Inish Turk Beg Whiskey...

[JohnM]

To be called Maiden Voyage whiskey. It is matured in poitin barrels. Sound like they could be worn out barrels left on the island, but I don't know. Interesting anyway. It doesn't specify a distillery, but I think it must be Cooley.

Inish Turk Beg Single Malt

[JohnM]

It will be available in Harvey NIchols in Knightsbridge, London, from Monday. Later in the week it will be available in the Dublin store, as well as in the Celtic Whiskey Shop.

[IainB]

Oh for the love of......

This is just one of many many uninhabited or barely inhabited islands in clew bay. They've done everything to suggest, bas saying it outright, that the whiskey is made on the island. There is no distillery in clew bay (no legal one anyway).

Honest to god, what are they on about - we bring it down from cask strength with rainwater???? So they take some Cooley Malt, add some water from a rain butt on the side of the house, then put it into some barrels that probably had Knockeen hills in the for about 3 days.

And they say "this is the first time this whiskey has been available off the island". I'd imagine it's the first time it's been available on the island too.

Tomorrow I shall leave a bucket out in the rain. Once collected I shall water some 46% Redbreast down to 40%, and stick it in a miniature barrel for 24 hours.

By Thursday my new exclusive Wicklow Town PPS will be available as a special offer to Society members as the fantastic discounted price of €250 a bottle.

Please sign up here.

Sorry for ranting but I really would like to see a real Irish Island whiskey. This isn't it.

Now if the porterhouse built their distillery on Achill then that would be something.

[Michael Foggarty]

I will take one of these Wicklow Town PPS. Are you going to filter it through a bog first though?

[John]

The concept of the Poitín Barrell is amusing; other than that it seems like another Michael Collins type effort. Strange. As for the rainwater... what the hell is that all about

[JohnM]

I suppose it could be like a first fill bourbon barrel. I don't know what they're using, really, but good luck to them.

[DavidH]

If they are dipping a toe in the water for the making or maturation of whiskey then it's a very sensible way to start. And it has already drawn my attention to the island and its activities for the first time so it's good for visibility. Must be hard to make a go of a business on an island off the west coast.

[bredman]

Every one in the game of whiskey/whisky production and sales are vying for attention, and for a point of difference. They have started in the right way if this is to be achieved with a limited budget. It will be interesting to see how this pans out for them. With so few Irish whisky producers they stand a good chance with those consumers looking for something different.

How much is this going to cost? Those "hand-blown glass mooring bottles" suggests that it will be a small fortune, and that keeping costs down is not a primary concern for them.

[JohnM]

Think it will be £120 in the UK.

[IrishWhiskeyChaser]

Think it will be £120 in the UK.

What

How old is this ... ???

Interesting bottle though

[bredman]

Think it will be £120 in the UK.

What

I was expecting an answer between £100 - £300, just going on the spiel about it. That's not what i'm prepared to pay btw.

[John]

Personally, I know too little about this product to consider spending €130+ on it. It seems like a marketing fad to me with all of the contact details only available from the UK. A handfull of sand brought over somewhere to make 'hand-blown' glass and rainwater used to water down the spirit from cask strength - I could be wrong but I think it's hard to prove the indiginous nature of rainwater? Anyway, I reckon this Emperor has no clothes. I'll leave it open for the Emperor to prove me wrong and name his tailor......

As a side bar, does anyone else think that heritage is being slowly and surgically removed from this industry?

[JohnM]

I like the look of it. Too expensive, but I'm a sucker for this kind of thing. I'll probably buy a bottle.

[IrishWhiskeyChaser]

I like the look of it. Too expensive, but I'm a sucker for this kind of thing. I'll probably buy a bottle.

Do we know how old it is even??? By the sounds of it ... it may just barely be 3 years old. I think I may pass if that is the case. I don't really need a 100+ Euro invitation to Inish Turk

They are possibly 3 or 4 years too late on this ...

Interesting that they are bottling this in a 1L bottle also. Possibly some will go to Travel Retail.

[John]

Interesting, the contact details have now changed. Instead of two UK numbers, the website now lists one UK number and one Co. Mayo phone number.

I would also really like to know how old this spirit is. Less of the old 'soaking up the fragrances of wild roses and wild horses', personally I would not regard wild horses as fragrant but maybe that's just me , and more upfront facts please.

[Andrew]

Hi All!
I'm sorry, but what is the mine "Poitín barrels" from "...Finished in Poitín barrels that have long gazed out from the shores of Inish Turk Beg, ..." in original text

[IrishWhiskeyChaser]

Hi All!
I'm sorry, but what is the mine "Poitín barrels" from "...Finished in Poitín barrels that have long gazed out from the shores of Inish Turk Beg, ..." in original text

I don't think anynbody knows for sure !!!!

Poiteen is usually filled straight into bottles and it more like a strong vodka than a whiskey as it is not usually matured.

Anyway they look like bourbon barrels to me

Probably just PR mumbo jumbo

[John]

This whiskey is a riddle wrapped in a mystery wrapped in an enigma..

I could be wrong but I reckon that their 'explanation' that before whiskey can be legally called whiskey it is called Poitín might be at fault here - i.e. it makes the barrels that the liquid is stored in for < / = 3yrs 'Poitín barrels'?? That can't be right surely?

[PureDrop]

Interesting program/interview etc. with Nadim Sadek of InishTurk Beg on RTE's Countrywide radio programme this morning 26th March 2011.
You should be able to listen to the podcast version by Monday http://www.rte.ie/radio1/countrywide/
From memory ...3rd fill casks (empty (quote) "knackered old casks" are taken from Cooley and seasoned on the beach for a couple of years to absorbe the essence of the Island, filled with Poitin (presumably new spirit from Cooley) for a month or two .... then emptied and filled with 10yo malt.

I may have got the order wrong, but the story is something along that line.
While the whiskey segment of the programme is only 2 or 3 minutes, the whole interview is well worth listening to.
The programme must have had some effect - http://www.inishturkbeg.com is very slooooooooow.
In addition to the whiskey, they've started a fantastic music series - I wish Nadim and crew well on their efforts.
Michael

[JohnM]

There was a bit about it on Nationwide a few weeks ago too. I didn't get to see it properly, as I was in work.

[dave-c]

There was a bit about it on Nationwide a few weeks ago too. I didn't get to see it properly, as I was in work.

You can still catch it online until the 30th at http://www.rte.ie/player/#v=1093603.

[IrishWhiskeyChaser]

Good to know that it is at least a 10yo ... but in all fairness the price tag is a bit fanciful Can't see myself running out to buy one just for the interesting bottle.

[varizoltan]

Can't see myself running out to buy one just for the interesting bottle.

which is 50 euros alone

you hardly throwing that in the recycling bin

[neret]

HAH! 50euro for a bottle? Fanciful indeed. I'll stick to my Tullamore for now.

[Whiskey Pilgrim]

Kaixo Whiskey Chieftians,
Their is now a web site for Inish Turk Beg for more background,Lets give this expression a chance shall we and wait for the proof of the pudding,dont judge a book by the cover,likewise dont judge a whiskey by its label.Just like the unfortunatly named "The Irishman" more like Oirishman,,but whats under the hood........is sucking diesel...
The more Irish out their the better,I dont like Paddy Whiskey label or whiskey but its part of our whiskey heritage..best we stick it in a sealed cave,,to preserve it you understand !!

Keep it Spiritual,Slainte,,Agur