March 12th, 2010

What is Irish whiskey, really?

John Hansell

Other than the fact that it is distilled in Ireland and aged for a minimum of three years in oak barrels, what is Irish whiskey?

Most of the time when you read in general media how Irish whiskey is defined, they will say that Irish whiskey is different from Scotch whisky in that it’s not smoky like Scotch whisky. And, they’ll say that Irish whiskey is distilled three times, while Scotch whisky is only distilled twice. (Many times they will continue this train of thought with the comment that, because Irish whiskey is distilled three times, it’s smoother than Scotch whisky.)

If I had a dollar for every time I read these generalizations, I could afford to buy a couple bottles of Redbreast 12 year old.

But, as most of you know, these generalizations are not completely accurate. Most Scotch whisky is not smoky, and there are triple distilled whiskies in Scotland (e.g., Auchentoshan).

In Ireland, whiskeys distilled at Cooley are only distilled twice, and they make smoky whiskeys there too (Connemara). In fact, I have heard of the Cooley distillery referred to as “a Scotch distillery that just happens to be located in Ireland.”

Plus, I have enjoyed smooth Scotch whiskies, and tasted some harsh Irish whiskeys over the years. So, the whole “Irish whiskey is smoother than Scotch whisky because it’s distilled three times” statement isn’t exactly accurate either.

Some enthusiasts more “in the know” will point out that what differentiates Irish whiskey from Scotch whisky is that Irish whiskey is made (at least in part) with “pot still” whiskey (i.e. from a mash containing both malted AND unmalted barley), rather than Scotch whisky which uses a 100% malted barley mash bill in its pot stills. Some Irish whiskeys (e.g., Redbreast, Green Spot) are 100% pure pot still whiskeys.

It’s true, if you look at the Irish whiskeys made at the Midleton distillery in County Cork (Jameson, Powers, Paddy, Tullamore Dew, Redbreast, Green Spot, etc.), there is a pot still component in these whiskeys. But, you won’t find “pot still” whiskey in Bushmills or the whiskeys produced at Cooley.

So, what is Irish whiskey, really?

Category: Irish whiskey, Opinions 46 Comments

February 11th, 2010

Malt Advocate Magazine’s “Top Ten New Whiskies” for 2009

John Hansell

Top Ten New Whiskies of the Year (listed alphabetically)

You will not be happy with the prices of some of these whiskies, but here’s our ten best new whiskies released in 2009 (keeping in mind that whiskies must have been for sale in the U.S. in the 2009 calendar year to be eligible).

The selection process for this list is based primarily on the whisky’s rating. All ten whiskies rated 95 or higher in Malt Advocate  magazine.

Ardbeg Corryvreckan, 57.1%, $85
Powerful, muscular, well-textured, and invigorating. Even within the realm of Ardbeg, this one stands out. There are many relatively young whiskies with no age statement on the market. This is a benchmark. Quite stunning!

Brora 30 year old (2009 Release), 53.2%, $400
This whisky shows all the good aspects of a very mature whisky (depth, complexity) without all the bad ones (excessive oak, one-dimensional). It’s very clean and polished. One of the best releases from this shuttered distillery.

Dalmore 50 year old, $1,500/100ml
Incredibly viscous and chewy, and thick on the tongue. Very complex too, with that classic Dalmore marmalade note as its foundation. The flavors evolve like waves lapping on a beach. It is a whisky you can’t drink slowly enough.

Gold Bowmore, 1964 Vintage, 42.4% $6,250
Surprisingly lively for its age. I like this whisky better than White Bowmore but feels that it falls short of Black Bowmore, because it’s a bit softer and less vibrant on the palate. (But, for most of you with limited means, I can understand if you don’t really care.)

Jameson Rarest Vintage Reserve, 46% (2009 vintage), $250
I love the pot still character and the lushness that some of the port-wood aging has imparted. If anything,  this 2009 vintage is even richer and lusher than the previous 2007 vintage I reviewed. Another classic Jameson Rarest Vintage Reserve.

Laphroaig 25 year old, 51.2%, $500
I love the way the flavors of this whisky evolve on the palate. I also like that it retains some of its youthful brashness, while showing the depth that maturity affords a whisky. A delicious, well-balanced, old-fashioned Laphroaig.

Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve (Bottle B1986), 23 year old, 47.8%, $220
My review of this whiskey a few years back indicated this whiskey was too woody and past it’s prime to be a stellar whiskey. This one is much better. (Yes, whiskey bottlings do change over time.) There’s great balance and the oak is in check.

Parkers Heritage Selection Golden Anniversary, 50%, $150
This is a fabulous whiskey: seamless, incredibly complex, with an impeccable marriage of youth and maturity. It’s also very even-keeled throughout. A classic bourbon that’s very complex and yet very drinkable.

Rittenhouse Rye 25 year old (Barrel #1), 50%, $190
Not as vibrant as the 21 year old Rittenhouse Rye released a few years back, but it’s more sophisticated, which more than makes up for it. I can’t speak for the other barrels in this lot, but I think this one is a great example of what a 20-plus year old rye whisky should taste like.

William Larue Weller (2009 release), 67.4%, $65
This whiskey has improved greatly over the past two years. (I thought that the 2007 release was almost too easy-going, as some wheated bourbon can be.) A little more oak spice has added balance, complexity and depth. Very clean on the palate too. Excellent!

Category: Awards, Bourbon, Irish whiskey, Malt Advocate Mag, New Releases, Reviews, Rye whiskey, Scotch whisky Tags: , , , , , , , , , 44 Comments

February 10th, 2010

Malt Advocate Whisky Awards “Distillery of the Year”: Cooley

John Hansell

There was a time when there were only two distilleries in Ireland; they were, for a while, owned by the same company. Then this small distillery opens up, staunchly independent, and starts doing things unheard of in Ireland. Instead of making traditional Irish whiskey (triple-distilled, non-smoky, and with a pot still whiskey component), they started making very scotch-like whiskey (double distilled, single malt, and sometimes very smoky).

Let’s face it. That took a lot of guts.

Nearly twenty years later, they’re still making Irish whiskey, and they’re still doing it their way. You can purchase delicious grain whiskey (Greenore), smoky single malt whiskey (Connemara), non-smoky whiskey (Tyrconnell), and blended whiskey (Kilbeggan). In fact, you can now also purchase unaged spirit from their newly resurrected sister distillery, Kilbeggan. (Not to be confused with the blend of the same name.)

All this is great. But the most compelling justification for selecting Cooley for this award isn’t just the variety of the whiskeys they make. It’s the quality. They are now putting out the best whiskey they have ever produced. The three different Tyrconnell 10 year old “finished” whiskeys (finished in port, madeira, and sherry casks), are excellent examples. Some of the Connemara releases have rivaled those from the West Coast of Scotland.

In an era where hundreds of small distilleries are starting up across the globe, Cooley can be an inspiration to them all.

Tomorrow’s Malt Advocate Whisky Awards announcements: “Lifetime Achievement Awards”  and “Top Ten New Whiskies for 2009.”

Category: Awards, Irish whiskey, Malt Advocate Mag Tags: 26 Comments

February 5th, 2010

Malt Advocate Whisky Awards “Irish Whiskey of the Year”: Jameson Rarest Vintage Reserve (2009 release)

John Hansell

Irish Whiskey of the Year

Jameson Rarest Vintage Reserve (2009 release), 46%, $250

The Midleton Distillery, where Jameson is made, has proven that it can make wonderful whiskeys of great diversity. Jameson Gold, Jameson 18 year old, Redbreast 12 year old, and Power’s 12 year old are just a few of them.

Late in 2007, the distillery introduced Jameson Rarest Vintage Reserve (which didn’t get into circulation in the U.S. until 2008). The combination of aging some whiskey in port casks, including some older whiskeys (over 20 years old), and bottling—without chill-filtering—at 46% ABV has helped make Jameson Rarest Vintage Reserve rich, deep, and complex.

A 2009 vintage was released toward the end of the 2009 calendar year. (The 2008 vintage was never brought into the U.S.) How does it stack up to the 2007 release, our award winner last year? I like the 2009 vintage even better! If anything, it’s richer and lusher than the 2007 vintage.

It’s rich, silky, and oily in texture. You’ll discover extremely well-integrated flavors loaded with fruits, ripe berries, caramelized banana, nougat, date nut bread, glazed tangerine, and maple syrup, peppered with warming cinnamon, vanilla icing, and nutmeg. A firm, dry, resinous finish balances the sweetness. I love the pot still character and the lushness that some of the port-wood aging has imparted. This is another classic Jameson Rarest Vintage Reserve.

Tomorrow’s Malt Advocate Whisky Award annoucement: Scotch Whisky Blend of the Year.

Category: Awards, Irish whiskey, Malt Advocate Mag, Reviews, competitions Tags: 28 Comments

January 13th, 2010

New: Knappogue Castle 1994 Vintage Irish Whiskey

John Hansell

There’s a new Knappogue Castle Irish Whiskey hitting the shelves. This one is a 1994 vintage and it’s limited to 1,000 individually numbered, hand-signed bottles (by President Mark Andrews). Price: $100.

Interestingly, the back label says the whiskey is triple-distilled. Knappogue Castle bottles have historically come from either Cooley or Bushmills. If it is indeed triple-distilled, it would mean the latter, as Cooley whiskeys are double-distilled.

I was just doing some more digging. A 15 year old was released in the fall of 2008, and that one was from Cooley, as it consisted of whiskeys from the “Cooley” era (1990-1992 vintage releases). You can see my review of it here. That one cost $100 too.

This new one, being a 1994 vintage, would put it smack in the middle of the Bushmills era (1993-1995 vintage releases), confirming the back label’s assertion that it is triple-distilled. You can see my “secret decoder ring” post on Knappogue Castle whiskey here. Apparently, they held some of the Bushmills whiskey back for additional aging, just like they did with the Cooley whiskeys for the 15 year old bottling.

I will be getting a review sample. I’ll let you know my thoughts.

Category: Irish whiskey, New Releases Tags: 16 Comments

December 1st, 2009

Irish whiskey news on Jameson, Redbreast, Powers and Paddy

John Hansell

I have brief updates and clarifications on all four brands, particularly as they pertain to the U.S.

Jameson Rarest Vintage Reserve

There have been three releases now of the Jameson Rarest Vintage Reserve (2007, 2008, and 2009). The 2009 is now getting into circulation. What are the differences between the three? Well, I haven’t (yet) had the privilege to taste all three vintages side-by-side, but I did get the scoop on the differences between the vintages from the U.S. Senior Brand Manager for Jameson. Here’s what she had to say:

The first 3 editions of JRVR (‘07,’08,’09) were based on Port cask inclusion and are essentially the same. However, they are not all from one vatting. Each year, the product is bottled from a new vatting. Therefore, in some cases, some barrels included may vary slightly from the previous year.

The initial bottling in 2007 was a vatting taken from three individual parcels of casks.

The 2008 offering came from the same three parcels, therefore the final product was similar in style but effectively matured one year longer.

The 2009 offering used casks from two of the original parcels plus some casks which were one year younger than the original.

It is the case that each year’s vintage will be slightly different although based on a consistent JRVR style.

So, I think her concluding sentence is the most important one.

002Powers

Power’s 12 year old–a whiskey which I have been enjoying now for nearly a decade–is FINALLY coming to the United States in February. I love the pot still character of Powers, and the 12 year old expression is quite stunning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Paddy

A very small amount of Paddy will be imported to the United States to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day for 2010.

001Redbreast

Some more cool news. Redbreast 15 year old, which was only released once (and in very limited quantities) in Europe, will be imported to the United States in the fall of 2010!

Category: Irish whiskey, New Releases Tags: , , , 14 Comments

November 17th, 2009

Whisky. The Wall Street Journal. This Friday!

John Hansell

You would think I have enough to keep me busy with Malt Advocate, WhiskyFest, WDJK, Twitter, etc. Well, I do occasionally take on some freelance assignment.

As you know, I recently participated in the History Channel show on “Whiskey”, which just ran again this past Saturday. Well, this Friday (November 20th) I have a 2,000 word whiskey section going in The Wall Street Journal.

The special whiskey section covers some of the fundamentals (how whiskey is made, what distinguishes one country’s whiskey from the next, appreciating whiskey, etc.). I also address many new trends in whiskey (designer whiskies, artisanal distilling, extreme peating, no age statements, etc).

We even reached out to master mixologist Gary Regan and he added a great cocktail piece to the section, which includes a few really nice cocktail recipes.

Pick up a copy if you can this Friday.

Category: Bourbon, Canadian whisky, European whiskies, Irish whiskey, Media, Rye whiskey, Scotch whisky, Tennessee whiskey 5 Comments

Older Posts »

Malt Advocate magazine is the number one source for whisky information, education and entertainment for whisky enthusiasts.

Find out more