Staying in America are a series of exceptional speciality bottlings of fine quality with plenty additional information from High N Wicked.
I’ve chosen their No 4 release – Aeneas Coffey – as it celebrates this Irishman’s invention of the continuous still which kick-started the growth of whiskey in today’s world.
Suitably it’s a single grain Irish Whiskey distilled in Cork, finished in madeira casks & presented non chill filtered, natural colour – as all High N Wicked offerings are – at 50% ABV in a cool looking bottle.
These are one-off style of whiskeys not normally available & I’d certainly be tempted to try them!
I always celebrate new Irish Whiskey brands around the world.
They bring diversity, new ideas, youthful enthusiasm & ultimately – new customers.
One brand that caught my eye lately is Neit Whiskey.
Launching in Italy Neit exude an air of youthful confidence, sophistication, chic fashion & stylishness – not something you encounter at a regular whiskey show!
The packaging presents like a large perfume bottle. The videos on the webpage are like catwalk shows.
Their first liquid to be released is music to my ears – a Single Grain Whiskey offered non-chill filtered & natural colour – as all their releases will be – matured in Bourbon Casks & finished in Moscatel Casks with a 12 Year Age Statement & 46% ABV.
Has all the makings of a sumptuous whiskey!
I wish all at Neit Whiskey great success & look forward to tasting their product at some stage.
I was brought back a bottle of Kavanagh Single Malt Irish Whiskey when herself visited the brother in Baltimore.
Kavanagh appears to be a Total Wine own brand & has an extensive range.
There’s the Blend,
A Single Grain,
The aforementioned Single Malt,
A Cream Liqueur,
And if you really want to push the boat out – a Pumpkin Spice Cream Liqueur.
There’s also been some age statement bottlings as well as different barrel finishes too – pretty extensive!
The source distillery/distilleries are not mentioned & different offerings could have originated from varying places. For the price point however – this isn’t a big issue.
In my travels around the Irish Whiskey World I did meet a distiller who was involved with producing Kavanagh Irish Whiskey. With such a large portfolio – it clearly employs quite a few staff.
I’ve not managed to sample the entire selection – but based on my findings with the single malt – I’d be very happy to explore further.
Visiting the bar at Hodson Bay Hotel recently unveiled a pleasant surprise.
A trio of Lough Ree The Bridge Series Irish Whiskey graced the display.
Enquiring as to what they were revealed a Dead Centre Beer Cask collaboration, a single grain Killinure & a single malt Rindoon.
Always on the lookout for a single grain – a sadly under-appreciated style – Killinure made my glass.
Killinure – a peninsula on Lough Ree visible from Hodson Bay Hotel itself – Whiskey exhibited a rich, sweet aroma. Not honeyed, more reminiscent of sweet corn – the raw ingredient used in it’s distillation.
A light mouthfeel yet full of juicy flavour. Grains, ripe sweet grapes & gentle vanilla.
There was a playful tingling on the finish – no doubt aided by the 46% presentation – which left with a slowly drying sensation.
Killinure is another excellent release from The Bridge Series – a selection of single cask bottlings presented non-chill filtered at natural colour.
It makes a difference.
The flavours are brighter, cleaner & some might even say – sharper. With Killinure you can appreciate the Cooley distilled single grain boosted by a 2 year & 10 month finish in Grand Cru Bordeaux Casks.
Quality Irish Whiskey – all the better enjoyed looking across the waters of Lough Ree itself to Killinure Point from the comfortable Hodson Bay Hotel.
I went full Whisky Tourist mode when in Edinburgh by immersing myself in the Johnnie Walker Experience on Princes Street.
Housed in the very impressive former House Of Fraser department store building, Diageo have spent enormous sums of money to establish a jeweled crown for Scotland’s biggest selling whisky – Johnnie Walker.
Interestingly the site is at a remove from the actual source of the whisky – distilleries – which tend to be out-of-town & attract a smaller, more dedicated clientele. Perhaps the huge numbers visiting Diageo’s own Guinness Storehouse & Pernod-Ricard’s Jameson Experience – both Dublin city centre locations which don’t involve visits to the site-of-production – were deciding factors for this shrine to blended whisky.
The ground floor is a bright, airy state-of-the-art retail space for all things Johnnie Walker.
The whisky, the clothing, the constituent single malt & single grain Diageo offerings & of course, the Striding Man himself.
I had a bit of time to browse before my tour – surprisingly I was the only participant on the early afternoon slot, clearly a sunny Tuesday in January isn’t peak tourist time – before being whisked up to the magnificent Bothy Bar on the top floor for the tastings.
The Bothy Bar is an impressive space filled with wood, light, whisky & gloriously colourful artwork gracing the walls.
Scott Naismith is the artist. His video on the works – depicting the landscape around Diageo’s Scottish Distilleries – far more encapsulates the whole package Johnnie Walker is trying to achieve with this building.
But I was here for the whisky.
Laid out for my pleasure were 3 single malts, 1 single grain & Johnnie Walker Black to showcase the hugely successful brand.
Clynelish 14 kicked proceedings off.
This single malt represents the Highland influence for the blend. I hadn’t encountered it previously & I must say pleasingly found it a very flavourful & satisfying dram. There’s a slight peaty influence in it’s make up – couldn’t detect it myself – which probably charmed my palate to the whisky’s appeal.
Cardhu 12 showcased Speyside.
Now I must admit Speyside is not my thing. Previous tastings of Cardhu didn’t win me over – but I’m willing to give it another go.
Oh dear! The overly honeyed, overly caramelised smooth, safe & easy inoffensive drinking experience just lacked any excitement for me.
Still not my thing.
Caol Ila 12 brought a bit of welcome Islay – with it’s smoky peat – to the mix. Now I’m back on safer territory!
I’d heard Caol Ila described as a soft peater – yet the gorgeous smoky flavours within this offering pleased me no end – or was it just a reaction to the dullness of Cardhu?
Cameronbridge represented the single grain element. Sadly a much under appreciated aspect of the whisky spectrum. The distillery didn’t even seem to appear on the Scottish display map in the Johnnie Walker reception area downstairs! Yet to put it simply – without the invention of the Coffey Still back in the 1830’s & it’s early adoption at Cameronbridge soon after, there would be no Johnnie Walker nor the dominance of blended Scotch worldwide. So I was ever so glad to have it represented on the tasting panel.
Having said that, official releases are so thin on the ground it was neither the 26 Year Old empty carton on display nor the 2004 bottle itemised on the menu. An 18 Year Old Cameronbridge presented at a cask strength of 52.3% did the honours – and what a delight it was!
The sweet grain had soaked up old leather, warming caramel & soft tannins from it’s years in wood. Nothing silent about this whisky!
The tasting was neatly rounded up with the standard Johnnie Walker Black 12 Year Old Blend which may have – or not – included some of the afore-tasted whiskies in it’s make up of roughly 40 different parcels of whisky used in it’s construction.
I found it sweetly honeyed yet pleasingly peated giving a relatively smooth & easy drinking experience. The true essence of Johnnie Walker.
The Johnnie Walker Experience is a very worthwhile tour to do. The grandness of the building, professionalism & warm welcome of the staff – as well as being able to enjoy the fabulous whisky that makes Johnnie Walker the brand it is today was a delight. My tour continued into the equally fabulous 1820 roof-top Cocktail Bar for further adventures – more of that in a later blog.
Even if you don’t do the tour – enjoying a few drinks in this stunning venue is highly recommended.
It’s not very often you get the opportunity to enjoy a couple of whiskeys in the bar of a 12th Century Castle in County Kildare – so when you do, you make them a memorable duo!
I was fortunate enough to be overnighting in Kilkea Castle Lodges so a few drinks in Kilkea Castle’s Keep Bar itself before dinner was in order.
The Keep Bar has an extensive array of spirits – mainly concentrating on high end Irish Whiskey. No doubt catering for the mainly 70% American clientele that pass this way.
Not quite being in the market for a 33 Year Old Bushmills Malt at around €125 a glass – a more realistic pour of Teeling 15 Year Old Single Grain was ordered.
Teeling 15 Year Old Single Grain, 50%
The bottle attracted my eye. The Phoenix embossed top allowed the relatively light brown liquid to shine while the bottom label denoted the contents.
Single Grain Whiskey is often overlooked – which is a great pity – as this 15yo Teeling certainly shone on my palate!
A very expressive nose replete with vanillas & caramel associated with bourbon cask maturation were augmented by a rich sweetness from a finish in sauvignon blanc casks.
The palate started of smoothly – before growing in warmth & depth with a luxuriant mouthfeel.
The 50% ABV made it’s appearance on the rear with an appreciative bite before leaving lingering flavours dancing slowly away.
A lovely tipple indeed!
Basil Hayden Toast, 40%
In a nod to the American visitors a glass of the highly colourfully labelled Basil Hayden Toast followed.
This is a rather unusual bottle in that brown rice has been used in the mixed mashbill for this whiskey.
A warm inviting nose of rich dark caramels greeted me.
The palate was quite mild – a trait I’ve experienced with other rice based spirits – before gently warming up.
The finish provided a flourish of spice. I initially had this down as a rye influence but as that grain had been substituted with brown rice, perhaps it came from the virgin oak cask required for bourbon maturation. Whatever the cause – it perked up this ever so easy drinking whiskey for me.
There was a gradual slow fade away of flavour to savour on the finish.
Very unusual, very entertaining & very nice.
Thoughts
There were more spirits for me to explore in The Keep Bar – but dinner called.
If you ever get the opportunity to visit – jump at it!
You won’t be disappointed by the eclectic array of whiskey, gin, rum & tequila on offer. Not forgetting a log fuelled warming open fire, fancy dining, extensive grounds & a golf course to explore on the castle estate too!
I was certainly very happy with the contrasting styles shown by Teeling 15yo Single Grain & Basil Hayden Toast!
I found Lost Irish in the Rag Trader bar in Dublin.
I’d popped in for some liquid refreshment, a light lunch & the possibility of finding something I’d not had before.
Lost Irish suited the bill.
Stylistically it’s an attractive bottle.
The green glass is embossed with Lost Irish in white & set off with red labelling at the base.
Blend is a bit of an understatement as to what’s in this whiskey.
6 different casks from 6 continents have been used to mature this complex whiskey – along with 3 styles of Irish Whiskey, single grain, single malt & single pot still.
There are further details courtesy Lost Irish website here if you’re interested.
I found the nose quite mild with a hint of spiciness creeping through.
A soft yet warming palate further developed the engaging spiciness with a touch of depth.
There was a flourish of spice & complexity on the finish.
I was very generously gifted a tasting box of Great Northern Distillery 3 year old whiskeys. It contains all 4 styles of Irish Whiskey, Single Grain, Single Malt, Single Pot Still & Blended Whiskey.
The original line up
Within these styles are various barrel finishes, double & triple distilled as well as different blends.
It showcases the variety of whiskey produced at the County Louth facility that is Great Northern Distillery & is possibly shown to 3rd parties when looking to develop their own signature brand. It’s a fabulous insight into the workings of this prolific distillery.
It took me a while to decide how to approach this selection. In the end there was only 1 choice – blind tasting.
Shuffled & hidden
Would I be able to pick out the different styles, flavours & finishes?
Would I be able to pick out my assumed favourites – smokey or peated?
Blind tasting strips you of any pre-conceived notions, bias or prejudice as regards which style should taste the best & lets your palate choose for itself.
Numbered
With this in mind I spent an evening randomly wrapping the bottles in tinfoil to hide the labels. They were then shuffled up further before applying a numbered sticker on each for identification later.
The next evening would be my judging session.
There are many methods of scoring whiskey. I chose a system out of 100 – 25 each for Nose, Palate, Finish & Overall appeal – which I’ve used over a number of years. The actual score isn’t the be-all-and-end-all, it’s more how each whiskey compares to the others that’s the attraction.
Naming the whiskey also isn’t the goal – it would be a wonderful bonus though – it’s more picking out the whiskeys that please me the most & exploring the differing flavours within the samples.
Let the judging begin!
A few simple rules follow – 1 Túath glass is used (pre-rinsed with water before each sample) and all the scores are done in 1 session. The samples are presented at 43% & 3 year old – apart from a lone 4 year old. I didn’t find out if there is chill filtering or added caramel. I gave the session a rough time of an hour – sip, savour, score & move on.
So what did I find?
Rather than go through each one I’ll show a few that interested me.
No 7) Pale straw
N Strong ashy peater 21
P Easy, mild smoke 20
F The peat eases off on the finish 20
O Love this one! 21 Total 82
No 10) Darker brown
N Very sweet, fruity, rummy wine gums! 18
P Easy, warming 17
F The initial nose isn’t followed up on the palate 18
O Sweet fruity bomb! 17 Total 60
My rough scoring sheet
I had a thoroughly good time tasting the wide variety of styles & flavours contained within the samples from this one distillery. I loved the peaters, wasn’t too keen on the sweeter offerings & a few in the middle were easy drinkers with a lovely flourish of tastes.
There was a clear winner & loser – the 2 mentioned above – & I attempted to name some of them – but didn’t get too far! Well I was a bit half-cut – but really it’d be pure guess work. No 1 I had as the smoker, 7 the peater & 10 the Banyuls cask. Outside of that I couldn’t discern between the single pot still or grain while the rye got lost in the virgin oak & spice. It would require a lot more time & thought I was capable of expending on the evening to guess the rest.
In order of preference
So my 3rd night with the selection was the reveal – in order of appreciation!
Blind tasting throws up a lot of surprises – and there’s certainly a few in this reveal!
I may have got the Peater but the Stout Finish surprised. Despite picking up tingling spice the Rye scored low & the Potstill failed to shine. Overall I enjoyed the whiskeys. They are solid drams that can be blended, mixed & further matured into stunning drinks for all types of palates to enjoy.
GND Dundalk
For me it’s the exploration of divergent flavours that excites & this selection definitely impressed. I look forward to future releases emanating from this distillery.
It may have taken nearly 200 years to get there – but the former Ahascragh Mills are now a fully operational whiskey & gin distillery!
In the 1830’s Ahascragh Mills were up for sale as suitable for brewing & distilling with its close proximity to a power source – Ahascragh River – as well as locally grown grain & a transport route to export the whiskey via the Grand Canal.
Ist July 2023 was the Opening Day for Ahascragh Distillery that will still utilise both the refurbished water wheel for electricity as well as sourcing local grain. Transport will probably use close links to the M6 Motorway.
A large group of friends, family, investors, team members & fellow travellers in getting this project over the line gathered to celebrate the opening of this impressive facility.
Founders Michelle & Gareth McAllister
Built to high standards blending both the original stone of the centuries old mill buildings combined with high-tech gizmos that will harness solar, wind, water & geo-thermal power to give Ireland it’s first fully eco-powered distillery.
The distillery already employs a growing workforce comprised of 70% female staff 75% of whom are from the local community.
Part of the Ahascragh Team including Distillery Manager & Old Cafe Manager
Along with being shown round the impressive 3 copper pot stills – plus a gin still – the assembled clan were also able to sample some of the Award Winning Gin & Whiskey Ahascragh are already releasing.
It will be a few years yet before Ahascragh Distillery can release it’s own whiskey – but their gin is already being distilled on a nearby site in advance of using the larger on-site still.
The distillery will be laying down both single malt & single pot still new make for those future whiskeys.
On the day I revisited my acquaintance with the gently smoked 11 year Old Clan Colla Blend along with the wholesome triple blended UAIS comprised of single pot still, single malt & single grain elements.
The entire range of Ahascragh spirits can be purchased across the road in The Old Mill Shop & Cafe – along with other accessories, teas, coffees & tasty foods in a bright & airy environment.
Ahascragh Distillery taking shape 2021
It’s been a fabulous journey watching this distillery come to fruition in the last few years & a joy to participate in the Opening Day celebrations with fellow clan members.
WestmeathWhiskeyWorld 