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

Up north at the moment drinking Powers gold label with the infamous father in law. This was us three years ago this week as I bought him his first glass of Connemara and he was nearly sick at the table 😂😂😂

Yes the Tesco one.

People forget that Shackelton was born in Kilkea. I've seen a couple of reviews that suggest this is really good for the money, I think I'll try it in the bar at some point http://www.whiskyfun.com/2018/A-bag-of-the-best-bastard-malts.html https://malt-review.com/2017/05/29/shackleton-blended-malt-scotch-whisky/

Check out the pictures

https://www.whiskybase.com/search?_token=UryxtTeKq8tjJxy54q6fUkmsVNmEsWXYLEdG9buH&q=Tullamore+Dew+Ceramic+Jug

I got gifted one off the English wife. Was my first, and at the moment only, English whiskey. I agree with you very tasty and pleasant drink

Jameson Black Barrel down to €30 in Tesco this morning, Roe & Co down to €30, Johnny Walker Black @ €30 too

I tried some Matt D'Arcy 10 year old tonight. A blend of 10 year old grain with some 17 year old single malt that's finished in port casks. The whiskey itself was perfectly acceptable but everything else around it is what is becoming unacceptable for me in Irish whiskey.

This bottle was sold as the first blended release by Matt D'Arcy & Co. Ltd in over a hundred years which is at best disingenuous as it's a new company selling sourced liquid. The appropriation of all these old whiskey names doesn't quite sit right for me. Matt D'Arcy is now in the Echlinville portfolio along with the 'revived' brands of Dunville and Old Comber. They call them heritage brands.

The blurb spoke of this bottle having its origins in Newry which is again slightly disingenuous as it's origins was down the road in Cooley I imagine.

Then there is that price of €85. I can get a Redbreast 12, Green Spot or Powers John's Lane for at least €20 less. For a few euro more I can get a Redbreast 12 Cask Strength. All much better whiskey.

High prices, vagueness of the source of the liquid and issues around historical authenticity are not unique to Matt D'Arcy & Co. Ltd and I'm not railing on them specifically. I know these newer companies are up against both the behemoth that is Irish Distillers and the even bigger behemoth that is time.

Sourced whiskey is becoming scarcer and more expensive but I don't know if it's something I want to spend my hard earned cash on especially when not everything is as upfront and honest as it should be.

Tis the season to be jolly as a whiskey fan!

Me too, I questioned the manager about it and she said the prices would apply in-store today, so I too left empty handed. In the past when I have questioned the shelf-price v online-price they have honoured the online price but not this time, will have another look this evening.

I think the issue whiskey aficionados have is when its deliberately vague and misleading as to the origins of the whiskey and as a result people who are looking for gifts for the whiskey lover in their lives can often be caught out. I would tend to agree that there isn't much of a market for higher priced third party whiskey. Personally speaking I would much rather pay for a whiskey where I know its origins and I wouldn't ever really consider paying over €40 or so for sourced whiskey. There are exceptions however, I think Walsh whiskey have done an excellent job with their whiskey and would have no problem investing in their pricier options. Theres a bit of local bias for me there though so I'm not sure how others feel about it.

Roe & Co is €28 in Supervalu, whilst Black Barrel is €53..... (Dingle Gin is down to €25 in SV)

Unfortunately, misleading advertising & hype exists in every market for every product... cars, clothing, sportswear, watches, shampoo, toilet cleaner.. the list goes on.

I'm as guilty as the next person at being influenced by marketing. Whiskey advertising is generally very predictable:

• Create a brand that invokes heritage and tradition
• Invoke a perception that it has been lovingly passed down through generations of families...
• ... or is linked with a mystical place or location (preferably rugged landscape ideally close to the sea / a river).
• Extra marks for linking it to a historic event

When trying an inexpensive whiskey for the first time, I can be influenced by something as trivial as the design of the label, or the blurb on the back, or even the shape of the bottle. I'd do a bit more research for a more expensive bottle (read some reviews, ask for advice on this forum).

Over time, I've found maybe 12-15 whiskeys that are my "keepers". I tend to have bottles of most of them in the cabinet most of the time. But I'd guess that for every "keeper" I may have tried 2 other that I wouldn't buy again.

So, for me, the marketing does it's job by getting me to buy the first bottle. But if I don't like it, no amount of marketing will convince me to buy another bottle (unless something fundamental has changed)

With you on this. i was somewhat caught out when i assumed (with poor research on my part, and i guess lack of transparency on theirs) that the first release of Glendalough pot still was their own distillate like Teeling and Drumshanbo. It’s my “local” distillery and I purchased it as I fancied owning something produced in the area.

All set for tonight's Heaven's Door tasting with Celtic Whiskey. Dylan back touring next Tuesday for the first time since Dec 2019. Good times. I'll post about them on here after but as the picture shows don't expect an unbiased review.