01pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120407275#Comment_120407275

I suspect that the arrangement changed when they rebranded green spot and released yellow spot.

This was when they did a big Single Pot Still shift. They rebranded Redbreast at this time and released Barry Crockett.

At this time I think Green Spot was the oldest Irish pot still whiskey in continous production.

odyssey06 · 28-03-2023 11:47am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120399638#Comment_120399638

No sign of it yet in eg in Celtic Whiskey Shop, Irish Malts.

I have a sample on the way from Tiny Tipples, along with some of the Dingle limited releases, Killowen Rum+Raisin, Blue Spot and the Jameson SPS.

They offer click and collect now from Wine Centre Kilkenny.

https://www.tinytipple.com/products/green-spot-quails-gate-pinot-noir-cask-single-pot-still-46-abv-50ml?_pos=6&_sid=abafb3fb7&_ss=r

Drinks Hero have 1 full bottle for sale at €195! And some sample drams

https://www.drinkshero.com/search?type=product&q=green*+spot*+quails*

adaminho · 29-03-2023 4:36pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120400736#Comment_120400736

I always ask, but will also offer ice and water (and a straw) on the side.

adaminho · 29-03-2023 4:37pm

Preferred this to the Rye. Drop of water really opens it up.

2011abc · 31-03-2023 2:44pm

Retronaut? That was a smashing drop

FlicFlak · 31-03-2023 3:04pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120403571#Comment_120403571

I remember having the Brothership, from Connaught distillery if i remember correctly. I think it was a blend of 10 year old american rye whiskey and 10 year old irish single malt. It started off super fruity then finished really spicy, i rated it very highly!!

Black Sheep · 31-03-2023 5:05pm

Yes, it was pleasant.

Mashups like this are still uncommon.

In a way, Teeling Hybrid was such a mix... Scotch and Irish.

odyssey06 · 31-03-2023 6:52pm

Side by side tastings...

Green Spot versus Green Spot Quail's Gate

The Quail's Gate blows the original out of the water. Not sure how much of that is down to the wine (Pinot Noir) cask influence or more likely the higher ABV (46% v 40%) ... the Quail's Gate seemed like Green Spot but dialed up to the nine.

Dingle Samhain versus Dingle La Le Bride

Part of the Dingle "Wheel of Time" limited seasonal releases. Here the cask influence registers. Samhain is finished in Muscatel casks and mandarin orange flavours come through. Bride is finished in rye casks and that gives it a spicy ginger kick. Both very nice whiskies but the Bride just shades it.

test account 123 · 31-03-2023 7:09pm

Only stumbled across this great thread this evening. I should point out before posting anything else I'm a proper snob when it comes to certain aspects if Irish Whiskey 😁 It's Whiskey not Whisky, never, ever have it with ice and give it to me in a proper teardrop glass! These are the things that set Irish whiskey apart from the rest so maybe that's why I'm a stickler for it 🤔 But I wish in Irish pubs of all places they'd know how to serve it.

I always try to hold on to an opened bottle as long as possible cause in my experience the longer its open the better it becomes. My Redbreast cask strength was opened in 2018 and there's plenty left 😂

Anaki r2d2 · 31-03-2023 10:24pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120416466#Comment_120416466

I picked up a bottle of this yesterday afternoon. Still unable to have a taste until I'm off the clock.

I do like the openness from the company that it's great northern juice & a bourbon/rye sourced. And that the story is that simple. No makey up story.

Brian Nation is obviously is great asset/adds credibility and will help create a brand.

kuang1 · 01-04-2023 2:00am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120425693#Comment_120425693

Can't help but recoil a little from this though, due to the huuuuuuuuge PR push that they're doing.

My 79 year old mother, who knows that I "like things to do with whiskey", kept me a half-page ad from the Examiner newspaper (she reads it daily) earlier this week advertising this whiskey.

She told me: "They had the same ad on other days too, but I only kept you this one"

And hey, I get it. You've a new product and you want it to sell it, and good luck to you.

So you get on every vehicle of media that you can, and get notorious names from the industry to back you etc etc.

And I'm sure they'll be a success. I just have a personal reluctance to engage with a product that's being pressed that forcefully in a blatant manner.

If the product is good, it will develop it's own reputation in time. I'd much sooner sample a whiskey I never heard of because of a friend's recommendation (or a reliable boardsie!) rather than a glitzy, full-court-press promotional onslaught.

Anaki r2d2 · 01-04-2023 6:39pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120426092#Comment_120426092

It's funny how marketing has positive effect on one fella and irritates another.

Tasted the bourbon version, it's a little too harsh for me neat. Few drops of water it is much improved. Actually very good.

the beer revolu · 04-04-2023 2:23pm

Irish whisky isn't peated 😉

https://twitter.com/irishwhiskeybc/status/1642937542629793793?t=n3lR7ZCq_btc4arR1nnuow&s=19

odyssey06 · 04-04-2023 2:31pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120439445#Comment_120439445

Well the statement is probably still within the margin of error of being 100% correct by volume of sales :)

the beer revolu · 04-04-2023 4:18pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120439494#Comment_120439494

It's still an inaccurate descriptor and even worse when it is teamed with, "scotch is peated".

If we are going to speak about whiskey merely in terms of sales volume, we'd describe Irish whiskey as Jameson and, perhaps, Tullamore Dew. How useful would that be.