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

DARK-KNIGHT · 01-05-2023 8:25pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120541040#Comment_120541040

Bought the an oa in Belfast and it's a gorgeous drop

Where did you get the corryvrecken

Black Sheep · 01-05-2023 9:27pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120543989#Comment_120543989

Celtic Whisky Shop, a year or two ago.

The Nal · 02-05-2023 9:39am

Had some of this over the weekend. Fantastic drop.

Beanstalk · 02-05-2023 2:40pm

I've compared Uigeadal and Corryvreckan side by side and the the Corry doesn't need water even it's lovely to drink at such a high ABV...the Uigeadal is a little harsher and needs water for my taste

Citizen Six · 02-05-2023 7:02pm

I'm hoping to get a Corryvreckan duty free from London this weekend. They didn't have it in Feb, so got an Uigeadal instead.

I'm low on Lagavulin 16 as well, so might get another of those too. I find it very easy to drink.

DARK-KNIGHT · 03-05-2023 6:57pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120547631#Comment_120547631

If you have room in your case grab me an uigeadail 🤣🙏

Citizen Six · 03-05-2023 8:11pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120551550#Comment_120551550

I got one last time I was over, that I haven't opened yet. I brought back a bit too much last time to be honest. Still have a Smoke Trails to open as well.

DARK-KNIGHT · 04-05-2023 12:02am

If you want to find a home for the uigeadail let me know lol

Really starting to appreciate peated whiskeys now myself

Beanstalk · 04-05-2023 10:18am

If you access to Sainsbury's in the North Ardbeg Wee Beastie is down to £33 on offer. Heavy hitter with peat and pepper, short finish but punchy and a high abv of 47%. Great value for money to be honest if you just want to be slapped about the chops a bit.

Electric Nitwit · 04-05-2023 12:03pm

Anyone got FIFTY GRAND burning a hole in their pocket? 🤣

Midleton silent distillery collection, chapter 4 is available for registration of interest

Beanstalk · 04-05-2023 1:42pm

all the plebs buying Middleton Rare have to now settle for cardboard

Electric Nitwit · 04-05-2023 3:15pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120553952#Comment_120553952

I assume not... but then I have no comprehension about who'd even think about spending that, seems utterly insane

the beer revolu · 04-05-2023 3:43pm

https://tripledistilled.blog/2023/05/03/the-peaceful-way/

Really interesting piece about a really interesting character.

Makes the rest of the industry look like a bunch of charlatans!

Black Sheep · 04-05-2023 4:26pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120554712#Comment_120554712

There are undoubtedly people out there who are rich enough that they can spend 50k of disposable income on a luxury item (Whether on a bottle of whisky or an Audemars Piguet watch). But the sort of person who does that isn't going to just do it as a one off... It's probably hobby-related, or at least something they like to spend their money on? So I guess they're going to have a whisky collection, or a watch collection. That 50k spend could be just one purchase among several.

So how rich does someone have to be? My wife and I sometimes talk about wealth and private jets. As a rule of thumb, there are people who can afford to charter private jets, or share them, or have a company on retainer... But to be able to afford your own long-term, that's a sign of deep pockets. I imagine we're talking about someone like that, who if they buy a 50k whisky is probably putting it in a home bar that has 200k+ of other fine whisky there?

The Times rich list is probably a good place to find these sorts of folks. Scions of steel dynasties... Oligarchs... People in entertainment who were mega-successful, like retired Rockstar successful or JK Rowling publishing successful.

I am sceptical about the idea that anyone is buying the 50k Middleton as an investment. I'm not saying they'd be bought to drink, but I think people who can drop 50k on a whisky aren't seeing it as a way to make a profit down the line, they have wealth fund advisers worrying about that for them.

BeerNut · 04-05-2023 4:53pm

I'd have thought it would likely end up in a hotel or club. It would have value to the owner simply by being there on the menu, towards the bottom.

irish_goat · 04-05-2023 5:03pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120554712#Comment_120554712

Euromillions is €160m this Friday. Reckon I'd splash out on a bottle or two.

Electric Nitwit · 04-05-2023 6:32pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120555134#Comment_120555134

Ha ha, sorted. If I win, I'll invite you all over for a dram 😋

Coincidentally, my wife and I discuss stupid money like Black Sheep and one thing I've said I'd like to do if I win euromillions is open a little whiskey bar. Tiny little spot, wingback armchairs, not for (much) profit, just for fun

Black Sheep · 04-05-2023 7:45pm

I'm too cranky for dealing with the service industry again, if i set up a bar it would rapidly end up private for family and friends ...and then they'd get barred for annoying me some night, and inevitably it would just be me alone, staring morosely into the bottom of my dram of Glenfarclas family casks 40 year old.... Sounds great, actually, lol.

Electric Nitwit · 04-05-2023 8:05pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120555727#Comment_120555727

Yeah, that's pretty much the plan 🤣

conor678 · 05-05-2023 7:38am

That's a very interesting article. He seems a very driven and ambitious man who has achieved a lot. I wish him all the best and look forward to visiting his distilleries one day.

Also wish him all the best standardizing Irish whiskey

Black Sheep · 05-05-2023 12:10pm

Regarding- The Peaceful Way – Triple Distilled Communications

(I'm re-linking it because it's a good few posts back)

Fascinating read.

I was struck first by how much going to TCD appears to have influenced him, the geological training is tied up in what he's thinking about when it comes to terroir and how the buildings in Killarney are being handled.

He's clearly a man with an interest in architecture, presumably the route in again being the geologist's interest in materials. The fact that they've hired Grafton Architects is mind-blowing... Probably the most important Irish archtecture firm, really international in terms of prizes won and recognition.

As to what he says about Irish Whisky, quite smart/nuanced even if you don't agree:-

“Our take on whiskey is that it’s an international drink – there is no difference between Irish whiskey and scotch, no difference in principle in the definitions of the different categories. None. Not distillation, not peating, nothing – there is no difference. And there’s very little difference between bourbon and Irish whiskey – if you take bourbon as being more than 50% maize, and matured in American oak – well, that’s Jameson.”

It’s one of the many apparent contradictions in Forde’s take on the category – that whiskey has no national distinctions and is an international spirit – yet he is focussed on hyper local production methods, terroir, and ultra-provenance.

“That means something,” he counters, “whereas ‘Irish’ means nothing. If Jameson is 80% or 70% French maize and it’s Irish whiskey, whereas Irish cream has to use Irish dairy products in the manufacture of it, well what’s the difference? If you really wanted to make pot still meaningful, you’d insist that pot still whiskey has to use Irish ingredients only. That would be different."

As he says himself, he's revelling in being perceived as a 'crank' or an outsider to the likes of Irish Distillers. Presenting himself as being a disruptor is obviously going to be part of his brand, so I take some of this with a pinch of salt.

But still, the steps being taken in Killarney and involvement of likes of Grafton Architects makes me think he must be quite a serious person.

ZV Yoda · 05-05-2023 12:14pm

I was in the UK last week. Was hoping to pick up a Lagavulin 16 & Dalmore 12/15 in Luton duty free. None of them in stock. Sales guy told me Dalmore had discontinued their 12/15/18 age statement whiskeys (the 12 is one of my top 5 favourite whiskeys). Seemed weird to me, but I didn't argue.

He said they had been replaced by the "Ensemble" collection (the "Trio", the "Quartet and the "Quintet"). Respectively, they represent 3, 4 or 5 cask finishes. I went with the "Quartet". I assumed at £100, it was worth a punt. I was wrong. It's not a patch on the 12 or 15. Hard to explain why, but it just tastes very bland. Very disappointing.

I've since checked online to see if the 12/15/18 have been discontinued, but can't seem to find anything online to confirm this. Does anybody here know?

Electric Nitwit · 05-05-2023 2:44pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120554824#Comment_120554824

That was a cool read

Interesting that the author wasn't sure if the buying public agreed with the distinction between own distilled and sourced whiskey. We're maybe a niche group here, but I'd say it's something we all seem to agree on

ZV Yoda · 05-05-2023 3:38pm

Fascinating article... "After all, he first fell in love with whisky when a friend of his brought him a duty-free bottle of Islay whisky; since then he has visited the island and became fully radicalised to peat". I feel his pain!

I agree with his "branding exercise" comment. I think that is the case with many new entrants - their bottles contain the same sourced liquid and the only real difference is the brand / marketing.

Likewise, he says "whiskey should never carry the name of a place where it was not made, and that distilleries should not be allowed to use their name on the label when the liquid within was not made by them". I agree 100%.

odyssey06 · 05-05-2023 3:54pm

Is there not a lot of overlap between what he is saying and Reynier with Waterford Whiskey eg hyper local production methods, terroir, and ultra-provenance ?

Electric Nitwit · 05-05-2023 4:12pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120559222#Comment_120559222

The article does mention (briefly) that their approach is very similar

I'm still to try Waterford, must rectify that

Citizen Six · 05-05-2023 4:15pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120559222#Comment_120559222

Tipperary doing the same, using their own barley from their farm.

Black Sheep · 05-05-2023 5:23pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120559222#Comment_120559222

I'd say yes, and they won't be the last to come along and focus on provenance, sustainability and so on either.

Insect Overlord · 05-05-2023 10:20pm

Separately to the pair of Scotches I got at auction recently, I also picked up a bottle of Dailuaine 16 year old. I believe it was part of a Flora & Fauna series of some sort a few years back. I wasn't blown away by the first or even the second samples I had of it last week, but dram number 3 is really after hitting the spot tonight. Beautiful.

awec · 05-05-2023 10:37pm

Picked up a litre of Laphroaig PX Cask in the duty free to try, being a huge fan of the 10 year Laphroaig.

Firstly, didn't notice it was 48%, so the first sip was a bit of a surprise, bit of a punch in the face. But a drop of water later and we're rocking.

It's quite nice. A very dark colour for a whiskey, more brown than gold. Peatiness is definitely dialed down, which is a shame, but I guess they had to for differentiation. There's like a sweetness to it, I guess from the sherry.

Overall, I like it, but I still prefer the 10 year.

I also bought a bottle of Laphroaig Select a while ago. It's their cheaper option. It's actually great for the price, again not as peaty as the 10 but peatier than the PX. In terms of bang for your buck, it's hard to go wrong with this one.

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

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