Need Irish Whiskey Advice...
 

As a fine Kentucky Bourbon enthusiast, I have little knowledge of Irish Whiskeys and thought the brothers here could offer some sage advice on the subject. I'd like to find a nice, mid-priced Irish that is a bit of something special. Maybe something similar to a Jeffersons small batch bourbon (really good sipping bourbon). Recommendations please, gents.
Thx- :tu
RR

Re: Need Irish Whiskey Advice...
 

What Irish whiskeys are you able to get? What's mid-priced?

Re: Need Irish Whiskey Advice...
 

Connemara Single Malt Irish Whiskey.
:tu
http://www.bevmo.com/Media/Images/Pr...Full/76505.jpg
http://www.bevmo.com/Shop/ProductDet...0564&Ns=Name|0

Re: Need Irish Whiskey Advice...
 

Concannon is a very pleasant light Irish whiskey, about $25/750 ml.
This coming from a guy who mostly drinks bourbon. And gin. And rum.
And tequila.

Re: Need Irish Whiskey Advice...
 

Fixed your post for ya, Counselor.

Re: Need Irish Whiskey Advice...
 

Oh, yeah. I forgot those extra bourbons, huh?
Duly noted. Especially on a Wednesday Herf night.

Re: Need Irish Whiskey Advice...
 

I'm a scotch and bourbon drinker myself. I'm going to give those suggestions a try. Thanks

Re: Need Irish Whiskey Advice...
 

I think I will as well... Never hurts adding to ones repertoire, right? :lr

Re: Need Irish Whiskey Advice...
 

Tullamore Dew is my favorite, I drink it neat. Very smooth.

Re: Need Irish Whiskey Advice...
 

This is my favorite too, and it's real easy to find. I've seen it most places when on vacations and trips too.

Re: Need Irish Whiskey Advice...
 

I love Irish whiskey. As "mid-priced" means different things to different people I'm excluding the "entry-level" whiskies like plain old Jameson's (which I love), Bushmills, Tullamore Dew, Kilbeggan, etc., and I've tried to keep my recommendations to <$60:

- Green Spot, if you can find it. Very tasty, but made in limited production.
- 12-year old Jameson
- Jameson's Gold (one of my favorites)
- Tyrconnel Single Malt
- Connemara. This is an interesting one because it's peated so has some smokiness to it like a Scotch.
- Bushmill's 10-year old or 16-year old
- Knappogue Castle
- Michael Collins Single Malt
- Tullamore Dew 10-year
- Redbreast

If you're willing to spend about $80-$90, Jameson's 18-Year Old is a phenomenal whiskey, up there with some of the best I've ever had.

Re: Need Irish Whiskey Advice...
 

Bushmill's also makes a variety called black bush absolutely wonderful nice and smooth

Re: Need Irish Whiskey Advice...
 

YES. Redbreast is my favorite. The slightly more expensive Cask Strength 12 Year is far and away my favorite Irish ever. :tu

Re: Need Irish Whiskey Advice...
 

Yeah, that's a tasty damned whiskey!

Re: Need Irish Whiskey Advice...
 

Of all the one's that I enjoyed drinking while I lived there last year I would have to say Redbreast, Green Spot (don't know if you will be able to find this though), and Bushmills 10.

Re: Need Irish Whiskey Advice...
 

One more vote each for Concannon, Jameson, Tullemore Dew and Redbreast, probably in reverse order.

Re: Need Irish Whiskey Advice...
 

All you really need to know is...

Bushmills Black Bush
Redbreast
Jameson Reserve Gold Label

Re: Need Irish Whiskey Advice...
 

Decided on Bushmills Blackbush and Michael Collins 10 year single malt. Both are very good - very different. The Blackbush is a bit sweeter and lighter, but has a lot of different flavors going pn. the Michael Collins is lightly peated, so has a definite smoky tone. very complex Irish. Compared to a small batch bourbon, like Jeffersons Small Batch, I find Irish Whiskeys to be a bit smoother and slightly thinner in body, with a much shorter finish. These go very well with a good cigar or nice pipe bowl of a good english blend. Next will try Knappogue Irish Malt 12 Yr. Nice change of pace to add to fine Kentucky bourbons and scotch whiskeys. Thanks for the suggestions.
RR

Re: Need Irish Whiskey Advice...
 

Redbreast

Re: Need Irish Whiskey Advice...
 

Put me in this arena

Also may I suggest Red breast 12 year. It was rated a 90 not too long ago and is also well flavoured.

If you want to spend a pretty penny? My absolute favorite that I buy once a year is Green Spot

Re: Need Irish Whiskey Advice...
 

I am a fan of any of the Redbreast variants. (My wallet isn't). ;) Michael Collins is good stuff, and I have knocked out a bottle or three of one of their several offerings with good friends.
Killbeggan, Greenore (the only Irish Single Grain whiskey in the world), Tyrconnell, Tyrconnell Sherry Cask and Connemara (a rare Peated Single Malt Irish whiskey).

I was to have attended a tasting of all these this evening (had to back out, a guys got to pick his battles occasionally) , all of which I have had before, but what can I say, I love tasting and learning about whiskey, whisky, rum, bourbon... Some of the knowledge actually sticks for more than a week. I have an awful time keeping the single malt world knowledge inside my skull.
If you can hunt down the opportunity near you, some of the brand ambassadors put on a hell of a show and help you learn a boatload of info when they do tastings. For the investment, you can learn which you may like, not like, love, and view as crack without breaking the bank much more or even less than going to a fine pub and sampling them all. Sometimes they have a kickass food pairing as well. Oh, and it's a freakin' blast, because there are a bunch of other dru.... er... aficionados that are also there to learn and have fun.

Re: Need Irish Whiskey Advice...
 

Bringing this back from the dead, as Steph and I toured the Midleton Distillery as part of a cruise we were on earlier this month that went around the British Isles, plus Holland, Belgium, and France.

Arriving at hallowed ground. :D

https://i.imgur.com/J7J9D1Jh.jpg


Nice shot by Stephanie of one of the aging rooms.

https://i.imgur.com/fh0VSr8h.jpg


Yes, those are all real bottles:

https://i.imgur.com/Ya7J2Mxh.jpg

If you have a spare 50,000 Euros laying around, a bottle of Midleton Very Rare from every year available can be yours:

https://i.imgur.com/H1FKaG1h.jpg

A tasting after the tour; Jameson's, Green Spot, and Red Breast. Steph's not a whiskey fan at all, but she tried a sip of each before passing it on to me. Damn the bad luck of having to finish each of hers! :D

https://i.imgur.com/RFn6cW6h.jpg


The highlight of the day: bottling and labelling my own bottle of Cask-Strength Jameson Black Barrel.

https://i.imgur.com/XTZ8xVqh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/h4mM1xUh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/DpIAuD3h.jpg

Re: Need Irish Whiskey Advice...
 

Super cool, James! I did the tour back in 2007, such a great experience!

Re: Need Irish Whiskey Advice...
 

It really was! We'd done the Jameson Bow Street Experience in Dublin twice (2009 & 2019) but had never made it to Cork before. It wasn't quite a "bucket list" thing, but was pretty close.

Re: Need Irish Whiskey Advice...
 

What a cool experience! Great photos there.
The wife and I are thinking about going to Ireland to see friends of hers.
Might have to put these distilleries on our list.
I'd love to go to the Red Breast Distillery too.

Re: Need Irish Whiskey Advice...
 

My "family" had a tour guide and a driver, Matt, but I still think it would be worth the trip.

Re: Need Irish Whiskey Advice...
 

That's the Midleton Distillery, too. They do Jameson, Red Breast, the "Spot" whiskies, Midleton Rare, Powers, Knappogue Castle, and a couple of others.