*Sincere thanks to Common Ground PR and Luxco for the sample When I first heard the name of this relatively new Irish Whiskey, I immediately thought of the Graham Greene book, The Quiet Man. Then, not quite as immediately, I thought, that doesn't sound right. And indeed it is not. Turns out I was conflating Greene's … Continue reading The Quiet Man Traditional Irish Whiskey – Review
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Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey – Review
*Many thanks to the Baddish Group for the sample. In 1972, Irish whiskey pretty much hit rock bottom. Bushmills had just been absorbed into Irish Distillers, thereby giving the company control of both distilleries (New Middleton and Old Bushmills) on the island. At the time, Irish whiskey was reportedly selling barely 500,000 cases a year … Continue reading Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey – Review
Green Spot Irish Whiskey, circa 2010 – Review
*Thanks to DD of Whisky Party for the sample! Nearly 14 years ago, on a memorable trip to Ireland, my family and I were introduced to Redbreast by a heroic concierge at the Mercer Hotel in Dublin. We had been drinking Bushmill's Black Bush, which, to be fair, was met with tacit approval, but our … Continue reading Green Spot Irish Whiskey, circa 2010 – Review
Bushmills Black Bush – Review, 2013 Redux
This post is part of a simultaneous St. Patrick's day posting on Bushmills Black Bush by a large international group of whisky bloggers/writers. The idea originated with Johanne McInnis of The Perfect Whisky Match Blog. Thanks to Johanne for organizing and thanks to Joshua Feldman of the great blog, The Coopered Tot, for the sample. Seriously...who … Continue reading Bushmills Black Bush – Review, 2013 Redux
Redbreast 12 Year Old Cask Strength Irish Whiskey – Review
On this St. Patrick's day, before we get to the whiskey, an open letter to Saint Patrick on behalf of snakes: Dear Pat, You've made quite a name for yourself over the years and we snakes realize that no small amount of your fame is derived from the legend of you driving us out of … Continue reading Redbreast 12 Year Old Cask Strength Irish Whiskey – Review
Powers Special Reserve 12 Year Old Irish Whiskey
It's odd to think that until recently, 1987 to be exact, there were basically just two functioning whiskey distilleries on the entire island of Ireland. The state of Irish Whiskey must have been in a terrible state in 1966 when John Jameson & Sons teamed up with the Cork Distilleries Co. and John Power & … Continue reading Powers Special Reserve 12 Year Old Irish Whiskey
Connemara Peated Single Malt Irish Whiskey
*Thank you to the good folks at Gemini Spirits & Wine for the sample! I can't hear "Connemara" and not think back 11 years ago to a family trip through Ireland and a fateful, death-defying horse-drawn trip through the Gap of Dunloe. Ok, fateful and death-defying might be pitching it a bit strong, maybe cramped and … Continue reading Connemara Peated Single Malt Irish Whiskey
Redbreast 15 Year Old – Review
John Hansell pointed this out in a recent post on the always excellent What Does John Know, but it was something I also noticed right away upon opening my bottle of Redbreast 15 year old: gone was the phrase "Pure Pot Still" that adorns the 12 year old bottle and in its place were the … Continue reading Redbreast 15 Year Old – Review
Tyrconnell Single Malt Irish Whiskey – Review
*Thank you to the good folks at Gemini Spirits & Wine for the sample! Tyrconnell, or Tír Chonaill if you'd like, was one of the last sovereign Gaelic States in Ireland, existing from mid 400 AD to 1607 and covering what is now County Donegal and parts of Sligo, Leitrim, Tyrone, Fermanagh, and Derry. The Last … Continue reading Tyrconnell Single Malt Irish Whiskey – Review
Bushmills Black Bush Irish Whiskey – Review
Ok, aside from being the location we all know and love from the cover of Led Zepplin's "Houses of the Holy" (cue "No Quarter" here, side 2, 3rd song) the Giant's Causeway in northern County Antrim is also the locale for some legendary antics of the Irish hero, Fionn mac Cumhaill. According to one legend, Ol' … Continue reading Bushmills Black Bush Irish Whiskey – Review
THE CASKS 