The tequila was served in a shot glass & I sat outside on the decking above the mighty River Shannon to enjoy the contents, scenery & sunshine.
Nice smooth oily palate displaying an attractive richness of depth & flavour. Wholesome earthy agave with that signature peppery spice coming through on the finish.
I was motivated by the unique collaborative effort of Connacht Whiskey Company & New Liberty Distillery to combine 10 year old Irish & American Whiskeys in a single bottling – & I was also under the impression the American component contained a high rye content.
After the recent release of Powers Rye I was keen to revisit Brothership.
Aware that 6 years is WAY beyond the recommended 2 year time limit for opened spirits bottles – I was a little apprehensive.
How had I allowed this shocking situation to develop?
My constant desire to taste new product had built up a large stash of opened bottles I couldn’t possibly safely consume on my own.
To address this my ‘collection’ – as it is – is always open for sample swaps. Also – with the collaboration of World Famous Sean’s Bar in Athlone – I’ve been holding monthly ‘Whiskey By The Water’ tastings where a small group of us gather, drink & debate the virtues of the varied whiskey – & other spirits – featured.
You’re welcome to contact me to get involved in either initiative.
But back to Brothership!
Well the cork appears unblemished.
A fairly light coloured whiskey greets me – along with a rather shy & muted nose.
An easy start to the palate slowly grows with gentle peppery spices.
The finish flourishes with prickly spiciness tingling away to a dry lip-smacking finale.
Brothership’s charms appear to have not been diminished by it’s long time in storage.
A highly entertaining whiskey!
Sláinte
Blog article on how long to store opened bottles here.
Whiskey By The Water tastings are held 1st Wednesday of every month at Sean’s Bar, Athlone, 7.30pm. Check social media for latest bottle choices #WhiskeyByTheWater
When you know the characters behind a brew – both from the brewery itself – Dead Centre – & the whiskey barrel donors – Lough Ree – it’s often hard to be completely objective on tasting the resultant liquid.
I’m predisposed to liking everything Dead Centre & Lough Ree release being so local.
But I must say Roger has brewed up a storm with this Xmas ’22 limiDEAD Edition!
Rich & spicy, vanilla sweetness & dark heavy bitterness melt together on the palate.
The attractiveness of their dumpy bottles complete with horned stoppers was heightened by the quality of the tasty liquid inside.
This trio of whiskey was recently sampled in the fabulous Dead Centre Brewing in Athlone.
Elegance Single Malt, 46%
Elegance by name – elegant by drinking experience.
Enjoying this classic ex-bourbon cask only matured whiskey. Provided a richness on the palate followed by a frisson of spice on the rear topped off with a gentle kick.
Nice!
Triple Wood Single Malt, 46%
Rich, sweet sherry bomb of a blend.
Triple Wood displayed a smoother, sweeter palate marrying together a combination of ex-bourbon, sherry & red wine casks in juicy fruitiness.
Sweet!
Diamond 10 Year Old Blend, 46%
A rich vanilla & caramel nose captivated me.
The sumptuousness of this whiskey was balanced by an appealing woody spiciness which added an element of prickliness on the finish.
Lovely!
Thoughts
All of these divergent whiskeys impressed with clean, clear flavours.
Despite the grandness of Diamond, I was drawn to the simple pleasures of a well presented standard ex-bourbon matured single malt in Elegance.
A visit to the fabulous Dead Centre Brewery in the heart of Ireland overlooking the mighty River Shannon was on my mind.
I’d heard a collaborative Irish Whiskey – whiskey barrels from Lough Ree had been loaned to Dead Centre to create a beer – Here Right Now – then given back to Lough Ree to finish a whiskey in – Dead Centre No 1 & No 2 were now available at the bar.
Known primarily for their excellent range of craft beer Dead Centre Brewing now boast a pair of Single Cask, Single Malt Irish Whiskey proudly displayed behind the bar.
A serving of each was duly ordered – & I retired to the outside decking above the Shannon to sample the results.
The Bridge Series is an apt name. For Lough Ree Distillery it denotes the journey between setting up the company using sourced whiskey – GND for Dead Centre – before their own distillate arrives.
It also marks a journey of discovery, collaboration & connection – not only with fellow drinks producers & marketeers to get the whiskey on the shelves – but also for the consumers to enjoy the variety of flavours & styles on show.
Additionally there’s the physical journey from my riverside perch overlooking Athlone town bridge at the bottom of Lough Ree itself to the bridge at Lanesborough beside Lough Ree Distillery’s site. A trip well worth doing by boat!
Today my journey however was one of taste.
Dead Centre No 1, 43%
Clean, crisp & soft aromas augmented with a touch of depth. The whiskey greats you with a warm embrace. Offers up a subtle depth complete with a long lasting slightly dry finish topped off with a sprinkling of prickly spice.
Very nice!
Dead Centre No 2, 46%
If anything – slightly cleaner & crisper. Found No 2 had a smoother delivery with a bigger embrace of warmth from those rich toffee like notes. The spice on the finish correspondingly was a little more subdued offering a rounder tasting appeal.
Equally engaging!
Thoughts
Trying to pick out the minutiae of variation between 2 single cask Irish Whiskey by the banks of the Shannon is a bit of a nerdy exercise.
Both are lovely exemplar of beer barrel finished whiskey aided by Lough Ree’s policy of presenting the liquid non chill filtered & natural colour to allow the flavours to shine.
I have to confess a certain degree of local pride in these whiskey. Knowing the players behind both of these drinks businesses & sharing their journeys as they successfully produce highly entertaining liquid as well as enjoyable destinations for visitors to the area is a joy to witness & partake in.
Why don’t you partake for yourself?
I’d recommend Dead Centre Brewing as a suitable venue – & if you message me I might be encouraged to join you savouring the liquid delights within!
The Grove Bar situated on the Connacht side of Athlone suffered intensive fire damage after the nearby chip shop erupted in flames.
The inferno quickly spread along a number of businesses sharing a common roof & engulfed a bookies shop, the chip shop itself, a Carry Out Off Licence & the Grove Bar too.
Firefighters worked to quell the flames from spreading to the nearby Texaco petrol filling station.
At the time of writing all the businesses affected have lost their premises & it will be sometime before they can re-establish themselves either on the same site or at another location.
Charlies Bar on the east side of town Athlone was also destroyed by fire – but planning permission is already being sought to rebuild.
Video of the Grove fire can be viewed courtesy local newspaper Westmeath Independent here.
WestmeathWhiskeyWorld 