With Ardbeg Committee Releases well beyond my price range I’ll settle for one of their core bottlings – Wee Beastie – and in a naggin bottle too!
Simply pouring this whisky results in strong aromas of coastal peat smoke wafting around.
It’s surprisingly delicate on the palate – before that gorgeous smokiness gradually takes over.
Wee Beastie leaves with a very dry prickliness immediately making you want more!
A Monster Of A Dram indeed!
Sláinte
I recently visited Scotland.
The trip wasn’t centred around whisky – although it was enjoyed.
The hotel bar stocked a limited selection of Scotch – most of which I’d sampled before – so a pleasurable peater in the guise of Highland Park 12 was chosen.
The smoke gently enticed on the nose in a balanced mix of flavours.
A more bolder peat hitter – Talisker Skye – was encountered in The Golf Hotel in Crail. I also noticed their ‘bar pour’ was a double of Scottish Leader – also possessing a smoky element – which I politely declined.
One new Scotch I stumbled on was Naked Grouse.
A soft kiss of smoke wrapped up in a warm hug of a whisky gave an easy drinking & finely balanced dram with a little bite on the rear.
Turns out it’s a blended malt with additional ageing in sherry casks & happened to be ‘whisky of the week’ at my hotel.
I happily accepted the suggestion this time round!
Sláinte
Bottle images courtesy Celtic Whiskey Shop here & Whisky Exchange here.
The Golf Hotel Crail website here.
You gotta hand it to An Fear Grinn – they do release some delicious whiskey.
It helps – of course – that they’re all presented non chill filtered & natural colour at usually 46% – or above.
This – to me at least – accentuates the strength of flavour within.
Their latest release – Móinteach No 2 – is a follow on from the original peated single malt Móinteach of last year.
There’s a classic iodiney, TCP kind of nose going on with No 2. Not overpowering – just very clearly stated.
Clean & crisp on the palate. Lovely freshness. Again the peat influence is evident.
Finishes with a lip-smacking dryness coating the mouth in a prickly tingliness which excites & leaves with a soft smokiness.
An elegantly presented smoker of a malt.
Catch it while you can!
Sláinte
An Fear Grinn website here.
My blog on Móinteach here.
Sample kindly supplied by An Fear Grinn.
There’s a misconception Irish Whiskey isn’t peaty.
It has been – for a long time.
Irish Distillers released a 45 Year Old Peated Malt from the Old Midleton Distillery a while ago.
The whiskey for this tasting however came from Cooley – who have done a lot to revive the peaty category in Irish Whiskey.
Trying out a pair of 8 Year Old Peated Single Malts from the same source appealed to me – so let’s dive in!
Magilligan Single Malt, 40%
An Irish brand dating from the 1990’s using Cooley malt bottled for Ian Macleod Distillers.
Golden brown colour with decent legs. Fusty leathery nose with a sweet fruitiness & wholesome palate. An appreciative bite on the finish.
Quite a belter!
Magilligan 8 Year Old Peated Single Malt, 40%
Pale straw with decent legs. Gorgeous coastal iodine like smoke. An almost oily mouthfeel. The fabulous peat stacks up like a cosy warming fire on the finish.
Love this one!
Clonmel 8 Year Old Peated Single Malt, 40%
Bottled for the Celtic Whiskey Compagnie in France.
Pale straw, decent legs. Soft gentle kiss of turf. Light palate yet smoke comes through. A more balanced well stacked glowing fire gradually fades away.
Nice
Thoughts
A tough choice!
2 gorgeous peaters – the full on Mulligan or gently cultured Clonmel?
Can depend on the mood at the time – but I’m giving it to the fabulous peaty exuberance of Mulligan 8yo.
Sláinte
Sheep Dip’s an old friend of mine.
The tongue-in-cheek name attracted me to this blended malt & was rewarded with an easy going honeyed experience augmented by a rich maltiness.
An Islay version caught my eye – a kind reader generously sent a sample.
The peat smoke was evident – but rather subdued.
More entertaining on the palate. Crisp, sweet & drying.
It’s on the finish that Islay Sheep Dip came alive for me. A gorgeous explosion of smokey goodness danced merrily away to a lip smacking finalé.
Nice!
Another entertaining brand from the Ian MacLeod stable.
Sláinte
Islay bottle image courtesy CelticWhiskeyShop. All others authors own.
A few years ago
I could walk into
A bar
And afford
Superbly sumptuous
Japanese Whisky.
Sláinte
All photos authors own.
Having moved house during the pandemic this generous sample from the good people at An Fear Grinn almost went missing.
Luckily the new owners of my old abode kindly informed me of the package & it duly graced my happy hands.
What a delight it proved to be!
Móinteach – roughly translates as peaty – exhibited those lovely rich smokey aromas I adore.
Clean & clear – yet not overpowering.
The palate was milder & sweeter than nosing suggested.
Móinteach came alive on the finish for me.
A gorgeous drying out, tingling sensation – reminding me of the warm glow from the fading embers of a hearty fire wrapping me in it’s comforting embrace.
Móinteach – my kinda whiskey!
While Kilbeggan Black explores the softer side of smoke, this latest incarnation of Titanic Whiskey is a bolder offering.
More pronounced smoke infused with a sweet juiciness from the sherry casks greets the nose.
Quite a clean, fresh & clear grainy palate.
Gorgeously drying spicy finish leaves with an entertaining tingling gently sailing away.
A fabulous addition to the growing peated Irish fleet.
The original Titanic Whiskey was a honeyed blend sourced from Cooley Distillery – there’s still a few bottles around – for Belfast lottery winner Peter Lavery.
The brand was doing well before John Teeling sold to Beam in 2011 – who promptly turned off the taps to 3rd parties.
Little did Beam know this would precipitate the biggest whiskey distillery building spree witnessed in Ireland for generations!
From Slane Distillery in Co Meath, Great Northern Distillery in Co Louth & Teeling Distillery in Dublin.
Peter Lavery attempted a distillery in Crumlin Gaol – now in new hands as McConnell’s Whisky – & has secured planning for a distillery at Titanic Docks itself!
Today’s Titanic Whiskey is sourced from GND & it’s a lovely little blend.
Who knows – in a few years time there could be a Belfast made whiskey again emanating from the same docks the Titanic ship hailed from.
Wouldn’t that be a wonderful dream to achieve?
Roll on the Titanic!
Sláinte
Taking advantage of the sunny weather a few of us ventured into the East Clare, East Galway area for a scenic drive & walks by loughs & forests.
Returning via Woodford we spotted a bar offering refreshments & popped in – or rather ‘out’ to comply with COVID rules.
A busy & friendly atmosphere greeted us in the covered & open dining space at the back of J Walsh’s attractive front bar.
I did have a quick glance at the whiskey shelve for a suitable companion to the tasty light meals we enjoyed.
The usual suspects were on display.
Jameson, Powers & Bushmills representing Ireland.
Black & White, Teachers & Grouse for Scotland.
It struck me Ireland had no representation in the peated blend market.
Rather surprising as Teachers is the biggest selling brand in Ireland for the Beam/Suntory portfolio.
Perhaps the roll out of the new Kilbeggan Black will change that?
As it was Black & White made my glass.
That lovely smokey element adding a touch of excitement & character to this easy & accessible whisky.
Kilbeggan Black had to wait till we got home.
Where we duly finished the bottle off!
A great day out.
Sláinte
For a long time Irish Whiskey was defined more by what it couldn’t be rather than by what it could.
When the whisky market was clearly shifting to blended whisky in the late 1800’s, Messrs J Jameson, W Jameson, J Power & G Roe brought out the ‘Truths About Whisky’ pamphlet which railed against this new confounded ‘silent spirit’ & thereby shunned the opportunities available.
Celebrity endorsed brands are making big waves across the globe right now – yet within the Irish Whiskey community there is almost universal rejection of Conor McGregor’s Proper Twelve Whiskey – despite it leaping to become the 4th most popular Irish Whiskey in the world.
Many also adhere to the myth that Irish Whiskey can’t be peated.
Which is a pity.
Peated whiskey displays a gorgeous smoky flavour which many customers seek out – customers like myself.
So when Kilbeggan Distillery recently added the Kilbeggan Black Lightly Peated Irish Whiskey to their range – I couldn’t wait to try it out.
The double distilled blend of malt & grain whiskey from Cooley Distillery in County Louth is presented in a no nonsense screwcap bottle at 40% ABV with added colouring.
It’s clearly positioned at the mass market peated blend category previously dominated by Scorch – and I fully welcome Irish Whiskey’s entry into this arena.
A subtle kiss of smoke rises from the honeyed blend.
Soft & easy palate.
Gently drying smokiness envelops the finish in a warm tingly embrace.
Now that the pubs are slowly opening after a long COVID shutdown – it’ll be great to reach for a lightly peated Irish Whiskey.
Go on Kilbeggan!
Sláinte
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