Rather than trying to convince you that you want to continue reading this post, I’ll let The Dubliners do it for me.
Q. Why did God create whiskey?
A. To keep the Irish from taking over the world.
For many people, Irish Whiskey harkens to a stumbling incoherent Shane McGowan. And there’s no doubt, things like the tradition of Irish Poitín (the Irish equivalent of moonshine; a grain/potato distillate that is generally made in a personal pot-still, and will clock-in somewhere in the 60-90% abv range and can actually lead to blindness — methanol anyone?) certainly gives weight to the stereotype of the whiskey-drunk Irishman. But Ireland (as an island, counting both the Republic and the North) makes some wonderful whiskeys, perfect for sipping (and not going blind).
So how are Irish whiskeys different from, say, Scotch? Well, for one thing, the “rules” that govern them are much more concise. Irish whiskey is generally distilled three times, which removes a lot of the rough edges that would characterize, say, bourbon, while Scotch is generally distilled twice. Also, in the case of Scotch, the grains used in the mash are generally kilned over a peat fire (how peaty is a defining feature of any Scotch); most (though not all) Irish Whiskeys do not make use of peat smoke. So they all generally have clean grain-forward profiles with bright, sometimes fruity notes. Scotches tend to be earthy, smokey, and sometimes tasting of the sea (in the case of the coastal varieties).
So, I’ve piqued your interest, and you fancy a nip of Irish Whiskey? Well, you could hardly do better than taking in a glass or three, at Ceili Cottage, the bastion of Irishness in Leslieville. Owned by Paddy McMurray, Ceili is a noted Oyster destination, known for excellent pub fare and craft beer. The pub feels like it was yanked out of a peat bog somewhere in rural Ireland and dropped on Queen St East. With regular Irish music sessions, events with Irish dancers, easily the best St Paddy’s week of events, and the Yurt on the patio this winter, Ceili is an awesome community/local bar, but totally worth traveling to visit. And this is exactly what I did last night. Hopped on the 501 car westbound, and headed to Leslieville.
Check out http://www.ceilicottage.com/ and follow them on Twitter @TheCeiliCottage
Green Spot Whiskey — Mitchell and Son
My first whiskey of whiskey week, Green Spot is actually produced by Irish Distillers in Cork, for the Dublin wine merchant, Mitchell and Son. According to Wikipedia, they only make 500 cases per year (about 1200 bottles), but a quick search of LCBO.ca shows we still have a few dozen bottles available for sale in Ontario. But will you part with $85 for a bottle? You should….
Green Spot Irish Whiskey
The whiskey is amber, touching on brown in the centre. On the nose it presents vanilla, cane sugar, lemon, and flowers. Already this is fun, because (obviously) it’s so different from beer reviewing. On the palate, there’s fresh oak, more cane sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla. The finish is still woody with vanilla and toast. It’s velvety on the tongue, nearly buttery, with a good bit of boozy heat. A great Irish whiskey.
Bushmills 16 Year Old
Bushmills is located on the Antrim coast in Northern Ireland, one of my very favourite places in the world. Where crumbling castles are slowly falling into the sea, sheep graze on cliffs that tower over waves crashing into the rocky shore below, and pubs look like houses and have open peat fires in the fireplace.
I love this part of the country so much, I actually wrote a poem about it.
Bushmills 16 year old is a single-malt Irish whiskey, that is aged in bourbon and sherry casks, but finished in port barrels, which lends so tawny colour to the appearance of this deep amber/orange whiskey. The aroma is gently oaky, with cinnamon, jammy fruits and cake icing. The taste is bright and a little fruity. The orange taste is more juicy than peel-like, though there is also a touch of stewed tree fruits that I assume comes from the port barrel. There’s still a sugar touch that I think was the icing I got on the nose. Oak is still present, but is very light-handed. Finish shows a bit of spices and grass, with that gentle oak lingering. It’s very clean, with complex layers, but which remains approachable. #SUFTUM!
It would seem the 16 year old is not available through the LCBO at the moment.
Connemara Peated
Here is an exception to some of those Irish vs Scottish “rules”. Connemara is an Irish whiskey that both uses peat, and also is only distilled twice. Further, they then blend both older and younger barrels (all American bourbon barrels) together to make their distinctive whiskey.
Connemara Peated Irish Whiskey
Golden whiskey, the nose is big a peaty, with spices that remind me of mole, and a hit of tropical fruits, sort of pineapple-esque. It’s actually less peat-forward on the palate, with a solid oak character, leather, a bit of licorice, hay and a hit of those tropical fruits on the finish. It is medium heavy with a honey-like sweetness, and a warming heat that isn’t quite hot. Very nice, and an excellent exception!
The LCBO doesn’t seem to have the straight peated (what I drank), but they do have the peated 12 year old here
Okay, I know, this is sort of unfair to Wales, but it’s happening (and it’s fine, I was born Chris Meredith; a hugely Welsh last name). I’m tagging on a Welsh whiskey that I also enjoyed at Ceili. There is apparently only one distillery in Wales, and they have actually had a few expressions (what distillers call “brands”) through the LCBO.
Penderyn Single Malt Madeira
Aged in bourbon barrels, this Welsh whiskey is finished in Madeira wine barrels, and bottled at 46% abv. It is yellow, with just a slightly tawny centre. The aroma is caramel, astringent markers/gasoline, durian fruit, oak and mint. I’ve never felt like such a snob tasting anything, but honestly, this was like a stream of consciousness tasting. Strange, yet very intriguing. On the palate, it’s quite sweet immediately, caramelly, but then the heat comes in from the higher abv. There is clearly oak, and a flavour I can only attribute to it being my third dram of the night, and having been reading The Malt Imposters to get ready for this week: un-licked envelope folds. Seriously, sort of papery and astringent. There’s also mint, dried kelp, damp fallen leaves, and (strangely) soy sauce. The finish is sweet, and hot from the booze. With a splash of water, some of those last flavours mentioned opened up into a barn-yard-y kind of funk, that was quite engaging.
Okay, I know, this review probably sounds kind of bad. But in a weird way, it was actually quite pleasing. It’s complicated, and I wouldn’t be surprised if I got more out of it if I drank it again. It’s probably not a whiskey for everyone, but it’s a bottle I’m seriously considering buying. Very interesting, and I did enjoy it. That being said, if I’d bought it based on the tasting notes on the website, which touts toffee cream, raisins and vanilla, I would be somewhat confused.
LCBO #255265 it’s on sale for $54.95 right now!
My thanks to the crew at Ceili for their hospitality, and their excellent selection of whiskey. In addition to Irish and Welsh, they have a great line up including Scotch, Bourbon and whiskeys from far flung places like Japan, India and Scandinavia. Do check them out if you’ve never been, totally one of my favourite bars in the city. This Friday they’re hosting their epic Burns Day supper, it could be a great chance to head over for your first time.
