What are you having yourself?

[IrishWhiskeyChaser]

That's gas ... Had a similar night myself. I started with Jam 12yo ... While enjoying that I had an Iain moment and decided to add a really small drop of Connemara cask strength to my remaining half glass. It was nearly a lovely mix but the Connemara felt a bit off balance in regards to the Jameson. Then I had a Jameson Gold which seemed really highly flavoured in comparison to the last time I had it. Then on to Connemara small batch sherry finish ... For some reason I can't figure this out ... It just does not seem to hang together for me ... I really think they need to fully mature a Connemara in a sherry cask rather than finish ...

After that I had a JW Blue which as you say Iain is a really great whisky ... really took my time over this one after that I had a JW Green which I really like too.

Finished with Jameson RVR

Not quite snap but close ....

[TheWhiskeyBro]

Kicked off with a Bushmills 16 followed by a Redbreast 12.

Then a Bladnoch CS Mystery Dram and to finish Sainsbury;s Islay Blend.....

[IainB]

That's gas ... Had a similar night myself. I started with Jam 12yo ... While enjoying that I had an Iain moment and decided to add a really small drop of Connemara cask strength to my remaining half glass. It was nearly a lovely mix but the Connemara felt a bit off balance in regards to the Jameson. Then I had a Jameson Gold which seemed really highly flavoured in comparison to the last time I had it. Then on to Connemara small batch sherry finish ... For some reason I can't figure this out ... It just does not seem to hang together for me ... I really think they need to fully mature a Connemara in a sherry cask rather than finish ...

After that I had a JW Blue which as you say Iain is a really great whisky ... really took my time over this one after that I had a JW Green which I really like too.

Finished with Jameson RVR

Not quite snap but close ....

I hope you had a better head on Saturday morning than I did - I get carried away sometimes by different combinations and themes to explore and forget one or two themes is enough on a night. Going off on tangents in a conversation is one thing but whiskey is another thing entirely!

[IainB]

I'm just about to finish of the last of a bottle of Bushmills Millenium Cask 310, and then compare it to Cask 160, which I've just opened.

For the purists out there, don't worry - I wont be blending tonight.

[jcskinner]

Less lofty heights for me - it's only Thursday after all!
Tonight I've been enjoying some vintage tennis at the US open along with chasers of Yamazaki sherry cask, followed by a little Black Bush and now some Writers Tears.
All nicely sherried, but all very different.
Also, all good!

[IainB]

Sor far a Knappogue 1993, Bushmills 10yo and a Tyrconnell 17. With some Cashel Blue, Shropshire Blue and Belotta spanish ham. All very pleasant so far. Might take a wee break form whiskey and have a beer. Or a beer and a whiskey. Only time will tell. Not much time. 2 minutes or so.

[varizoltan]

just had a drop of Writers Tears

[IainB]

Went for a Duvel. Not a matter of choice really, it seems the only beer left was one of these and one Heineken. Lovely beer though. Nose really reminds me of washbacks.

Paired with a tiny drop of 12yo Powers. Wrong whiskey for this beer so I think I'll head a completely different direction and have a Talisker.

[JohnM]

Went for a Duvel. Not a matter of choice really, it seems the only beer left was one of these and one Heineken. Lovely beer though. Nose really reminds me of washbacks.

Paired with a tiny drop of 12yo Powers. Wrong whiskey for this beer so I think I'll head a completely different direction and have a Talisker.

Highland Park 21 for me. One of my favourites. Nice with a little bit of water. Next up is Nikka from the barrel.

[jcskinner]

Drop of Writers Tears to accompany the tennis.

[IainB]

Oooh HP21 - good idea. I've an unopened bottle here. I was going to have a Talisker, but I'm not sure now. I've also a miniature set with HP 12 15 18 21 and 30.
I was going to go through them all some night but seeing as I've had a couple alreayd I may leave that to another day.

[JohnM]

Highland Park is a great distillery. Close to my favourite.

Had the Sierra Nevada Pale Ale last night. Quite nice, I think. Will be buying more.

Aldi have an Irish Red ale now, brewed by the Carlow Brewing Co. and it's pretty nice.

[IainB]

Is it the O'Hara's or their own brand name. I really like the O'Hara's. Goes really well wiht Irish malt whiskey.

[JohnM]

Is it the O'Hara's or their own brand name. I really like the O'Hara's. Goes really well wiht Irish malt whiskey.

It's their own brand. I think it might be part of the "specially selected" range. Can't remember what it says on the bottle.

[jcskinner]

Highland Park is a great distillery. Close to my favourite.

Had the Sierra Nevada Pale Ale last night. Quite nice, I think. Will be buying more.

Aldi have an Irish Red ale now, brewed by the Carlow Brewing Co. and it's pretty nice.

Sierra Nevada is a classic American pale ale. Mick's bar in Stoneybatter has it, and the odd off-licence. But it remains hard enough to find. Always worth stocking up.
The Carlow red is lovely, but they do an IPA in bottles that is truly magnificent. I always direct Bass or Smithwicks drinkers towards the red, though, because it's effortlessly the best ruby ale in Ireland.

[IainB]

I had a couple of bottles of the IPA last week and I completely agree. I notice they called it Irish rather than India Pale Ale. I guess most people here don't know what an IPA is.

[JohnM]

Highland Park is a great distillery. Close to my favourite.

Had the Sierra Nevada Pale Ale last night. Quite nice, I think. Will be buying more.

Aldi have an Irish Red ale now, brewed by the Carlow Brewing Co. and it's pretty nice.

Sierra Nevada is a classic American pale ale. Mick's bar in Stoneybatter has it, and the odd off-licence. But it remains hard enough to find. Always worth stocking up.
The Carlow red is lovely, but they do an IPA in bottles that is truly magnificent. I always direct Bass or Smithwicks drinkers towards the red, though, because it's effortlessly the best ruby ale in Ireland.

I had the IPA at the beer festival a few weeks ago and it was really good, although I had it after nearly all the other beers...

I bought the Sierra Nevada in Superquinn. They had the Superquinn whiskey there too, in Knocklyon. Didn't buy any, though.

[jcskinner]

I had a couple of bottles of the IPA last week and I completely agree. I notice they called it Irish rather than India Pale Ale. I guess most people here don't know what an IPA is.

I think also they may not entirely adhere to the IPA production method. Personally, I'm not a stickler for tradition, if defying it leads to something better.

[IainB]

I know very little about beer production - I do know the beer was good and that;s probably enough.

What I really meant was that I lot of people would probably make the same assumption as I did the first time I saw a beer labelled India Pale Ale. That it was made in India. Or if they say it in a glass that it was a lager.

Good beer though. I relly like the Curim wheat beer too.

[jcskinner]

I think even casual beer drinkers (ok, maybe not the Bud and Heino set) know that IPA is a style and doesn't designate country of origin.
Oddly enough, India's probably the last place to make IPA, since the original style was developed so that the beer would keep in transit by ship from England to the colonies in the sub-continent. But the style was so good they never shipped it.
I recall one manufacturer running adds recently featuring an irate Indian man demanding that IPA beer be delivered at long last!
Anyhow, it's just a slightly stronger, slightly hoppier beer. But it's a great style and the Irish craft brewers are doing it some serious justice. I don't mind if they call it Irish Pale Ale to clarify where it comes from. They're small producers and need to make their name and develop their markets.

[IainB]

Aye I know all that now but there was a time when I didn't. Most people I know would know Lager, Ale, Stout. Serious beer drinkers would of course be different but among the public at large?? When I first started drinking whiskey I thought there were loads of distilleries in Ireland!

[IainB]

Anyway had a Talisker 10 the a small drop of Talisker 25. Don't know what got into my head but I decided to do a side by side tasting of Talisker 25 to Bushmills Millenium. Now you would think the Talisker would overwhelm the tastebuds and no Bushmills would remain but not so. I'm finding the Bushmills quite assertive even after a sip of talisker

[TheWhiskeyBro]

Finishing a 'dram' of Sainsbury's Islay Single malt Scotch Whisky a vatted islay malt.

Sainsbury's Taste the difference Islay 12 year old malt
A full bodied whisky with deep peat smoke aromas and notes of liquorice, espresso and orange peel underpinned by a subtle vanilla sweetness.

Quite yummy for the price, good standby to have..

[varizoltan]

Is it the O'Hara's or their own brand name. I really like the O'Hara's. Goes really well wiht Irish malt whiskey.

did you know that there is a small brewery starting soon here in Co. Wicklow
i love to pair that with some malt

[IrishWhiskeyChaser]

Leffe & Laphroaig QC in that order ... they don't call me the Irish WHiskey Chaser for nothing ... oooppps oh wait Laphroaig is not Irish .


Anyway a question to the rest of yez ... beer first or whiskey first ... when you have both infront of you.