Tastes

WhiskeyLive Dublin 2018 Tasted this for the second successive year at this event and it is a gem of a whiskey. For the ABV it is incredibly smooth and drinkable. At the Midleton stand it was the standout among Redbreast 21, Very Rare 2018, and Red Spot. Unfortunately I did not record the tree number of the bottle. The number represents the particular Irish oak used for the finishing barrels and apparently you can visit the estate and sip your spirit while sitting on the tree stump. An expensive picnic because a bottle will set you back €300.

WhiskeyLive Dublin 2018 I understand that Jura can be one of those divisive distilleries. I have only previously had two of their offerings: Superstition (sharp and salty which I liked) and Origin (briny pet food which I didn’t like). They have overhauled their range and those two are no longer available. At the Whyte and Mackay stand they had three from their new range: 10yo, 18yo and Seven Wood. We were told that the reason for the change was that whiskies from the previous range were very diverse, and so liking one Jura may not signify that you would like another. The feedback they received (presumably through Marketing) was that this led to an uneven, less favourable opinion of the overall output. Hence the need to create a new signature style with each whiskey in the range offering variations on a common theme. The 18yo is aged in American white oak ex-bourbon barrels before finishing in Premier Grand Cru Classé Bordeaux barrels. It is peated and that comes through lightly on the nose along with brown sugar, oranges, caramel and faint acetone. The taste is sweet dryness at first, which develops into light smoke and coffee. I did think that the red wine finish masked or dampened the “salty maritime flavors” described in the Distiller review. In my view that is a mark against it. I was quite happy with this on the day of the event but, having sneaked some out in a sample bottle, I lowered my view on a subsequent tasting.

WhiskeyLive Dublin 2018. Best of the night. If I ever capture that (stereotypical) little mischievous bearded Irish sprite I know how I’m going to use those 3 wishes. Wish 1: A camel. I’d travel to work on it. Weaving through the static cars like those cocky motorcyclists. All the other commuters looking up enviously - losers! Wish 2: Specific transmutation powers. Whether at a crowded party or on a quiet evening alone I will be able to change water into Springbank 18. You know, like that other guy. Uri Gellar I think. Wish 3: Erase “Love Actually” for all eternity. I hate that film. It’s like a Christmas card full of sick.

WhiskeyLive Dublin 2018. First taste of the night at the Midleton stand. Overall this is fruity, fruity, fruity, with the sherry and Marsala wine influence showing through strongly. Apple and cooked fruits on the nose, and a klaxon of blackberry and raspberry jam in the mouth. The finish is spicy and sweet. Better than the Yellow Spot, but is it better than the Green Spot? Yes, if your taste leans more towards heavily sherried and sweet drams but I guess that’s not me.

When the great Irish writers of the 19th century like Wilde, Synge and Shaw lacked inspiration they would hit the whiskey with a mournful vengeance. When creative insight was found in the depths of their glass they would shed a joyful tear - a tear that, due to their binge, was mostly whiskey. Bless the imaginative guff of marketing departments! This was the story I "learned" today while on an enjoyable tour of Walsh's distillery who are the makers of Writers' Tears. The Walsh distillery opened in 2016 and produces The Irishman range also. With their own means of production they hope to extend their range under both brands, but the first whiskey distilled at their new facility will be released next year. My tour guide seemed a bit lukewarm about it: aware that it will sell but recognising that it won't be of their usual quality. At the tour's end I sampled this vatted blend of single pot still (40%) and single malt (60%) whiskies, all aged more than 8 years, and produced to Walsh's recipe by Midleton distillery. Apple, butterscotch and a slight touch of banana on the nose. The pot still component is very evident with a pleasing peppery arrival. The bourbon cask vanilla is the main feature of a simple palate, and the finish is of sweet, red fruit. Overall it is a very middling 2.5 stars - not remarkable or complex but not likely to offend either. I'm now off to put some thought into imaginative marketing backstories for Fighting Cock and Teacher's Cream. How hard can it be?

It’s no secret that Irish whiskey is experiencing a remarkably powerful resurgence around the globe. The renaissance is evident in the growth in the number of distilleries – there were only four distilleries in Ireland in 2013, and there are now eighteen distilleries with several more planned. Time to check in with the latest new kid on the block – Bushmills. There’s a cereal foundation to the aroma, with layered toffee and butterscotch. The sherry cask maturation is noticeable too but becomes particularly pronounced after a while in the glass. The sweet malt strikes the palate first, followed by a warm, creamy chocolate with a hint of orange that reminds me of the Tangy Orange Crème from a box of Cadbury’s Roses. It edges away hesitantly and a spicy, sherry fruitiness remains in its wake. All in all, 3.5 stars and a very worthy entry into the market for these green whippersnappers. In the exponential growth in Irish distilleries I see ominous shades of painful Celtic Tiger bandwagonry. Every boom precedes a shakedown where only the best remains, and I fear that the new distilleries may already be riding the crest of a waning wave. However, if they keep producing with this quality, then I think this fresh-faced, young distillery is one to keep an eye on and I predict they will be around for a long time :)

Talisker Storm is a scotch I have tried a few times in bars and liked, but never enough to shell for the full bottle. I did receive a sample as a gift and so this tasting was more leisurely. It welcomes you with light smoke and smells of orange rind, dillisk, lawnmower engine and Atlantic spray. The hospitality continues with tastes of tears, soft smoky peat, oak, spicy pepper, and some honey sweetness. At the end, a salted, peppered oak ushers you gently on your way. A very enjoyable island scotch, but overall not as good as the 10 year old or the Skye in my opinion. Probably 3.75 stars. Next up on my backlog from Talisker is a sample of the 18 year old, for which I have high hopes.

I sampled this in a tasting with the 15 year old Solera Reserve and the 12 year old from the same stable and this was clearly the better dram. On the nose I got warm spices, oak, linoleum and undiluted nostalgia - I was stopped in my tracks and had a full Anton Ego flashback (damn you, limbic system!) to the house of a childhood friend. The palate was beautifully warm and smooth with a taste of toffee, raisins, orange and oak. I left it 15 minutes to open, and water doesn’t help this at all IMO. Altogether a very fine whisky and, for me this evening, liquid wistfulness. 4 stars.

I tasted this in a vertical flight of three Glenfiddichs – this 15 year old along with the familiar green 12 year old and the 18 year old. While not the worst of the three it was the most disappointing. The nose was mildly interesting, comprised of sherry notes (dark fruits) and red apple. Similarly, I found the taste to be a little simple: a hot arrival levelling out to a dry, sherry taste, but the sweet and spicy finish was perhaps the highlight. A few drops of water took some bite off the front but didn't open up anything extra, I thought. Side note: Rather than a Glencairn I used a Túath Irish whiskey glass I got at WhiskeyLive Dublin. It’s a new design that looks well enough and handles fine. It’s main drawback is a flared rim which, despite the marketing blurb, does not “elegantly sit on the surface of the lip”. It requires a significant head-tilt to wet your whistle!

My awareness and appreciation of whisk(e)y has been a relatively recent pursuit, with Lagavulin 16 as the catalyst for my epiphany. Prior to that, my interest in the amber juice was mainly a means to an end – in my twenties a bottle of Bells or a naggin of Paddy did the trick. Early in my try-outs of new drops I rated Glenfiddich 12 a four-star dram. Time for a revisit and a revision. The nose is light and fruity, with pear and green apple front and centre. I also get a slight trace of nail varnish. The fruit is noticeable in the taste, along with some honey, and the finish is slightly bitter. I had this with in a flight with samples of two of its elder brethren: the 15 year old Solera Reserve and the 18 year old. While it ranked lowest of the three I would say it’s not far short of the 15 year old. I’m giving it 2.5 stars and rounding up to 3 as a nod to my previous rating.