English Park Blended Whisky, 6 Years Old, Special Reserve, 40%

Given the s**t show that’s English politics right now I thought it time to crack open this English Park Whisky to celebrate the demise of Liz Truss.

Purchased as an exercise to see if Amazon.co.uk could continue to offer a service to Ireland post Brexit – English Park was the only bottle that made it through.

All the others failed to arrive – just like those mythical ‘benefits from Brexit’ soundbites Liz was fond of spouting.

So what of English Park Whisky?

Well the bottle presentation is pretty cool.

Clearly capitalising on the patriotic fervour ensuing in England with Union Jack emblems there’s nonetheless attention to detail shown by ‘1835’ embossed on the front neck as well as ‘Double Oak’ on the rear & a neat representation of a still complete with worm-tube too.

The sales patter had me lost however. It’s in a language not familiar to me.

Turns out to be slovak – where the whisky is distilled by the Nestville Distillery.

So how does English Park taste?

Not too bad!

Exhibiting a deep golden brown with decent legs in the glass. There is no mention of chill filtering or natural colour I can make out.

A warm caramelly nose.

Smooth & easy palate, slightly warming.

The finish offered up an entertaining biscuity malt with hints of burnt oak that raised the experience.

Found English Park a very approachable drinking blend with enough depth to keep it quaffable.

I admire the entrepreneurial flair of whomever produced this brand to get it to the masses. I also admire the distillery for putting together a perfectly palatable blended whisky.

It’s already lasted longer than 44 days!

Na Zdrovie!

My Amazon.co.uk experiment here.

Nestville Distillery webpage here.

Whisky purchased via Gargara storefront on Amazon here.

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Royal Envy, Exclusive Premium Whisky, 42.8%, India

I wouldn’t mind getting hold of this bottle.

Courtesy winewell.in

A number of things strike me.

Tales of solid smokiness tempt me.

While the name, labelling & general packaging all allude to a superior product- even if it’s a regular Indian made whisky using imported Scotch malt blended with Indian grain.

So much in the whisky world hinges on desirability, exclusivity & limited runs – often to the detriment of what really matters to me – taste.

Courtesy nvgroup.co.in

Royal Envy seems to be the ‘crowning glory’ of that exclusivity bubble – although it might be tainted by a certain royal payment to quieten a paedophilia scandal.

But a smoky Indian whisky is something I’d like to savour.

Sláinte

Kilbeggan Finest Irish Whiskey, 15 Year Old, Blend, 40%

Back in 2007 Kilbeggan released a 15 Year Old Finest Irish Whiskey complete with stylish bottle & packaging to commemorate 250 years of distilling history at the Kilbeggan Distillery in County Westmeath.

It was very well received at the time & went on to win many awards.

Kilbeggan 15 in the glass c/othewhiskeynut

Being a rather limited release it attracted a lot of buyers who stored it for intended resale, for a special occasion or just collecting.

Luckily I knew someone who’d actually opened it to enjoy the delights within.

Very generously – I managed a sample!

Now there are always dangers when storing whiskey – and this became evident on the nose with a slight fustiness going on among an otherwise attractive nuttiness.

The palate was soft, smooth & easy with a touch of woody spice going on in the rear.

A gorgeous juiciness finished up the proceedings.

Cool bottle! c/othewhiskeynut

A lovely little drop indeed – although that slight fusty note on the nose suggests it’s not ageing well.

If you enjoy your whiskey – perhaps drinking it soon after purchase is recommended.

Waitrose 3 Year Old Blended Scotch, 40%

In London for the weekend – waking up to Brexitland – I needed a drink.

All the supermarket stores do their own label Scotch.

Waitrose 3yo c/othewhiskeynut

Waitrose’s is a 3yo proclaiming itself  ‘Rich and Warming’.

It’s certainly rich – with added caramel – which dominated the taste for me.

Back c/othewhiskeynut

There were hints of fresh young malt & sweet grain underneath – and it is warming – but those caramelly notes lingered.

Basic entry level fare.

Slàinte

ChapelGate’s Chosen vs McGregor’s Proper Twelve

It may seem an incongruous pair of whiskeys to compare – but in my opinion – the two offerings above represent the growing maturity, complexity and coming of age of Irish Whiskey.

Photo c/oYouTube

On the one hand you have ChapelGate’s ultra premium exquisitely packaged and presented Chosen,

On the other,  McGregor’s mass market blend Proper Twelve.

Proper Whiskey c/othewhiskeynut

Both have delivered a product that satisfies the demands of their specific target audiences,

And both are excelling within their respective categories.

My blog welcoming the arrival of Proper Twelve to the market stated;

‘Irish Whiskey will never be the same again’

Has certainly been proven true.

McGregor c/oProperTwelve

For a newly released brand to be seriously challenging the dominance of Jameson – as in an Irish Times article – is truly outstanding. Despite the recent deplorable antics – perhaps even because of? – there seems to be no slowing down of Proper Twelve’s growth trajectory.

It is opening the market to a new generation of Irish Whiskey drinkers around the world and recently expanded into Poland & South Africa.

ChapelGate’s Chosen is also taking Irish Whiskey into new – and to many unthinkable – territory, the ultra premium luxury market. I highly commend founder Louise McGuane for her courage in doing so.

Louise McGuane launches Chosen c/oindependent.ie

The dedication, careful selection of stock and variety of quality casks at her bonded warehouse in County Clare was outstanding. I chanced a visit over two and a half years ago – even before her first release – which you can read about here.

To chart the growing success of ChapelGate since then – as well as tasting JJ Corry’s fabulous whiskey releases – has been a wonderful journey.

The reaction to Chosen and Proper Twelve has been immense – and divisive.

Both have taken Irish Whiskey out of the narrowly defined one dimensional stereotypes of the past.

They represent a multi dimensional & complex Irish Whiskey scene that can be double distilled, peated, flavourful, rough round the edges, brash & youthful, aged & nuanced all at the same time.

Both dreamed big and played far beyond the boundaries.

Meet the new trendsetters of Irish Whiskey.

Meet Chosen & Proper Twelve.

Putting dreams into action.

Sláinte

 

Midleton Very Rare 2019, Blend, 40%

Sonny Molloy’s in Galway certainly know how to throw a party.

This one happened to be the latest release of the revered Midleton Very Rare series – the 2019 bottle.

I missed out on John Wilson’s – the Irish Times wine guru – introduction and only arrived as Brian Nation – Head Distiller at Midleton Distillery – led out the first whiskey of the evening.

Barry Crockett Legacy, Single Pot Still, 46%

Legacy miniature c/othewhiskeynut

Like meeting an old friend again – this single pot stills greets you with a warm embrace – cheers you with it’s complex palate and entertains you with a gorgeous oak spiciness.

Fabulous.

Next up came a special treat.

Midleton Single Cask, Single Pot Still, 56%

Drawn from a 21 year old virgin oak cask resting at Midleton – yours for a starting price of only €80,000 – this wasn’t a shy whiskey.

Rich & warm woody oak tannins with a hint of spice – I could have nosed this beauty all night long.

The palate started off flavoursome & smooth – before the strength & gradually drying tannic spice made it’s presence felt – which left my mouth reeling.

Not for the faint hearted.

And then the finale.

Midleton Very Rare, 2019, Blend, 40%

Drinking MVR 2019 at Sonny Molloy’s c/othewhiskeynut

A blend of up to 226 barrels of grain & single pot still aged from 13 to 34 years carefully put together by Brian Nation himself.

A surprisingly fruity nose – reminded me of wine gums, the dark ones especially.

A silky smooth palate tempered by a lovely gentle sweet grain mixed in with dry oaky tannins – which didn’t overpower – allowing a cornucopia of flavour to flow around the mouth with depth & character in abundance.

A perfectly balanced blend showcasing the rich diversity & age range of the casks available at Midleton Distillery.

A joy to behold.

Sláinte

A big thank you to all the team at Sonny Molloy’s & Midleton Distillery for the warm hospitality – fabulous whiskey – tasty canapés and highly enjoyable evening.

May the road rise with you!

Irish American Whiskey Trio Taste-Off

I couldn’t say goodbye to my latest selection of Irish Whiskey brands only available in America without a taste challenge.

Emptying what was left of the miniatures – and a pour from the 750 ml US size bottle – the first thing I noticed was the almost identical golden colour from all 3 whiskeys.

All 3 are NAS – non age statement – offerings at 40% ABV.

All 3 are sourced brands from unspecified Irish Distilleries and

All 3 taste remarkably different from each other.

I’ll kick off with Kilbrin.

The attractive front of Kilbrin c/othewhiskeynut

This one immediately appealed to my palate. Fresh, lively & inviting. A gorgeous spicy kick towards the end endeared this blend to me.

Kavanagh was up next.

Kavanagh Single Malt c/othewhiskeynut

More malty – biscuity even. Hardly surprising as it’s a single malt. A smoother delivery – cultured perhaps – with a gentler spiciness adding some character.

Wolfhound rounded up the trio.

The Gentle Giant c/othewhiskeynut

Compared to the others, I found the ‘roar’ of the hound a rather dull & muted affair. The honeyed sweetness just didn’t set my palate alight.

Without a doubt my clear winner – and rather surprisingly so – was Kilbrin Irish Whiskey.

It has character & attitude in abundance.

For me it captures the beauty of a good blend.

The balance of both malt & grain whiskeys compliment each other giving complexity to the palate.

Kudos to Kilbrin!

Sláinte

Kilbrin Irish Whiskey, Blend, 40%

Mrs Whiskey brought back a selection of Irish Whiskeys from America after a recent trip.

They aren’t available in Ireland – and I was keen to check them out.

Kilbrin is an actual place in Ireland. A parish in County Cork with a GAA club, a school and a church. But no whiskey distillery.

Kilbrin Irish Whiskey is a sourced brand – I’ve no problem with that.

The attractive front of Kilbrin c/othewhiskeynut

A search of their website here – leads you onto Quality Spirits International here – who specialise in Own Brand and Private Label products.

Quality Spirits International are in turn a wholly owned subsidiary of ‘the largest independent Scotch Whisky Company’ – which to you and me is William Grant & Sons – owners of Tullamore DEW, Glenfiddich, Grant’s and others.

Kilbrin back c/othewhiskeynut

What interested me though was how the whiskey tasted.

The nose was caramelly sweet, honeyed & slightly fruity.

This followed through on the palate – which opened up into a decent sweet grainy feel with a lovely prickly spice developing.

The finish was sadly short – but the overall effect was rather appealing.

I quite enjoyed this one.

A pleasant easy going entry level blend with a bit of character & spice towards the end.

Nice one Kilbrin!

Sláinte

 

Whiskey 21C, Blend, 54.2%

Whiskey Live Dublin always throws up a surprise or two.

This years was the safely guarded release of Whiskey 21C.

Whiskey 21C c/othewhiskeynut

This is a unique historical bottling of all the Irish Whiskey Distilleries that currently have stocks of matured whiskey in their possession.

The Celtic Whiskey Shop – not content with being the hard working organisers behind Whiskey Live Dublin – contacted all the distilleries with matured whiskey – asked for a donation of some of that precious liquid – proceeded to blend it – bottle it – sell it at the show on a strictly limited never to be repeated release – all for the Downs Syndrome Ireland charity!

Now that WAS a surprise indeed!

The 12 Irish Whiskey Distilleries who kindly donated to this project are – in the order they appear on the back label;

The distilleries involved c/othewhiskeynut

Bushmills Distillery – Producers of the Bushmills range + other brands.

Cooley Distillery – Producers of the Tyrconnell, Connemara, Locke’s & Kilbeggan ranges – as well as numerous other brands.

Dingle Distillery – Producers of Dingle Whiskey

Echlinville Distillery – All current releases under the Dunvilles brand are sourced – yet Echlinville are sitting on 5 year old whiskey of their own making which has not yet been deemed ready for it’s public debut.

Great Northern Distillery – Producers of the First Born range debuted at Whiskey Live Dublin.

Kilbeggan Distillery – Producers of Kilbeggan Rye – the 1st Irish Whiskey containing rye for many a year and the 1st whiskey to be wholly produced at Kilbeggan since the micro distillery was commissioned there in 2010.

Pearse Lyons Distillery – Producers of Pearse 5 Year Old Single Malt. Some of the Pearse blends also contain malt made on the stills sited at the Pearse Lyons Distillery in Dublin.

Teeling Whiskey Co – Producers of Teeling Single Pot Still. All other current releases are sourced.

The Shed Distillery – Producers of Gunpowder Gin & Sausage Tree Vodka – yet clearly have whiskey waiting to be released.

Tullamore DEW – All current Tullamore DEW is sourced – yet they are obviously sitting on whiskey which has been produced at the new Tullamore Distillery.

West Cork Distillers – Producers of the Glengarriff range. Some of the WCD range is sourced + they supply other brands too.

Camera Shy Cork Distillery – The only whiskey producer not mentioned is Midleton. Could this be them?

A small sample of Whiskey 21C was also offered to Whiskey Live Dublin attendees!

I found it a young, fresh & fruity blend. Approachable & easy despite it’s 54.2% strength. There was no mention if it was either a blended malt or a malt & grain mix – nor the percentages of the distilleries involved in the project. I was just extremely pleased to get a chance to taste the future of Irish Whiskey!

A big thank you to all the hard work of the team behind Whiskey Live Dublin AND Whiskey 21C.

A toast to the future of Irish Whiskey c/othewhiskeynut

May your glass be ever full!

Sláinte

 

 

Powers 15 Year Old, Garavan’s Single Cask, Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey, 46%

Garavan’s in Galway is the very epitome of what an Irish Whiskey Bar should be.

Leaving the bustling world outside, it is a haven of calm in a warm friendly bar adorned with a bewildering array of whiskey on wooden shelves behind the bar as well as in glass cabinets around the cozy snug areas.

It entices you in to sit down and slow down.

To take time and browse the extensive whiskey menu looking for a sample of that rare bottling, or perhaps ordering up one of Garavan’s tasting platters to explore the rich depth and variety of whiskey flavours on offer.

Garavan’s even have their own whiskey – Garavan’s Grocers Choice 10 Year Old Single Malt – and a fine whiskey it is too!

Garavan’s Single Malt c/othewhiskeynut

Yet Garavan’s have raised the bar even higher.

In a nod to times past when it was common practice for bars to bottle their own whiskey bought in barrel from the distillery – Garavan’s took themselves down to Midleton Distillery in County Cork and chose a single cask of Powers Single Pot Still Whiskey to be bottled for them as an exclusive Garavan’s Single Cask Release.

A tasty drop of Powers c/othewhiskeynut

A small gathering of whiskey fans assembled to be part of the unveiling of the Powers 15 Year Old Garavan’s Single Cask Release presented by Ger Garland, Irish Distillers Whiskey Brand Ambassador.

As a way of introduction – we were served a glass of Powers Gold Label.

It’s a blend of spicy single pot still and sweet grain whiskey.

It typifies the more characterful spirit forward, honey sweet yet peppery spiced notes which are usually associated with the Powers range of whiskeys.

It’s a style I enjoy.

The Garavan’s Single Cask Release builds on these elements.

Presented at a higher 46% ABV and being a single pot still there is no grain input. A gentle vanilla & softly burnt toast nose from the exclusively ex-bourbon cask maturation provided the sweet part.

The dry peppery spice came through more clearly & distinctively on the palate with warming notes from the charred cask which slowly faded away leaving a gorgeously dry mouthfeel.

It’s a sensation I enjoy in a whiskey – and one this Powers delivers.

Single cask offerings can vary a great deal.

I’ve tried a few of the Powers Single Cask releases and it always amazes me the differences considering they are all essentially the same distillate. The individual casks used for maturation can produce such a wide variety of results that are normally married together to produce a consistent flavour profile. It’s a treat therefore to sample from one individual cask.

The Garavan’s 15 Year Old Single Cask Release certainly highlights for me the signature sweet & spice Powers mix I find so attractive.

Congratulations to both Garavan’s Bar & Powers Whiskey for coming together to release this bottle.

It’s presented in a very attractive wrap around laser etched box with a representation of the bar itself on the front.

Get it while you can.

Sláinte