Tag Archives: USA

Red Locks Irish Whiskey, 40%, Blend

The recent World Whiskies Awards 2023 brought a gamut of worthy winners allowing them to boost their profiles & increase sales.

I enjoy perusing the winners – seeing what I’ve already enjoyed – what I could possibly obtain – or simply drool at the unavailable.

One winning bottle that struck me as being eminently affordable – in America – yet unavailable in the country where it was produced – Ireland – caught my eye.

Welcome to Red Locks Irish Whiskey.

Winning the Irish category for Blended Whiskey is no mean feat.

Congratulations to both Kieran Folliard – the entrepreneur behind the brand – and Noel Sweeney – the master blender who created the whiskey.

Kieran – who runs a chain of Irish bars & restaurants in Minnesota – previously launched 2 Gingers Irish Whiskey in the US.

2 Gingers achieved being the only whiskey to survive the shutting down of supply to 3rd parties when Beam took over control at Kilbeggan/Cooley Distilleries in Ireland. The very distilleries Noel Sweeney was Master Distiller at.

Perhaps being a big hit with it’s many customers influenced that decision.

Well the dynamic duo are back again with Red Locks.

Using a combination of ex- sherry, bourbon & rye barrels along with some virgin casks too, this 80/20, corn/barley, column/pot still mix clearly impressed the judges at the World Whiskies Awards.

It’s just a pity I’ll be unlikely to enjoy it in it’s home country of Ireland!

Sláinte

Images courtesy Red Locks website here,

& World Whiskies Awards 2023 page here.

Blog about Beam shutting down supply here.

2 Gingers acquired by Beam here.

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Is Black Fungus The New Threat For Whiskey?

At first glance it would appear so!

World famous Jack Daniel’s recently faced a set back due to the unsightly fungus.

As reported by BBC.com

Distilleries round the globe have also experienced court cases focused on fungus – which clearly adds delays & inevitably cost to the industry, ultimately being passed on to the consumer.

As reported in the Scotsman

So what is black fungus?

In the wonderful world of nature wherever there is a food source there will be an organism to take advantage of it.

The food source here is ethanol vapour.

Black fungus is the organism – or to give it a scientific name – Baudoinia compniacenis.

Originally identified back in the 1870’s inhabiting surfaces around Cognac Distilleries in France – It has now spread globally.

Research on it has been minimal – but will obviously ramp up in gear now financial implications are in play.

Modern papers on the fungus now show there are sub-species that feed on differing spirits. A case of whiskey fungus, cognac fungus, tequila fungus perhaps? And yet another example of the diversity of nature to exploit niche habitats.

Not only that. Species of micro moths which eat fungus have been found clustered around distilleries too!

Solutions to the problem are being sought.

The simplest is a cordon of trees around the facility to capture the black fungus before it escapes into the wider environment – & no, the trees aren’t hurt. This was proposed at the Moyvore Maturation site consultation meeting I attended back in 2017.

Maybe higher tech devices such as vapour recovery or spray suppressants are being investigated for more space restricted sites.

Whatever the outcome – it must be stated the brandy industry suffered a collapse due to a tiny organism – who remembers Phylloxera?

Image courtesy Irish Times here.

Having an interest in both whiskey and nature, it’s clear the Angel’s Share so venerated by the whiskey industry has a dirty secret!

Science paper on Black Fungus here.

My blog on Moyvore here.

Blog on differing species of black fungus here.

Phylloxera article here.

Concannon Irish Whiskey, Blend, 40%

You’d be forgiven for never hearing of Concannon Irish Whiskey before if you live in Ireland – as it’s mainly sold in the USA!

Concannon is a popular seller over the pond making it into the Top 10 of the biggest brands – appearing above Powers & Black Bush – so when an opportunity arose to purchase a miniature from the Celtic Whiskey Bar & Larder’s new sample service – Drams Delivered – my curiosity was piqued.

Interestingly this whiskey is finished in Petite Sirah casks from the Concannon Vineyard in California – which might partly explain it’s impressive sales!

The colour was reassuringly pale for a wine cask finish.

Sweet, fruity & honeyed on the nose. Gently inviting.

Quite a light palate with an attractive freshness.

Juicy sweet grain appears before a pleasing fruitiness topped off with a touch of prickliness gently fades away.

A very pleasant easy drinker with enough depth of flavour to keep it entertaining.

Nice!

Sláinte

Concannon Vineyard website here.

Irish Whiskey Sales in America 2020 here.

The Greatest Beer Run Ever, John ‘Chick’ Donohue & JT Molloy.

Hey!

Let’s deliver some beer to our buddies!

Sounds like a good plan.

There’s just the minor inconvenience of these buddies fighting a war in Vietnam – but the plan hatched in a New York bar grows legs.

The Book, The Beer, The Movie? c/othewhiskeynut

The Greatest Beer Run Ever is a mad cap adventure only the young or foolish would contemplate.

Written years after the event it’ s full of humanity – both brutal and kind – as well as reflections of a life well lived.

Sit back, pour yourself a beer & enjoy the ride!

Sláinte

I Enjoy Drinking Whiskey

Whiskey is a distilled alcoholic spirit found all over the world.

I enjoy drinking whiskey.

Whether spelled with or without the ‘e’.

Art Of The Blend #4 c/othewhiskeynut

I enjoy drinking whiskey.

Different countries have a diversity & variety of rules as to what constitutes whiskey.

Royal Stag c/othewhiskeynut

I enjoy drinking whiskey.

The exploration of flavours brought about by the use of raw ingredients – barley, oats, rye & maize – even molasses, rice & sorghum in some places.

Shenk’s Homestead c/othewhiskeynut

I enjoy drinking whiskey.

Single malt, single grain, single pot still, blended, single, double, triple distilled or more.

JJ Corry at McHugh’s c/othewhiskeynut

I enjoy drinking whiskey.

A whiskey produced in one country may not be legally sold as such in another.

Brazilian whisky in an Irish glass. c/othewhiskeynut

I enjoy drinking whiskey.

The original whiskey was unaged, poitín, aqua-vitae, moonshine, uisce beatha & white dog.

White Dog c/othewhiskeynut

I enjoy drinking whiskey.

A whiskey bought in the local Spar in Lagos – which I can afford – excites me as much as one accompanied with a Fabergé egg in Ireland – which I cannot.

Fly like an Eagle! c/othewhiskeynut

I enjoy drinking whiskey.

What kind of whiskey do you enjoy?

Sláinte

Pressing on the highlighted links will guide you to my reviews of the whiskeys.

Havana Club 7, 40%, Cuba

I couldn’t review Bacardi’s 8 without looking at Havana’s 7.

Cuban rum products aren’t readily available in America – ever since the 1959 revolution.

Bacardí assets were nationalized & they set up business abroad while Pernod Ricard latterly took a stake in Cuba & released Havana Club.

Havana 7 c/othewhiskeynut

Despite no longer producing in the country Bacardí claim Cuban heritage & there is a long running dispute between the 2 companies over labelling & trademark.

Cuban rum meanwhile has a set of rules – one of which is only rums produced there can display the ‘Republica De Garantia’ logo – as shown on Havana 7.

Guaranteed Cuban c/othewhiskey

Golden brown in the Tuath Glass exhibiting thick legs.

Sweet dark caramels, toffee & hints of woody oak on the nose.

Easy enveloping mouthfeel develops a tingling spiciness which grows towards the finish.

Gentler, sweet dark fruitiness fades away softly.

Back label c/othewhiskeynut

A characterful rum.

Havana Club 7 is readily available in Ireland.

Sláinte

Sources;

Cuban Rum Embargo – https://globalcompliancenews.com/us-government-further-tightens-cuban-sanctions-targeting-cuban-travel-hotels-cigars-and-rum-05102020/

Havana Rum Wars – https://www.thedrum.com/news/2018/01/08/the-rum-war-rages-bacardi-insists-its-havana-club-forever-cuban-despite-criticism

Cuban Rum Rules – https://www.cubaron.com/en/our-company/dop-cuba-menu-en/505-la-denominacion-de-origen-cuba-para-el-ron

My Irish Whiskey Release of 2018

There really can only be one winner.

No whiskey release has captured the imagination – mass sales – and adoration of fans on one hand.

Proper family
Proper Whiskey fans post images on twitter on securing a bottle c/otwitter

With so much derision and negativity on the other.

It has completely divided the whiskey community.

I give you Proper Twelve Irish Whiskey.

2 (1 of 1)-2
Proper Whiskey c/othewhiskeynut

I fully welcome the entry of a ‘celebrity’ into the Irish Whiskey market.

Scotland has Ewan McGregor & David Beckham, USA has Mathew McConaughey for whiskey, Lil Wayne for Rum & George Cluny for Tequila. Former World Cup Footballer Hidetoshi Nakata is involved with Sake in Japan – where the rise of it’s whisky industry is partially attributed to the film ‘Lost In Translation‘ starring Bill Murray – along with a TV drama called ‘Massan’ based on the lives of Masataka Taketsuru & his Scottish wife.

If anything – Irish Whiskey is late to this social media led personality trend – and I’d be more worried if there wasn’t an Irish celebrity wanting to get involved.

Proper 4
Proper Whiskey fans stock up c/otwitter

Right from the beginning however – even before it’s release – I posted a piece with the headline ‘We need to talk about Conor’ and got the following response;

“No we don’t”

Kind of sets the tone for what followed when Proper Twelve was launched.

 “It’s barely legal”

Well at 3 years old it is legal.

Funny though – that issue never came up when punters were outbidding each other to get hold of ‘barely legal’ Dingle or Teeling whiskey when it was first released.

Then comes the condemnation.

“Heavily adulterated with caramel”

Yes there is added caramel – it says so on the label. Caramel is a legally allowed additive both within Irish Whiskey and Scottish Whisky. The same criticism can be levelled at virtually every Jameson product, Bushmill bottle, Johnnie Walker whisky and many others as they all contain caramel. Why single out one offender?

Proper NYC
Proper Whiskey fans post images of delivery trucks in NYC c/otwitter

Then you start to get to the heart of the matter.

“See, Bono’s doing it right….he’s supporting the build of an ACTUAL distillery!”

Since when did you need a distillery to build a brand?

The Spot whiskeys started out from a grocers. So too did the best selling Johnnie Walker. Many a big brand of today began as non distillery producers – it’s a well trodden path.

And then you get plain old bias.

“I have no intention of ever trying it.”

Which is probably just as well – as blogger after blogger lined up to do a hatchet job on the liquid. The best described the whiskey as;

 “Toilet cleaner”

Really?

Now in all probability Proper Twelve was distilled at Bushmills for the malt content and Midleton for the grain. There is no law in either Irish or Scottish rules stating you must name the distillery which made the blend.

So effectively the same teams that make all Bushmills product – from the White Bush blend to the lauded 21 Year Old Single Malt – as well as the folks that make all the Jameson, Powers, Paddy’s & Midleton products have somehow dropped their standards to allow ‘toilet cleaner’ to be made in their stills, stored in their barrels and blended in their tanks?

I don’t think so.

Proper worker
Proper Whiskey CEO checking stocks c/oinstagram

What I found on tasting was a very easy going, approachable blend with a slight charred cask influence and a hint of spice.

It sits very well among the other Irish whiskey blends out there.

But then what is getting people irate – from what I can see – is not really the whiskey – it’s the man behind it – Conor McGregor.

The idea that a somewhat colourful & controversial kid from Crumlin can just swan in with his millions and release a whiskey that has the whole world talking – buying – and drinking – is obviously too much to bear .

It upsets the cosy consensus that assumed ‘premiumisation’ was the way to go – or that ‘transparency’ is key.

For a whiskey that sold out 6 months worth of stock within a matter of weeks – I think it just proved there was a vast untapped market out there waiting to be filled. It’s a marketing master stroke and something of a social media phenomenon.

But of course – when all else fails – slag off the customer.

“There are just enough rednecks and hooligans out there that will actually make this crap a success.”

I find it ironic that those who criticize Mr McGregor the loudest seem to descend to his level of pre-fight ritual lambasting.

Which is a pity.

As Mr McGregor and his Proper Twelve brand have just pulled off a massive publicity stunt that is getting Irish Whiskey instant worldwide recognition and potential sales far beyond anything that has gone before.

2 (1 of 1) (2)
Success to Proper No Twelve! c/othewhiskeynut

It is without doubt my Irish Whiskey of the year 2018.

Sláinte

Good Logo

All quotes in italics are from social media posts by various whiskey fans. They are by no means the only ones. I have chosen the milder variety.