Sláinte: The Irish Whiskey Blog

Go Leor

2012-02-06T18:38:16Z

January marked another month of growth and good news in the Irish whiskey world. As the headline implies, it was good news go leor, the Irish Gaelic for "abundance" that made it into English as "galore."

Let's take a look:

Beam completes Cooley Acquistion
That's a check-mark in the scheme of things, really, but nothing in business is done until it's done (it's done!). Cooley have so many good things happening -- i.e., whiskeys in the works -- so it will be fascinating to see how, which and when some of those new products make it into Beam's distribution system.

As for when, I'm at least marking July 26, 2014 in my calendar. That's when Cooley's single pot still poitín -- at least the spirit in bottles that I have (Rotation 232/11, distilled 26/07/2011-- may first be available as single pot still whiskey. It's a very nice spirit that can turn into a even nicer whiskey after time in the wood. About 1,800 bottles were released late last year, and at 65% ABV. It's available only at the Celtic Whiskey Shop at and at the Irish Whiskey Collection duty free shop at the Dublin Airport for around $35.

You may have tried either the 40% Bunratty or Knockeen Hills poitín/poteen before. This is a cut above. I'll write more about it soon.

Time in the Wood

Speaking of Cooley and time in the wood, Livermore, CA, winery Concannon Vineyards teamed with the distiller to finish a four-year-old Cooley blend for four months in Concannon's Petite Shirah wine casks.

It's actually a mix of Cooley grain, bourbon cask-aged Cooley malt and Cooley malt finished in the wine casks. The result is Concannon Irish Whiskey, introduced last month. I'm looking forward to trying it soon. Post your impressions in comments here if you've had a chance to try it. Suggested retail is $24.99

Check out their promotional video. It has some nice footage of Cooley's Riverstown, Co. Louth distillery in operation. There's also an intro to the whiskey from Cooley's Master Blender, the ever-affable Noel Sweeney, Cooley Brand Ambassador John Cashman and the Vineyard's John Concannon.

In The Wood
Back to time-in-the-wood again, this time with Knappogue Castle's Twin Wood 17-year-old single malt released in late January.

Quite logically, of course, it follows on the KC 16-year-old Twin Wood from last year, which was aged 15 years, 3 months in bourbon casks, followed by 9 months in Oloroso sherry butts. If you do the math you'll see that the 17-year-old spent 15 more months in the sherry wood. Both are limited releases. Best guess is that they are distilled at the Old Bushmills Distillery. I'll be hunting the 17-year-old down soon for a tasting. Retail is around $100/bottle.

Getting Our Irish Up
The US Distilled Spirits Council last week reported that Irish whiskey sales in 2011 in America outpaced those of single malt Scotch whisky. Irish whiskey sales rose 24 percent last year to 1.7 million cases, compared to a 9.5% rise to 1.4 million cases for single malt Scotch. IDL/Pernod Ricard's push on Jameson sales is a big reason for that, as is increased consumer awareness of the category. Yes, that is very good news and matches what we see out there in the market. But remember that total Scotch sales are closer to 9 million cases, including blended Scotch whiskys that account for 90 percent of all Scotch shipments worldwide.

Whiskey/whisky sales overall are on the rise. All boats on a rising tide, as they say, and Irish whiskey justifiably is both a main reason and a chief beneficiary.

Worth Chirping About
Red Breast sales in the US alone are expected to post a 50 percent increase this year to 15,000 cases from 10,000 in 2011. It is the quintessential Irish Single Pot Still whiskey in America, as Green Spot, Powers John's Lane Release and Midleton Barry Crockett Legacy are not available at retail in these parts. The widely available 12-year-old and its 15-year-old brandmate are now being joined by the 12-year-old Cask Strength. We've had spottings of the Cask Strength release in the Boston area last week. To badly paraphrase a more nobly stated sentiment, some people look at Red Breast cask strength on the shelf and ask "if". We look at it and ask "how many."

Go get it. It's wonderful stuff.

If you need more authoritative validation of this advice, Whisky Advocate magazine named Red Breast 12-year-old Cask Strength as the Irish Whiskey of the Year.

There's much more to report, including the last and next Irish Whiskey Society of America tastings, but we'll stop there for now.

Sláinte!

Happy News Year!

2012-01-04T19:04:19Z

Although fat-fingered typing is one of my specialties, that's not a typo in the headline. It's a comment on the amazing and encouraging growth in Irish whiskey in 2011, and in the whiskey/whisky world in general.

Congrats to Everyone in Kilbeggan, Riverstown, and Dublin!
Cooley as usual led the way with new releases at the beginning of (and throughout) 2011 and by re-shaping the market at the end of the year with its $95 million acquisition by Beam Global. It's a well-deserved accomplishment by the good folks at Cooley. Beam's worldwide reach promises to bring Cooley's great products and innovative spirit to a wider market, and rightfully so.

While it's natural to regret that are now no Irish-owned distilleries (at least in operation), Cooley's acquisition has a far more positive feel to it than the Pernod Ricard and Diageo acquistions of IDL and Bushmills in past years. Those came from troubled circumstances but have played out well, especially at IDL. But Cooley's "problem" of being a smaller player competing with multinational companies is one born of success, growth and greater opportunity. Cooley is not a case of a company in "poor old Ireland" that got gobbled up, but a new Irish model for the creation of value. And I don't just mean financial value but also that of innovation, entrepreneurial spirit and, of course, great, distinctly Irish products. Especially during a tough time in Ireland, it's definitely a reason to raise a glass to celebrate while contemplating new ventures and challenges.

IDL is the clear leader in terms of size. But it showed why its leadership comes from more than market presence when it re-introduced, re-branded and expanded its Single Pot Still (SPS), formerly Pure Pot Still, line of whiskeys in May and in October. Powers John's Lane Release 12-year-old and Midleton Barry Crockett Legacy whiskeys joined Red Breast and Green Spot in the SPS line and have wowed whiskey drinkers since.

The cask-strength version of the venerable and excellent Red Breast 12-year-old made its debut in the Fall to raves also. And just today Pernod announced it will make the cask-strength version available in the US next month. Look for it at about $65/bottle. And when you see it, get it. Don't think about it, just get it. At least one. The 40% ABV 12-year-old always wins converts and tastings. The 57.7% ABV cask strength version is simply wonderful stuff.

I'm often asked by drinkers and retailer alike when the fabulous Green Spot will land in America. No word on that yet, and I'm not sure if it will for some time as the volumes produced are relatively low. You'll still have to get yours in the US from Dublin or the random specialty retailer.

Bigger Still
Maybe that will change over time as IDL's expanded distillery capacity comes online. The planned €100 million ($130 million) expansion at Midleton has been accelerated based on market demand for IDL's products. That's good news for the Irish economy with 280 new jobs expected. It's also good news for whiskey drinkers looking for greater access to new and existing whiskeys.

Before and after aerial images of the Midleton Distillery Showing the new white cylindrical fermenting tanks near top left and the new stillhouse in the taller green building (think column stills) at top center. The 'after' image is a mockup, as is the artist's impression below showing a glassed-in stillhouse.

"Serious in the making, but not in the drinking..."
IDL has assembled a first-rate team that is producing first-rate whiskeys from the distillate, to the wood management program, to the aging and blending, to the product packaging and the marketing. Look for more extensions to the SPS line. And if you haven't tried regular old Jameson, Powers and the like, do so. They too are benefiting from the investment in quality people, process and product.

Meanwhile, to the north...
Diageo's Old Bushmills Distillery has been unusually quiet for an unusually long time as far as new whiskeys go. That may be a sign of changes and new whiskeys in the works. The current line-up includes some truly excellent blends and single malts (I describe the 21-year-old as "liquid sex." It's, um, very good.) With so much market growth as well as competitive pressure it seems likely that we'll see news coming out of Antrim before too much longer.

And it just keeps coming
As far as specific whiskeys, there have been so many and so many good ones that it's been hard to keep up. I actually have some whiskeys introduced last year that I have yet to open. And those are just the Irish ones, let alone the new Scotch, Japanese and American whiskys I have. But a few jump immediately to mind:

Tyrconell 11-year-old Sherry Cask finish at cask strength. Bottled for the Celtic Whiskey Shop and introduced at the first Whisky Live Dublin event in May. Wow! You've got to get it from the CWS in Dublin. Worth the dollar and the bother. Luscious and mouthwatering. Shows in a remarkable way what another year in the wood can do as it is a wonderful world apart from the 10-year-old 40% bottling from 2010.

Connemara Turf Mor. Peat heads unite. This is smoke, fruit, floral, smoke and more smoke. Flavor galore. For you phenol counters its right up there with Ardbeg, beyond Laphroig (also owned by Beam Global, btw). Yum.

The entire IDL SPS line. Picking which one to drink on any given day is a fabulous problem. And the thought of extensions to that line makes me smile. And get thirsty. Great things coming out of Midleton and more ahead.

The SPS lineup -- minus the Red Breast Cask Strength

There are many more I could mention. The point is to pay more attention to Irish whiskeys, both existing brands that you thought you knew and new ones that you don't yet (as they say, no strangers, just friends we haven't met yet). Whiskey is all about flavor, variety, complexity and personal preference. So pick up a bottle and share it with good company.

Resolved
It has been such a busy and eventful year. That's one reason why this blog has gone stale at times in the past year. When new, unopened bottles are sitting on my shelf for months awaiting attention you know there are other demands and distractions in play. I'll be putting more time into the blog so don't count it out. The Irish Whiskey Society of America has been another thing taking time, but productively so. Still, it's ironic that I have less time to write because I'm spending more time with the subject. Anyway, please hang in there.

More soon.

Sláinte, and a great new year to everyone.

And Counting...

2011-10-14T18:29:43Z

I was nearly organizing my whiskey collection the other day ("nearly" means moving bottles from one place to another vs. what might generally be considered "organizing"). That's when I noticed the numbers of new Irish whiskeys introduced this year. I started counting the ones on hand and others that either haven't joined me or been introduced to the U.S.

Best Guess
My count is preliminary but I came up with 14 new Irish whiskeys introduced in 2011:

Greenore 18-year-old
Kilbeggan 18-year-old
Tyrconnnell 11-year-old bourbon cask
Tyrconnell 11-year-old sherry cask
Connemara Amontillado finish single cask
Red Breast 12-year-old cask strength
Writer's Tear's cask strength
Green Spot
Midleton Barry Crockett Reserve
Powers John's Lane Reserve 12-year-old
Titanic 5-year-old
Titanic 10-year-old
Knappogue Castle 16-year-old Twin Wood
Michael Collins 10-year-old single malt

I include the Titanic whiskeys as they were announced in Belfast in May (at the site where the iceberg-bound ocean liner was built) though I haven't yet seen them available. I also include Green Spot, while not a new brand, as the re-issue is essentially a new whiskey within the Midleton Single Pot Still line. Similarly, I left the "regular" Red Breast 12-year-old off the list as it was a re-packaging of the existing whiskey.

So that's 14, and counting, not yet 10 months into the year.

I'm sure I have left others off the list. Who did I leave out?

Sláinte!

The Powers That Be. And Was.

2011-10-11T19:56:18Z

The introduction earlier this year of Powers John's Lane Reserve single pot still whiskey was the debut of a terrific whiskey. I'm tempted to say "new" whiskey -- and it is -- but it's also a nod to the way and the location where Powers whiskey was made before the blending of grain whiskey in the 1970s. The former Powers distillery on John's Lane (off Thomas St) in Dublin was the largest distillery in Dublin, quite a lot larger than the Old Jameson Distillery across the river on Bow St. in Smithfield. The 7-acre site was one of the most impressive sights in Dublin in its day.

So it was fun to find some original photographs of the working distillery that were taken about 5 years before it closed and operations moved to Midleton in 1976. The pictures were taken for a Chicago Tribune article about Irish whiskey that ran in March 1971. Purchased from the Chicago Tribune archives, the pictures were the original prints with edit marks and cutlines (captions) pasted to the back of the photos. They give you glimpse into the recent past at the Powers Distillery. Here's a few:

The cutline says this is Technician Robert Blake checking on the 19,000-litre still.

The cutline says this is Paddy Keogh nosing the whiskeys

The site of the old distillery was subsequently occupied by the National College of Art and Design in 1980. Although most of the buildings including the stillhouse were razed, the Distiller's House on Thomas Street and the three huge pot stills were preserved outdoors. Although it is an active educational institution and not open to visitors per se, the stills may be seen on request if you ask at the college reception offices.

For more about the distillery including pictures of the former and present site check out the Powers John's Lane page on Heidi Donelen's Irish Whiskey Trail website. Also be sure to visit the Powers John's Lane Reserve Whiskey site and the Powers Gold Label site.

Sláinte!

Spam

2011-10-06T15:49:09Z

Apologies to all of you comment-ers out there in Internetland, but I had to turn off comment notification earlier this year due to a large amount of spam comments. The spam storm has passed (temporarily I'm sure), notifications are turned back on and your comments are up, live and definitely welcome. And, as it turns out, we're back up posting after a long hiatus. Good to have you all back.

Sláinte!

All Things Single Pot Still

2011-10-04T13:04:53Z

IDL recently launched a new website devoted to its single pot still whiskeys. And like those whiskeys, it's worth spending some quality time with.

The SPS website landing page. The IDL's Master Blender Billy Leighton in the photo

Singlepotstill.com is a sumptuous and media-rich journey through the history, heritage and re-birth of traditional Irish pot still whiskey. The site includes photos, graphics and more than 40 minutes of HD videos hosted by whiskey author Peter Mulryan.

The videos especially are worth watching for behind-the-scenes looks at the New Midleton Distillery and interviews with the "Masters" at Midleton: Billy Leighton, Dave Quinn and Barry Crockett. It's about as close as you can come to your own VIP tour of the facility from your desktop. We got a clear sense of the excellent production values behind the site back in May, well before the site itself launched last month just by looking at all of the other collateral materials. It's extraordinarily well thought-out and executed.

As well it should be as it's presenting some truly excellent whiskeys. Those of us in America have to confine ourselves to the standard Red Breast 12- and Red Breast 15-year-old bottlings; the Green Spot, Power's John's Lane 12-year-old and Midleton Barry Crockett Legacy SPS entries are still tied up in the bureaucratic nomenclature limbo that was an impetus for the re-naming and re-branding of formerly "pure pot still" to "single pot still." No word yet on when that will be resolved but we're guessing Q1 next year.

We've already featured Green Spot and the wonderfully robust Power's John's Lane at an Irish Whiskey Society of America tasting this past spring and summer. We expect to be able to give you another advance taste of the other SPS whiskeys in the next few months so stay tuned. Meantime, you can whet your appetite -- and tease yourself a bit -- by learning all about each of the whiskeys at the SPS site.

Sláinte!

Red Breast 12 Year-Old, Going Strong

2011-10-03T19:51:02Z

At the May introduction of the its Single Pot Still (SPS) whiskey initiative, IDL stated that it would be extending the brands within the lineup -- Red Breast, Green Spot, Powers and Midleton -- and that Red Breast would be among the first. That first promised introduction happened recently in Dublin with a cask-strength (57.7 % ABV) version of the quintessential Red Breast 12-year-old.

For an account of the launch event and some initial impressions of the cask-strength Red Breast check out David Havelin's account at Irish Whiskey Notes.

The standard Red Breast (40% ABV) is one of my favorite whiskeys in any category. It often tops the preferences when we include it at Irish Whiskey Society of America tastings. It's one of the best all-rounders and I use it as one of my standard Irish whiskey gifts.

The official tasting notes for the cask-strength bottling are:

Nose
A fruit explosion: figs, dates, ripe banana, sultanas, red apple and lime. Pot still spices combine with the sweet vanilla and pine from the casks.

Taste
Deep full dried fruit, a touch of citrus with aromatic oils and spices. Vanilla sweetness leads to toasted oak and barley.

Finish
Exceedingly long finish with a rich complexity of spices and fruit, slowly fading through sweet butterscotch to barley.

Yum.

Availability in the U.S. is expected next February with pricing around $85. We're keen to get hold of a bottle of the cask strength and plan to do so within the next month or so. We'll be back with some tasting notes and observations ASAP and will feature it at a coming IWSA tasting. Meantime if you procure one please share your impressions in the comments.
Sláinte!

Puck of the Irish

2011-06-16T11:10:34Z

I'm a lifelong Boston Bruins and hockey fan. So when my Irish Whiskey Society of America colleague Allan D. asked me the other day what whiskey I would pour to celebrate a Bruins Stanley Cup win, I thought it was an interesting question that deserved careful consideration (but NOT until Game 7 was done. It's playoff hockey and anything can happen.)

After watching the Bruins win the Cup for the first time in 39 years, I came up with an answer: I'm not going to pour a single whiskey. I'm going to pour two: some 36-year-old Knappogue Castle 1951 in appreciation of legacy, and of the time and effort it takes. Then some 3-year-old Kilbeggan Malt to toast something new, young and with great things ahead.

Sláinte!

Pioneer-ing Irish Whiskey in America

2011-06-15T01:05:38Z

At Irish Whiskey Society of America tastings we make -- and usually prove, I think -- the point that although we really like pretty much everything about the whiskey, it's not really about the whiskey in the end. It's about the people, the conversations, the connections, the socializing, collectively also known as the craic. Many times I've heard attendees say that they enjoyed expanding their knowledge of Irish whiskey, heritage and culture, but that they really liked sharing that experience with new and old friends.

We've also noticed that some good sports come along with whiskey-drinking attendees. These folks aren't really whiskey drinkers, or even drinkers beyond an occasional glass of something. They came for the social part or to be the designated driver. That makes them whiskey supporters, I suppose. They're important because they are there in support and really did come along for the craic, even if they never heard of the word.

We welcome those supporters. And in keeping with the "history and heritage" part of our mission, we've come up with a new type of lower-cost tasting fee. It's called the "Pioneer" tasting fee, after the Irish Total Abstinence Association of teetotalers. No Pledge-Taking involved however. (And yes, that's rife with contradiction, but there's your Irish heritage for you.) It gives us a brief opportunity to talk about the Pioneer movement, Father Mathew, Father Cullen, etc., etc., for just another slice of historical context.

There's your man: Fr. Mathew on St. Patrick Street in Cork, and Fr. Cullen

No disrepect intended to the Pioneers themselves, and it's all in good fun. The craic, so. Our "Pioneers" can enjoy being out with friends or partners, the food we provide at the tasting and everything else, just without the whiskey. And it's $20 vs. our regular $35 fee.

All for a good cause.

Single-Minded About Irish Whiskey

2011-05-11T10:56:00Z

Irish Distillers Ltd's (IDL) launch last week of two new Single Pot Still (SPS) whiskeys signaled a number of important developments to whiskey drinkers and the spirits industry at large, not the least of which were impressive new whiskeys.

The event itself was well-planned and well-produced as IDL hosted about 100 writers, distributors and others at its Midleton Distillery. That's no mean feat as the day's activities were taking place at both a working museum and an industrial-scale distillery and warehouse complex. The evening's gala dinner took place in one of the museum's old spirits storehouses. Our guides and hosts were none other the three Jameson Masters -- Barry Crockett, David Quinn and Billy Leighton -- along with many of IDL's distillery and marketing managers and supporting staff. All hands on deck, if you will. From the printed materials to the behind-the-scenes logistics to the whiskeys themselves it was evident that a great deal of thought, planning and budget went into the event.

That's Nice. So What?
The point of recognizing all of that is not simply to compliment the IDL team (well-deserved in any case), but to put the launch of the SPS line and two new SPS offerings into a broader context. It's a context that looks beyond great new whiskeys we can enjoy (though that may be 9-12 months away for American whiskey drinkers). It highlights IDL's market-mover role, signals many more developments ahead and celebrates the ongoing and impressive renaissance of Irish whiskey as a spirits category. Down the road we might even look back and say that last week's SPS launch was the "coming out party" for Irish whiskey's restoration to it's former status as the world's premium spirit. Time will tell, of course. But there is much in play here just as there is at the other distilleries, notably Cooley's Riverstown and Kilbeggan facilities. These are exciting times.

The title of IDL's intro video at the beginning of the launch event

But let's not get too visionary and high-minded here, bejeez. Let's go get some whiskey!

Coming Soon To A Glass Near You
IDL actually launched the SPS line and nomenclature on April 7 in response to a U.S. government agency questioning use of the word "pure." IDL probably was happy for the opportunity to fashion a new category launch from a bureaucratic muddle. There's also a benefit in using "Single Pot Still" to both play off and differentiate from the near-universal recognition of "single malt" as a whiskey category.

IDL's SPS logo. Some of the more literal/engineering-minded have wondered why it's called "single" pot still when three are shown. I say pour them a drink and both of you will tolerate the matter better.

The widely loved Red Breast 12-year-old and it's 15-year-old brand mate, plus the fabulous but limited-release Green Spot were the first official SPS entries. Even before the April 7 "SPS" introduction they were long recognized as the only "pure pot still" offerings. Each got packaging makeovers. Green Spot received a ground-up redesign. The whiskey itself changed with a relatively more pronounced green apple and fruit on nose and taste with the barley itself driving more of the flavor, and a pleasing and longer finish.

And even though bits of info had leaked out about them before the launch, the new Powers and Midleton SPS offerings were truly new and the ones we were dying to meet. And we did that day in a tasting hosted by Master Distiller Barry Crockett in the Master's Cottage -- Barry's former home.

The SPS Tasting Line Up

Powers John's Lane Reserve 12-Year-Old
This is a wonderful reincarnation of the Powers single pot still whiskey originally produced at the John's Lane distillery in Dublin. Operating from 1791 until it closed in 1976, the John's Lane Distillery was larger than today's Midleton operation. Powers had been a pure pot still whiskey before becoming a blend in recent decades. Powers is a cultural icon in Ireland as well as a popular whiskey so changes to it -- and a return to its older style -- take on greater significance. The new Powers SPS retains the characteristic Powers spice and wood notes as well as the trademark "Three Swallows" embossed on the bottle.

"We brought to life the original flavor aspect of Powers whiskey as distilled in John's Lane," said Barry. "I happened to work at Powers before it closed so there is some interest there that I can relate this to, the style that then existed." Barry worked at Powers in the mid-70s and seemed to take pleasure in recreating the original whiskey style.

He said Powers gets its earthy, slightly fruity flavor more from specific brewing and pot still styles that differ from Green Spot's barley-based flavor. It also has a touch -- under 10 percent -- of sherry cask whiskey compared to none for Green Spot and much more for Red Breast. Powers John's Lane is bottled at 46% ABV and is non-chill filtered to stay true both to the older techniques and market preferences.

A close-up of the label

Overall, this is a rounder, livelier and more expressive iteration of both the the current standard and 12-year-old Powers. I'm anxious to try it alongside its recent predecessors. It promises to be a hit. Pricing is 45-50 Euro, so probably $60-75 in the US. IDL and Pernod Ricard are ironing out distribution in America so it's not expected to be available here for another 9-12 months. Looks like you'll just have to get in touch with the fine folks at the Celtic Whiskey Shop in Dublin or pass through Duty Free in DUB or SNN before that to get your hands on a bottle.

Midleton Barry Crockett Legacy
Barry himself introduced his namesake whiskey, wryly noting the irony of the "Legacy" designation as he passed the bottle around the table: "Not that I wish to depart this life any time soon."

It's a fabulous SPS Midleton release, delicate, floral, a faint nose of pears with the vanilla/honey/toasted wood taste coming from aging in American bourbon barrels and a portion in "B-naughts" or new American oak barrels. It contains 10-22 year-old pot still whiskeys with a touch of 24-year-old whiskey.

The Midleton Barry Crockett Legacy packaging and label close-up

While 40,000 bottles of the current Midleton Very Rare vintage whiskeys are produced annually, only 7,000 bottles of Legacy will be issued at least for this first bottling. But it will continue and is the first in what Barry described as a coming line of "other expressions of pot still whiskey" under the Midleton label.

But Wait, There's More.
The two new whiskeys (three if you count Green Spot) and IDL's launch of the SPS category signals the extensions of existing brands such as Powers and Red Breast as well as entirely new pot still whiskey styles.

"You can see that in this line up we have quite distinct flavor aspects in terms of the Irish pot still range," Barry said. "Both the Powers John's Lane and the Midleton will be ongoing expressions, in other words they're not just once-off bottlings. They will appear again as time progresses. And the intent is over the next medium term, even short- to medium-term to long term, to bring newer versions and newer styles of pot still whiskeys on to the market."

Irish Single Pot Still whiskey "has a real role to play," he said. "Just in the same manner as the single malt concept got so much attention in world terms we believe that this range of Irish pot still whiskeys will also grab a lot of attention."

He said that the growing market recognition of Red Breast played a big educational role and has been a catalyst for the SPS expansion. "From my own experience in trips to the States I've seen that people have broadened their understanding of Irish whiskey and in particular are now moving to the appreciation of the pot still category."

History, Legacy, Opportunity
Irish distillers in past decades have been simultaneously inspired and burdened by history. But a corner has been turned in recent years as the category gained new legs and recovered from the lingering effects of near-extinction. But it is clear that those days are, indeed, past.

The distillers today are reviving the best aspects of past whiskey-making styles and traditions and adapting them to current tastes. Because of its size and global reach, IDL is driving the market. For that reason alone the SPS category will capture a lot of recognition. IDL's 100 million Euro expansion in the next two years will double distilling and warehouse capacity and provide flexibility to create new and smaller batch whiskeys. As David Havelin reports in Irish Whiskey Notes that expansion is being accelerated. Barry Crockett said that the new stills are ordered and about to be built by Scottish coppersmiths using the same designs as the current stills.

Diageo's Bushmills Distillery has been quieter recently but you have to believe that they are at least in the planning stages of new developments.

And though it is much smaller than IDL or Bushmills, the Cooley Distillery continues to drive innovation and is releasing excellent whiskeys under its own and private labels. Its re-opening of the Kilbeggan Distillery was a watershed event and the three huge pot stills recovered from the Tullamore distillery and now housed in Kilbeggan offer much promise once in operation. Cooley is the only Irish-owned distillery, and its success has attracted the interest of Scotland's William Grant & Sons. William Grant last year bought the Tullamore Dew brand. An acquisition of all or part of Cooley would substantially boost William Grant's Irish operations far faster than reported plans to build a new distillery in Clonmel, Co. Tipperary.

The Single Pot Still category launch is more than just the premiere of new whiskeys. It is in the beginning of a new chapter in the history of Irish whiskey.

Irish Reserve

2011-04-29T17:29:00Z

Just as a fine whiskey exhibits a balance of all of it components, the art, science and business of whiskey-making is a balance of satisfying market demand for something new, respecting current brand loyalties and incorporating traditions of the past.

The Irish Whiskey Society in Dublin and Irish Distillers Ltd. (IDL) Thursday balanced all of these elements at the Society's April tasting. Held at The 1780 Bar the the old Jameson Distillery on Bow Street in Dublin, the tasting itself was of all of the Midleton and Old Jameson Distillery Reserves over time. There was also a 7th "Surprise Whiskey" -- one of the two new single pot still whiskeys to be introduced in Midleton next week.

Society member Ken Mawhinney also presented the new, special limited-edition hardcover reprinting of a 1941 essay by Maurice Walsh, a former excise officer in Scotland and Ireland with a deep appreciation of whisk(e)y. Maurice Walsh also authored romantic short stories, including the one that the classic move The Quiet Man (starring John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara) was based upon. Ken produced the volume to honor Irish whiskey's past and inform the present. The 1941 essay, which appeared in the literary journal The Bell, is among very few writings about any whiskey, let alone Irish, prior to 1970. As such it provides a glimpse into past thinking, attitudes and practices. Maurice Walsh also was the grandfather of the legendary Barry Walsh, the retired Master Blender at Jameson/IDL who wrote the Afterword to the book and spoke at the presentation.

Barry Walsh, Ken Mawhinney and Ken's wife and daughter with Maurice Walsh's re-published essay

The Prodigal Jameson 5 Star Returns
IWS President Leo Phelan presented a bottle of the amazing Jameson 5 Star (read the two-part history about it here and here) to our IDL host David Byrne for inclusion into the permanent exhibit at the Old Jameson Distillery. Avid and knowledgeable collectors of Irish whiskey, Leo and his brother Adrian found the case of Jameson 5 Star in an online auction several years ago, then traced it's fascinating history. This bottle of whiskey has now completed a 110-year, 10,000-mile journey back to the place it was made.

IWS President Leo presents the Jameson 5 Star to IDL's David Byrne

IDL's hosting of the tasting too was notable as the product of several years effort by the Society building both its own organization and connections to the distilleries. Finally, the Irish Whiskey Society of America was represented by me and my three brothers who are first-time visitors to Ireland.

IDL Distiller Liam Donegan presents the evening's Reserve whiskeys

IDL Distiller Liam Donegan presented the evening's 7 whiskeys with background on the components and thought that went into the blending of each. He also noted that while he had helped create some of them during his 11+ years at IDL, Barry Walsh was the mind, nose and palate behind many of the others. The line-up represented all of the Distillery Reserves created over the years for sale at the Old Midleton Distillery and the Old Jameson Distillery in Dublin. Each used whiskeys a minimum of 12 years old:

Jameson Heritage Centre Distillery Reserve, 1992-2000
Luxuriously sherried, robust and rich with a lasting taste. My favorite of the Reserves.

Midleton Distillery 2000 Reserve
Lighter and Oaky than the Heritage Centre bottling. More restrained.

Jameson Experience Midleton Distillery Reserve, 2007+
Sherry makes more of an impression though not as pronounced as the first.

Old Jameson Distillery, Distillery Reserve, 1999-2007
Very different than the others, based on a different distillate. Odd nose described around the table as lightly sulphury, oaky. Dry on the mouth then fruity and "big pear" taste with one vote at the table for banana. Long finish. This one grew on me.

Old Jameson Distillery Distillery Reserve, 2007+
Fruity, berry, black cherry. Long finish.

Distiller's Selection 2005
One-off creation for La Maison du Whisky. All first- or second-fill American bourbon casks and 13-14 years old. Higher grain whiskey content. Spice and vanilla.

Sampling each was like a sensory roadmap to the intricacies and complexity of creating whiskeys each its own character. Even slight (and fully intentional) variations in mash bills (the mix of grains used), distilling procedures, cask selection (down to the type, age and number of uses of each) and the blending produces profound changes in nose, taste and finish. And as Liam noted it is a balance of art, science and market rationale that drives their creation.

Liam handed off to David Byrne who discussed the recent change in nomenclature from "Pure Pot Still" to "Single Pot Still" (a result of the US Office of Tariff Affairs and Trade Agreements questioning and demanding justification for the word "pure"). Single Pot Still now means a pot still whiskey from a single distillery, just as "single malt" means a malt whiskey from one distillery.

IDL on May 5 will launch its new and expanded Single Pot Still Line of whiskeys with re-packaged Red Breast and Green Spot bottlings (but still the very same whiskeys we know and love). IDL also will launch new Single Pot Still (SPS) offerings, one of which was the 'Surprise Whiskey" offered at the tasting. What we know or sure is that it is a new 46% ABV SPS with just a touch of sherry flavor with some fruit. We'll let the mystery linger for another week.

The new Red Breast and Green Spot packaging

News You Can Use

2011-04-27T07:07:00Z

Busy, busy, busy in the whiskey world since launching the Irish Whiskey Society of America in March. Here are some quick-hit news bits that I'll be blogging over the coming week or so:

IWSA taking membership signups online: Memberships sign-ups are now online at america.irishwhiskeysociety.com. We've also posted our monthly tasting calendar for the Boston area. We'll start rolling out to other cities later this year so stay tuned. If you're outside the Boston area be sure to let us know if you're in town even if it's not near a date for a tasting. We can steer you to some good pubs and maybe buy you dram if we can connect.

IWSA April tasting a success: We moved the April tasting to a private residence north of Boston when a last-minute schedule conflict bumped us from our planned city venue. But even well outside the city we had 21 attendees for the "Stepping Up, Stepping Out" tasting. That bodes well and interest is growing. We're also getting great reactions from pub owners who want to host tastings. We're setting up the May 19 tasting venue shortly so check the website for the location.

Special Irish Whiskey Society Tasting in Dublin this week: The IWS in Dublin is planning a special whiskey tasting at the old Bow Street distillery this Thursday with Irish Distillers Ltd. (IDL) presenting a range of current and past distillery reserves. The IWS also will make two special presentations to IDL.

Formerly pure, now single: Irish Distillers Ltd. (IDL) turned bureaucratic hassle into market advantage recently when it announced that "Pure Pot Still" whiskeys will now be known as "Single Pot Still" whiskeys. The U.S. Office of Tariff Affairs and Trade Agreements had decided there was a problem calling the whiskey "pure." So IDL is not only morphing the name it's re-issuing and re-labeling the excellent, formerly "Pure" Pot Still Red Breast and Green Spot whiskeys as the headliners in its "Single Pot Still" lineup. Out with 'PPS" and in with "SPS."

New Whiskeys!: IDL has invited "Slainte: the Irish Whiskey Blog" and the IWSA to attend the launch of two new whiskeys at the Midleton Distillery on Thursday May 5. We'll be there. Rumor has it that the new offerings will be Powers and Midleton brands.

Whisky Live Dublin: Whisky Live Dublin is set for Saturday, May 14, at the Mansion House on Dawson Street. The program looks excellent with an array of presentations, updates and even the launch of new whiskeys from the Celtic Whiskey Shop across the street. Probably no shortage of craic when all is said and done also. Bookings and info are available at www.whiskylive.com. We're planning on attending and hope to see you there.

More to come. Stay tuned.

Sláinte!

We Have Liftoff!

2011-03-18T15:19:00Z

It's official: The Irish Whiskey Society of America (IWSA) is up and running.

Twenty people helped launch the Society at our first public tasting at The Whiskey Priest overlooking Boston Harbor on St. Patrick's Day eve (to keep Paddy's Day clear) with good food, a 7-sample intro to Irish whiskey and a rake of craic.

IWSA Committee members prepping the evening's samples

Fáilte Go Uisce Beatha
Most attendees had tried some Irish whiskey before but mainly just Jameson and Bushmills. Our "Fáilte" tasting introduced them to Ireland's distilleries, a bit of background and history and a slightly broader range of what's out there to explore and enjoy. Our tasting line-up consisted of whiskeys readily available at most US pubs and liquors stores:

Bushmills and Black Bush from Bushmills
Tyrconnell Single Malt and Michael Collins Blend from Cooley
Jameson, Paddy and Red Breast 12 from Midleton

After a good meal, onto the tasting!

The Red Breast was the favorite of the evening, followed by Black Bush, Jameson Tyrconnell and the others. By the end of the evening, the room was abuzz with conversations between new acquaintances who were strangers a few hours before, sharing stories and plans to connect again at our future tastings.

We'll be posting our calendar of future tastings shortly, each with a theme related to specific distilleries, brands whiskey styles (single malts, finishes, unfiltered, peat, etc.) and even broader topics like food pairings and other interests. So stay tuned.

Serious Fun
The Irish Whiskey Society in Dublin is our model. They have done a brilliant job of building a vibrant, growing, accomplished and well-organized group with regular monthly meetings and associated activities, including commissioning their own bottlings. It's the opposite of a gathering of purist whiskey snobs discussing the merits of non-chill filtering, fusol oils and the like as if it were an ideology. It's fun, and it's supposed to be. As they will tell you, they are serious about the whiskey, without taking it -- or themselves -- too seriously.

We too are taking time and care to build a solid and lasting organization that will expand to cities across America. The Boston group will be the model for starting new chapters. We are doing our homework, if you will, on everything from finance, legal matters, technical infrastructure, recordkeeping, member benefits, relationships with distillers and distributors, organization and management, and even the basic of how to conduct tastings. We aim to make it easier for you start your own chapter by having done much of the legwork upfront, a bit like a franchise model. Offering membership sign-up online with well-defined benefits is coming shortly.

Hello Out There In Whiskey Land
I've heard from a number of you interested in attending the Boston meetings and in starting a local chapter (Hello's to Jim in upstate NY, Megan in DC, Tom in Maine, Peter in Ohio, Michael in MN, Michael N. and Barry in Chicago, among others.) Keep in touch over the next few months as we grow.

It's All About...
Yes, we focus on the whiskey at tastings, for sure. But in the end the whiskey -- and the IWSA -- really isn't about drinking. It's the connections, the conversations, the stories and the conviviality sparked by our shared interests in whiskey, in heritage and -- most of all -- the craic.

Sláinte!

Happy St. Patrick's Day

2011-03-17T18:27:00Z

Dia duit to all of you Irish, Irish-hyphenates and Irish-for-a-days worldwide on this national and religious holiday of Ireland. The day in America -- and more frequently now even in Ireland -- is often is a day-long drunk in celebration of one's Irishness. A number of folks take all or part of the day off from work to get absolutely blotto. Nothing wrong with that I suppose so long as you're safe (i.e., not hazardous to yourself and others), healthy in the general sense, not drinking the expensive whiskeys and keeping enough head about you to remember most of the craic.

But there are many ways aside from getting wasted to observe the passing of St. Patrick 1,500-odd years ago, and your Irish heritage and connections.

Here's your man flashing the shamrock at Croagh Patrick in Co. Mayo

Catholics often attend Mass to celebrate St. Patrick's conversion of Irish tribes to Christianity -- he used the shamrock to illustrate the Holy Trinity to new believers. At Croagh Patrick, a 2,500-foot mountain overlooking Clew Bay in Co. Mayo, the faithful climb to the church at the top as part of a ritual pilgrimage (not just on Paddy's Day) to repent for their sins. (The mountain also is known locally as "The Reek", referring to the Irish word for a stack or pile; the mountain is covered in scree making it resemble an exceedingly large stack of rocks). To those concerned about more earthly matters I should add that there is a pub at the base of the mountain.

In America, a boiled dinner of corned beef, cabbage, spuds, carrots, parsnips, etc., is customary. It's not Irish per se as ham is much more common and traditional in Ireland -- the closest thing here would be a smoked pork shoulder. Immigrants to America couldn't get pork as easily or cheaply so they adopted the readily available corned beef brought in by European Jews. In either case it's a tasty meal and goes great with a pint or so of stout.

Then there's the matter of whiskey. If you're already familiar with Irish whiskey or have a preferred brand then by all means share some with family and friends. St. Patrick's Day especially is a great opportunity to introduce the unfamiliar to the good dram. It doesn't have to be straight up. It's also quite good in tea, coffee or as "a hot one," with hot water, a spoonful of sugar and a slice of lemon with cloves if you want to dress it up a bit. Or just pour some into a mug of lemon tea.

If you're not familiar or even bewildered by the selection at your local liquor store, it's hard to go wrong with a bottle of Jameson, Bushmills, Tyrconnell (a single malt) or Tullamore Dew among others. If you've tried those and want to expand your horizons try the venerable Powers, or, put a little more coin in to buy some Jameson 12, Powers 12 or Black Bush. Red Breast 12-year-old also is a favorite and gets a big thumbs up from most imbibers.

Paddy is a casual favorite that appeals to many drinkers unfamiliar with whiskey. Paddy is nice though priced a bit high because of its limited US availability and to protect sales of its flagship cousin, Jameson. But ya gotta do what ya gotta do.

Cooley Distillery also produces a great range of very accessible private label whiskeys for the US market such as the economical John L. Sullivan or Michael Collins (a blend or a single malt) or the Wild Geese single malt (nicely Malty) at the premium end.

Aside from just getting locked (there are 364 other days in the year available for that. If you're counting), the day is probably best observed drinking your beverage of choice, enjoying a good meal and the company of friends and family. And slagging the bejeesus out of each other. In the end, it's all about the craic.

How do you observe St. Patrick's Day. What are your choices of food, beverage and company? At home, at a bar? What traditions do you have?

I'd Like Some (Turf) Mór, Please

2010-12-22T00:46:00Z

Connemara Turf Mór is Cooley's latest addition to both its Connemara peated Irish Whiskey lineup and its limited edition small batch (<20,000 bottles) offerings. But as its name implies -- "mór" is Irish for big, great -- Connemara Turf Mór is a peaty powerhouse. To say that it "heavily peated" doesn't quite do it justice. It would be more accurate to say that it's HEAVILY PEATED (but light to drink; more on that later).

Mór, Mór, Mór
Like its brandmates, it provokes strong and unequivocal reactions in people who try it. You'll either really, really love it, or you really, really won't. I love the stuff myself, and completely concur with the description given to it by its creator, Cooley's Master Blender Noel Sweeney. He calls is a "savage beauty." That covers it pretty well. Generally you'll find one drinker who likes it for every two who, well, freak out. Though I should add that it was a strong favorite at a recent Irish Whiskey Society tasting in Dublin.

Phenols-Envy
The peatiness of a given whiskey/whisky is broadly measure in parts per million (ppm) of phenols. The phenols are what gives it the smoky or even antiseptic mouthwash aroma and taste. The peatier Islay Scotches range from around 35-40 ppm for Lagavulin and Laphroig to 50+ for Ardbeg. I'm generally not a fan of the the super-peats like Laphroig which is heavy and has a persistent smokiness that tastes like I've been licking the inside of a stovepipe. Connemara Turf Mór comes in at over 50 ppm. It is a peatbog monster and is bottled at a robust cask strength of 58 percent ABV. But it is light, pleasantly assertive and has a clean, non-medicinal finish that surprises you when you realize it's a three-year-old whiskey.

My reluctance to give standard tasting notes is only reinforced when it comes to Connemara. However I describe the nose, taste and finish, some people will say, "yeah, that's about right," while others will simply say, "WTF!". (Sort of like when I describe my 100+-pound German Shepherds as "big babies.") So here are some observations:

Pour. Sip. Re-PEAT
The nose is PEAT, or more like PEAT!!! But to me it's a clean smokiness with a punch of phenols. A sip or two at cask strength produces a forensic wrestling match on your tongue to sort out the components blasting out from the explosion of PEAT that hint at flavors hidden in the smoke. Just a drop or two of water softens the explosion ever so slightly and allows flavors and scents of fruit, flowers and and a hint of vanilla to ride alongside the PEAT.

As a limited bottling, the price will come in around $70.

Connemara Craic Mór
I think that the folks at Cooley are having fun in creating whiskeys like Turf Mór. That's the spirit you should have when trying it, in addition to a sense of adventure and a willingness to expand your whiskey horizons. It is a great bit of craic, and that, in the end, is what whiskey is all about.

Here Comes Sláinte Claus

2010-12-08T13:51:00Z

It's the holiday gift-giving/receiving season again. So here are some gift ideas for the whisk(e)y-minded individuals in your lives. This might include yourselves if you not-so-subtlely share these with those seeking ideas for you this year.

Gear
As with any fun activity, ya gotta have gear. A fine and very useful gift would be a set of glencairn tasting glasses. They can be insanely pricey -- $10-$20/each in some stores. But you can find other online sources such as eBay where a six-glass set will run +/- $42 or about $7/glass and sometimes less. So shop around. You could also order a set and divvy them up among several drinking friends if you're trying to stretch dollars.

For the budget-conscious, even a set of plastic pipettes and a gallon of distilled water will impress a whisk(e)y drinker with your thoughtfulness. The combo will let them properly water their dram with a precision that OCDers and OCD-wannabes will really admire. You'll be amazed how much a few drops of water can change a whisk(e)y's nose and taste. It's a simple and fun way to add variety to their whisk(e)y drinking.

Books
Two immediately come to mind. The first is Ian Buxton's "101 Whiskies To Try Before You Die." It's $15-20 on most online bookstores. It really is a whisk(e)y drinker's book vs. a shopping list for hardcore aficionados (though it can be that too). Ian's approach is great in that he believes that whisk(e)y is first and foremost for drinking and sharing, not collecting. He picked the whisk(e)ys based on decades of experience in the whisky business. He intends the book as a kind of syllabus for guiding your whisk(e)y education. It's well-written, has a clean layout, is accessible and fun. It's guaranteed to start conversations -- and arguments -- among whisk(e)y drinkers.

The second is Jim Murray's 2011 Whisky Bible. You can get it online for about $15-$25, though if you order it from Jim's website you can have a personalized note from the author added for no extra charge. It's a must-have reviews and ratings guide for the world's whisk(e)ys.

Another possibility is any whisk(e)y book by the late, great Michael Jackson (no, not the deceased pop star). Hard to go wrong with one of his works.

Liquids
Oh, where to start? Some my default gifts are Redbreast 12 and Jameson 12. Hard to go wrong there. For around $20-30/bottle the standard Jameson and Bushmills are nice, Tullamore Dew is an accessible dram, as are Cooley and Kilbeggan malts and blends such as their own Tyrconnell and some private labels like Michael Collins and John L. Sullivan. There are so many others such as the Knappogue Castle bottlings (the 12-year-old most recently), and The Irishman blend and single malts, among many. Lots of people like Paddy too.

North of $50 to $100+/bottle it's Jameson Gold, Bushmills 16 and Bushmills 21, and Midleton VR. I'd steer you to the Tyrconnell finishes too but they aren't generally available in the States.

I say don't worry about getting a "good" one or "the best" and be adventurous (the Connemara bottlings come to mind). The nature of whiskey is complexity and variety, so feel free to add some to your whiskey drinker's holidays.

What's on your whiskey wish/giving list this year or what have you received in the past that you'd recommend?

Merry Happy, and Sláinte!

Dram-A-Grams

2010-12-07T20:56:00Z

A couple of bits of news in the uisce beatha biz the past few weeks:

Bible Thumping
Already a major favorite among many whiskey drinkers, Mitchell & Son's Green Spot moved up in Jim Murray's 2011 Whisky Bible to 94.5 and into his "Liquid Gold" category. Liquid Gold includes whiskeys ranking 94-97.5. It came in at 93 for the past three years, ranking it merely “Brilliant.”

The stuff's just wonderful no matter where you score it. It's hard to find in the U.S. but when you do you should snag a bottle or more to find out for yourself what the excitement's all about.

Mitchell's been working closely with IDL/Jameson at the Midleton distillery on its Green Spot releases which currently also include the 10- and 12-year-olds. We speculated during our trip to Midleton that a 15-year-old might be in the works. The older Green Spots are rare and very dear (aka, pricey); wonderful whiskeys but out of reach of most drinkers. The "standard" Green Spot though is very much worth seeking out.

My copy of the 2011 Whiskey Bible is ordered and on its way. Jameson RVR 2007, Tyrconnell Single Cask, Red Breast 12 (also in the pure pot still category), regular ol’ Jameson and others have captured “LG” honors in the past. Once my 2011 Bible arrives I’ll give you a rundown of which Irish whiskeys made it on the list. The Whisky Bible rankings are quite good and sensible, but don't take them as gospel, per se. Use them instead as a handy way to point you toward some very good whiskeys.

Cooley Captures Kudos
Cooley Distillery scored a three-peat (meaning a 3x repeat, not a lot of turf) in mid-November by being named the European Distiller of the Year for the third year running at the 2010 International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC) awards banquet in London in November. Cooley also won 10 gold medals in July, bringing its IWSC gold haul to over 100 in the past 10 years. Malt Advocate magazine also named Cooley the 2010 Distillery of the Year.

The company's 2010 IWSC gold-winning list reads like a Cooley stocklist:

Gold Medal & Best in Class, Kilbeggan 15 Year Old Blended Irish Whiskey
Gold Medal & Best in Class, Tyrconnell 10 Year Old Madeira Finish Single Malt
Gold Medal & Best in Class, Connemara Peated Single Malt
Gold Medal & Best in Class, Connemara Cask Strength Peated Single Malt
Gold Medal & Best in Class, Connemara Sherry Finish Peated Single Malt
Gold Medal & Best in Class, Greenore 8 Year Old Single Grain
Gold Medal & Best in Class, Greenore 15 Year Old Single Grain
Gold Medal & Best in Class, Dún Léire 8 Year Old Single Malt
Gold Medal, Tyrconnell 10 Year Old Sherry Finish Single Malt
Gold Medal, Tyrconnell 10 Year Old Port Finish Single Malt

IWSC and other awards are generally more important to the trade than us imbibers, but they do recognize good work. Cooley especially has been fabulously innovative and nimble in creating and marketing new whiskeys. The Tyrconnell finishes and the Connemara bottlings are favorites of mine in particular.

And speaking of three-peats (meaning a lot of turf, not a 3x repeat) Cooley is releasing the heavily peated Connemara Turf Mór shortly. It might give some of you smokeheads out there a real case of phenols envy (yes, I know, that's a groaner). I'll be writing up my recent sampling of that shortly along with some other examples of how the company is driving innovation in the whiskey market.

Midleton: A Five-Star Visit, Part 2

2010-12-07T12:09:00Z

After a long delay from another project, we continue the story of the visit to the Midleton Distillery and the extraordinary opening of the 110-year-old bottle of Jameson Five Star.

A "Noble Experiment"
You'll remember from Part 1 that an impetus for our visit to Midleton was the analysis of the highly unusual bottle of Jameson procured by Leo Phelan, my Irish Whiskey Society colleague, the incoming IWS president and an astute collector of Irish whiskeys. Leo researched the origin of the whiskey extensively both before and after he purchased the bottle as part of a case lot.

The case of Jameson was discovered in the 1990s after being hidden underground at the Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado since about 1919. Spencer Penrose, a Philadelphia entrepreneur who made a fortune in mining, bought the hotel in 1916 to entertain wealthy guests. It was renowned for serving fine liquors. Penrose was undeterred by the start of the country's "Noble Experiment" with Prohibition beginning in 1919. He hid caches of wine and spirits in places including railcars and in a tunnel that likely led from the hotel to nearby brothels. That's where the 6-bottle crate was found.

The original case with the bottles wrapped in straw and paper bearing the name of the US importer. Some of the whiskey had evaporated over the decades but at least one was nearly full.

By the way, Penrose had a great habit that I have adopted. Whenever he opened a new bottle of liquor he wrote on the label where, when and with whom he opened it. To me, it's wisdom from the ages affirming my belief that whiskey drinking is far more about the people and the craic than the liquor itself.

CSI: Jameson
Leo's research made him reasonably certain that it was the genuine article but he contacted Irish Distillers Ltd. (IDL) -- the fine folks in Midleton -- to see if they could apply a little science to the matter. The Jameson Distillery team obliged and had Leo send a bottle of the Five Star for analysis by Jameson's Master of Whiskey Science David Quinn.

David's lab extracted a minute sample via a syringe inserted through the ancient cork and ran a spectrographic analysis. The Jameson team invited Leo and the rest of us down to receive the results over dinner at the Master Distiller's Cottage in Midleton.

The Master's Cottage at the Old Midleton Distillery

The "cottage" is the 22-room home -- and birthplace -- of Jameson's Master Distiller Barry Crockett. Before dinner, Leo summarized his research which included Penrose, the Broadmoor, the discovery, examination of the label and inks by a printing professional, and even pricing of the bottle from a 1915 mail order pricing guide that Leo found. The price -- $19.10 per 6-bottle case or the equivalent of $400/case or $68/bottle today -- confirmed that it was a premium 12- or 15-year-old whiskey in its time. That meant that the whiskey was distilled in Dublin around 1900. As Leo's brother Adrian noted, it might have been a whiskey that James Joyce and his contemporaries enjoyed.

IDL Project Director Brendan Buckley, Leo's brother Adrian and Distillery Operations Manager Liam O'Leary listen as Leo recounts his research into the history of the Jameson Five Star.

David's analysis also indicated that it was genuine, with its chemical composition confirming its "Jameson DNA." He also said that it had a strong or "heavy" pot still quality consistent with the whiskey-making style and preferences from the early 20th century. Jameson Master Blender Billy Leighton also contemplated in which types of casks the whiskey was aged and in what proportions it was blended.

That was the science. Now it was time for a little magic.

Legacy
We shifted to the dining room where Leo and David carefully opened this time capsule. David and the rest of us watched intently as Leo cut the lead seal and removed the dried cork.

It seemed to me that this was a moment worthy of the homage given to Shackleton's storied Scotch whisky found in Antarctica. Yes, it lacked the inspiring tale of adventure and survival. But this was extraordinary in its own right. We were opening a bit of history that was completing a 10,000-mile, 110-year journey in the presence of the successors to the people who created it. The first pour went to David, then to Jameson's Distillery Operations Manager Liam O'Leary, then Billy, then to each of us in the room.

David and Liam receiving the first pours of the whiskey created by their predecessors 110 years earlier

The full, rich nose and dark amber color instantly showed the pure pot still and sherry cask aging. It was what I'd called a "broad-shouldered" whiskey, bold but refined. The taste was remarkably smooth and complex with a flurry of sensations and associations that would shift and change so that it was hard to pin down to a few. The finish went on for ages. And with more exposure to the air the nose and taste evolved and morphed. Truly remarkable. You could also immediately understand how whiskey styles change over time. Today's market favors spirits lighter in color and taste. This was a whiskey not for casual drinking, but for savoring and for passing time with company.

Each course of the meal came with another sample of a whiskey in the Jameson line, bringing even more appreciation of the thought and effort that goes into defining and refining each brand. Toward the end of the evening, Billy Leighton produced an unlabeled bottle -- "Brand X" as we called it -- and sent the samples around the table. This was an entirely new creation known only to Billy. It had a lovely nose and taste reminiscent of a Green Spot pure pot still whiskey, leading Leo to guess that it might be a future 15-year-old issue of Green Spot. But Billy wasn't giving any clues to its origin or eventual branding.

A table full of glassware marking the end of a terrific evening.

Good Things Ahead
Between the openness of the distillery tour, the analysis of the Jameson Five Star, and the warm and generous hospitality, we came away with a much fuller sense of IDL's mission and place in the market. The team there seems genuinely committed to supporting and extending its existing brands with new releases, and to developing new whiskeys. There is a clear sense of purpose and a deep appreciation of the legacy contained in the brands. And there is excitement and energy coming from the growth of Irish whiskey overall and Jameson in particular.

Jameson recently surpassed the 3 million case mark in shipments which you can read more about in David Havelin's Irish Whiskey Notes. That's still small compared to Scotch shipments, but the numbers are growing. The success of Jameson is not only lifting the entire category it is the cash engine driving growth and new whiskey development at IDL. The company expects to double distillery capacity and is expanding warehouse space on adjacent land recently acquired for the purpose.

My overall takeaway from the visit is this: the green bottle with the iconic Jameson label is a defining emblem of Irish whiskey to a world market. But it stands for much more than that -- the team behind its making and marketing, the corporate resources and commitment behind IDL's whiskey and other spirits brands, the rebirth and growth of a market category that nearly disappeared 30 years ago, and the promise of new whiskeys to share with friends, family and colleagues in the years ahead.

Next Irish Whiskey Society Of America Committee Meeting

2010-11-03T15:27:00Z

The IWSA founding committee will be holding it's next meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 17, 7-9 p.m., in the snug at The Whiskey Priest in Boston. We'll be divvying up committee roles, setting a 2011 calendar and sampling from the pub's extensive whiskey menu. Message me with questions and let me know if you can make it. Lots of excitement and plans in the works for 2011. Join in now and help build America's first group dedicated to the appreciation of one of the fastest-growing spirits in the world today.

Sláinte!

IWSA Boston Meeting Logistics

2010-10-27T20:30:00Z

For our Boston meeting tonight:

I've posted this on the IWSA Facebook page but in case you missed it, you can park on the street at metered spaces (meters say they're not in effect after 6 p.m.), in the lot with the entrance across from the federal courthouse on Northern Ave. for $5 with validation at the pub (park way down to the left after entering to shorten the walk to the pub) or in the lot across the street from the pub for $11. I couldn't confirm all of that myself but that's the word from the hostess at the pub. She also said not to park at Anthony's Pier 4.

We'll be meeting in the snug which is on the right past the hostess station. Look for our sign.

Sláinte!