What are you having yourself?

[Joel1802]

Dunville's Three Crowns, then Redbreast 12, who's next? Send the kid's to the neighbours' I'm coming home loaded. What do you mean I'm home? I'm getting my gun...

[varizoltan]

cause it is pancake tuesday, i just had some pancakes, with Jameson 12, Connemara 12, Bushmills 1608, Tullamore Black, Inishowen, Tyrconnell 11, Charbay R5, and some with the Hungarian whiskey

very interesting flavors indeed, you can nearly tell the whiskey by the smell of the pancakes

great experiment,

highly recommended to do for valentines day

[Good Whiskey Hunting]

Your really taking the Mardi Gras thing serious Z.
Will you be recovered for Valentines day?

[TallyB]

Varizoltan, Hungarian whiskey? I know of ploinka, was looking at a city break in Budapest the October maybe.

Also having a few hot Grouse toddies to help with this cold as I have no cheap Irish whiskey to use.

[Joel1802]

Powers Pot Still Dublin whiskey. (1960s?)

[varizoltan]

fighting with the flu too, hot toddy on big time

in Hungary, the tradition is the "hat cure";

hang a hat on the wall and drink mulled wine till you see 2 hats, than go to bed and you be fine by the morning

as i learnt it from a mulled wine expert, how to make a really good mulled wine, his answer was simple; use good wine, the one you be happy to drink any day


so to make a good hot toddy, i think the same apply

may not use Barry Crockett legacy, or Midleton single cask, but also not Tesco or other cheap blend

[Pudge72]

A late posting but...last weekend my friend and I cracked open my bottle of Writer's Tears, which my very awesome wife gave to me for Christmas. It blew both of us away with a good deal of complexity in the aroma/flavour profile (among other things, I again picked up a variation on the 'cotton candy' note that I have found in some other Irish whiskies, like Jameson Gold), which was coupled with a smooth delivery that had little to no alcohol bite. We each had two sizeable pours during the evening, with the realization that if we had started earlier in the day, I would have likely had to post this in the 'what bottle did you finish' thread, instead.

My friend's whisk(e)y budget is larger than mine, and I suspect he will make a sizeable dent in our city's supply of this bottle since it is a great (by Ontario standards at least) value bottle at Can$48. I may purchase one or two bottles from his stash, down the road, as funds permit. Very enjoyable stuff!

Edit to add: a very creamy profile balanced out by grain/mineral notes that I assume (rightly, I hope...please do correct/elaborate on what makes up the traditional 'pot still profile') are part of the pot still portion of this blend.

[Alicja]

Potatoes roasted in fireplace and a glass of Black Bush. Really love it

[IrishWhiskeyChaser]

Potatoes roasted in fireplace

Ah classic, havn't done it in a while but nothing like it and a lump f butter ... Simple pleasures are the best.

And Blackbush too ...


Welcome to the forum by the way and thanks for the Tullamore pics

[Pudge72]

Last night, I had a small pour of Redbreast 12. I am now wondering if I am not as much of a fan of pot still whiskey as I thought (I'm also wondering if it was just an 'off' night).

For context, I have really enjoyed my Writers Tears so far (which I believe is a blend of malt and pot still whiskey. I find a nice creamy element that contrasts, but works nicely with, the 'grainy' nature of the pot still while also lightening/brightening the overall profile of the pour.

The Redbreast I had last night I found to have a musty, grainy, though well rounded, profile. Unfortunately, it struck me as being rather one dimensional. Has anybody else found this, at least on occasion. I have really enjoyed it in the past, but last night left me cold. I truly hope it was an 'off night' for tasting/nosing.

[DavidH]

I'm enjoying a bourbon here myself. It must remain nameless for now

Regarding the Redbreast 12, I've always favoured the Green Spot myself. And I'd pick Powers John's Lane or Yellow Spot over either. Have you tried those, I can't remember...

[Joel1802]

I have noticed some variation in the Redbreast bottlings. Some are definitely better than others. Concur regarding the PJL!

[Pudge72]

Thanks for the feedback guys! Alas, the Yellow Spot and PJL have eluded the grasp of the purchasers at the LCBO. The PJL has been heartily recommended so I will certainly make it one of my three purchases in Ireland when my wife and I can figure out the finances (having to purchase a car sooner than anticipated has thrown a wrench into our original plans of crossing the pond this year).

Another thought crossed my mind when Joel mentioned batch variation...what is Redbreast's 'sustainability' as an open bottle like? My bottle is approaching one year being open and I know that whiskies in general can have quite a variation in their abilities to retain their original profile once the bottle has been cracked open.

[IrishWhiskeyChaser]

I find form can easily affect taste but also whiskeys in relation to each other can throw you. I've often fallen out with some of my favourite whiskeys many times knowing it more often than not just a phase thing more than anything else.

Of course Sometimes you just come across something thatvyou really like and your estimation of a previous favourite is pushed down a bit .


Come home some day after a tough day at the office and grab the RB 12 and see how it fits then


Have the same issue with yellow spot myself at the mo ....


Had some Teeling Hybrid last night. Which is a funny whisk(e)y for as one day it's great and another it is so so ... Go figure!!!

[DavidH]

I've been tasting Teeling Poitín with a few others on Twitter. We did Cooley Poitín last week and we'll do Glendalough tomorrow.

[Pudge72]

Thanks for the tips IWC. I'll let you know if the RB 12 turns it around.

[matt]

Had the first Jameson Gold (until 2008/same bottle as the Jameson 15y.o.) at my dad`s house tonight.It was a lovely Whiskey!!!!
I am wondering what happened with the new releases?? especially with the last one (from 2011)?

[Pudge72]

Haven't had RB 12 since my last post, but I did try Balvenie 14 Caribbean Cask for the first (and last) time yesterday. This is the third rum cask finished whisky that I have had and...no, the concept does not work for me. The nose was very nice with sweet raisins, and some other fruit notes, but I found the palate and finish to be spirity. In general, it seemed to me like the rum cask finish overpowered the malt. Imho, any distillers looking to experiment in the future should tread carefully...the malt needs to be strong enough to not be dominated by the rum spirit.

[varizoltan]

Connemara 12
just for the fun of it

[IrishintheUSA]

Technically, we are not allowed to have any alcohol while deployed. Lucky for me, I have some very generous friends back home that dont mind bending a rule or two.

Bushmills Original - I dont think I've ever spent so much time tasting and truly enjoying this whiskey. After almost 9 months with out my beloved whiskies, I savored that first pour like it was going to be my last. I may have had to cut a water bottle in half to use for a cup, and I may kept a hand securely over the top of said water bottle cup to keep the constant dust from infiltrating the liquid gold I had acquired, but hot damn! was it one hell of a dram.

The nose caught me off guard at first. I havent bothered to really smell anything in quite a while. Light and sweet with some peppery spice at first but as it opened up, I noticed a lot more vanilla than I have before. The honey was there as always but a little more sweet.

The first taste or two I dont remember thinking anything. Im pretty sure I was just enjoying the moment too much to think. light and warm, good mouth feel. Honey and with a little bit of vanilla. Noticed more fruit than I have in the past? couldnt quite say what that? an orchard fruit? maybe apples? it was nice either way. some toffee as well, but less than I remember which was slightly dissapointing ( I immediately, after that thought, realized how truly fortunate I was to be enjoying "less toffee" and decided I was no longer dissapointed).

Finished as I have always remebered and enjoyed. bits of vanilla with that peppery spice fading crisp and clean.


All things considered? One of my all time favorite whiskey moments. Sadly, I dont think the original will ever taste that amazing to me again. I still have a bit left, Ill take pictures of my next "tasting" and post them soon.

[AlecM]

Last night tried the newly released Speyburn Clan Cask 37 years old. Beautiful whisky! Very good value considering it's age.

RE: rum finishes, Bushmills used to do a rum finish, which was possibly my favourite one of their whiskey range. Never seems to become available though?! Anyone know any more about it?

[IrishWhiskeyChaser]

All things considered? One of my all time favorite whiskey moments. Sadly, I dont think the original will ever taste that amazing to me again. I still have a bit left, Ill take pictures of my next "tasting" and post them soon.

Excellent story and thanks for sharing the experience. That is one of the best things about whiskey I think ... The experiences that you can have with it ... Whether it is the most amazing whiskey moment or most amazing personal moment or a bit of both the whiskey seems to make it. Keep up the good work and be safe.

[DavidH]

Lucky for me, I have some very generous friends back home that dont mind bending a rule or two.

That is an epic whiskey tasting, sir! I wonder if your Bushmills bottle has a twin in the neighbourhood, since the Royal Irish Regiment gets around too and St Patrick's Day approaches.

It seemed the least I could do to pour a bourbon here: a Devil's Cut is all I have to hand, but I do like it.

[IrishWhiskeyChaser]

1 hrs 30 mins to get the 2 nippers asleep ... Hence a large Powers JL 12yo ... Ahhhh that fits the bill nicely even if it is a school night.

[Joel1802]

1 hrs 30 mins to get the 2 nippers asleep ... Hence a large Powers JL 12yo ... Ahhhh that fits the bill nicely even if it is a school night.

Are wee man is teething so Powers has had a role in medicating the big people around here!