Tag Archives: midleton

9 Great Irish Whiskeys, Part Two

Last week we presented 6 Irish Whiskeys that we think hold their own against the world’s best spirits. Today we share 3 additional very special bottles that are worth their weight in gold. (A good ole’ Irish pot-of-gold, that is.)

middleton_rare
Midleton Very Rare
Created in 1984 and released annually since, this special bottling of hand selected Midleton whiskey has aromas of cane sugar, vanilla, milk chocolate and ripe green apples. It’s very soft and mellow, with a “confectionary” sweetness. The charred oak and barley lend a wonderful complexity on the finish.


Midleton Barry Crockett Legacy
Named for Midleton’s Master Distiller, this bottle expresses his taste and is comprised of his personal selection of Single Pot Still whiskeys aged in bourbon barrels. It’s quite delicate, with notes of lime, pear, and sweet green pepper, and has flavors of vanilla, pepper, and citrus. It finishes with an oaky, mandarin orange sweetness.

greendotGreenspot
Only small quantities of this very special spirit are produced each year. It’s comprised of Pot Still Whiskeys aged between 7-10 years & matured in bourbon and sherry casks. It has aromas of spiced apples and pears and toasted wood; it’s full-flavored with spice, citrus, green apples and oak. It’s harder to find than a leprechaun, so be sure to grab it while you can!

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day!

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Irish Whiskey 101

Irish Whiskey is surging in popularity across the globe and no wonder, says us: we believe that a well-made Irish Whiskey is delicious, and stands on it’s own against the best Bourbons & Single Malts the world has to offer.
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Irish Whiskey has been around forever. It’s a widely held belief (among all except the Scots), that it was the Irish who were most likely to have started distilling whiskey, as the Bushmill’s Distillery in Northern Ireland is the oldest licensed distillery in the world, dating back to 1608.

And since then, up until only the past few years, all of the Irish Whiskey available, no matter the brand name, came from one of only three distilleries on the island: Bushmill’s, Midleton, & Cooley. Today, to the joy of Irish Whiskey lovers everywhere, that number has expanded to 12, with nine new distilleries that have been built, or will soon be completed: Echlinville, Kilbeggan, Teeling, Glendalough, Tullamore, Alltech, Blackwater, Dingle, & West Cork.

Many today find it hard to believe that Irish Whiskey was once the hottest style of whiskey in the world, with a popularity that dwarfed other styles. In the early 20th century it began its decline, in two main waves:

1) The Easter Rising & the Irish War for Independence. As punishment, England levied trade embargoes on the Irish, which kept their whiskey from entering England, and therefore much of the rest of Europe.

2) Prohibition. (Oops.)

At the start of this century, a resurgence in interest for Irish whiskey came about, presumably as a result of several factors including its price (Irish is usually cheaper that it’s Scottish counterparts), a resurgence in the popularity of Bourbon (which shares many similar flavor profiles), a market of curious consumers eager to try something “new,” and the wider availability of quality-made whiskeys from Ireland.

Here are our favorites:
–Power’s Gold Label
–Power’s John’s Lane (limited importation – get it when & if you can)
–Green Spot (if you can find it – extremely limited importation)
–Glendalough Triple Barrel
–Knappogue Castle 12 Year Single Malt
–Redbreast 15 Year

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day, and Slainte!