Irish Whiskey Society first cask bottling

[TheWhiskeyBro]

Quota at the moment is one of each bottling for paid up members? We will discuss at the next committee meeting how to distribute any surplus (if any)? A small amount may go to the CWS, try and put your name down for one.

[IrishWhiskeyChaser]

So how does one put ones name down for a bottle, old man.

[TheWhiskeyBro]

Sorry, to clarify, afaik the society has to date only committed to allowing each member purchase one bottle from each cask, the society will receive a very limited allocation which will be offered to paid up members first. A decision has to be taken by the committee about any of remaining allocation.

Factors include setting aside a small number of bottles for the society to use at a later date.

I understand (but I am subject to correction) the the Celtic Whiskey Shop may receive a tiny allocation but I could be wrong. So you could e-mail them in the hope of receiving a bottle down the road

[John]

Ok, now I must apologise for the confusion (my own that is!). Who is allocating bottles to vendors when they are labelled as an IWS-endorsed product? Surely fully paid-up Society members' purchase requests would be honoured before the balance would go on general sale to the public; or am I missing something here? The logic seems a bit topsy-turvy at the moment!
John.

[jcskinner]

There is an allocation for the canal boatmen. Then there is an allocation for each of the participating organisations, including the IWS. When only one cask was being bottled, it became evident there wouldn't be enough to go around.
Now that two casks are being bottled, there should be enough. Currently, all signed up IWS members are going to be entitled to buy at least one bottle.
Michael Slevin is taking note of orders from all the organisations, and I would imagine he has the best idea of just how many bottles will be made available for the society.

[varizoltan]

we will see in a few weeks what is going on.
someone can roll the cask and get an extra drop of it

[JohnM]

I'd like a bottle of each, anyway. Would also like ones in the boxes...

John

[varizoltan]

yes John, boxes will be available for extra cost, and if anyone is interested to get a box with it, please post it here. as far as i know it is 15 euros aprox, and similar size to midleton box
as it is stands now all signed members entitled to buy 1 bottle of each cask

[IrishWhiskeyChaser]

Ok, now I must apologise for the confusion (my own that is!). Who is allocating bottles to vendors when they are labelled as an IWS-endorsed product? Surely fully paid-up Society members' purchase requests would be honoured before the balance would go on general sale to the public; or am I missing something here? The logic seems a bit topsy-turvy at the moment!
John.

Hi John, Just to remind you that we as a group do not own this project. It is not an official IWS bottling and as you said it is only endorsed by us, we therefore have no claim on bottles. It was always a situation that we were only going to get an allocation. I'm not 100% sure as I'm not involved but I think the allocations were discussed before we ever got near this point. I think most members will get the chance to get one of each and then the option of getting more through Ally is there if you like.

[varizoltan]

well, i think Ally,s bottles shouldn't end up in society members hands, it is for non members isn't it

[IrishWhiskeyChaser]

well, i think Ally,s bottles shouldn't end up in society members hands, it is for non members isn't it

Nothing to stop anybody from buying them from a shop open to the public.

[varizoltan]

yes, but...
it is suppose to go to non members if they are interested

well, i think Ally,s bottles shouldn't end up in society members hands, it is for non members isn't it

Nothing to stop anybody from buying them from a shop open to the public.

[PureDrop]

Queries about bottles are handled here
http://grandcrew.iwai.ie/interested.php

Mails end up in each organisation which a person claims to belong to or in Ally's inbox if they are not a member of any.
It is up to the HBA, IWAI and IWS how the bottles are allocated within each organisation or on behalf of each organisation.
/M

[John]

Hi Adrian,

Not to make too much of a deal of this but I don't remember being handed, or told anything about, allocation figures? Or was this done at Committee level maybe? Either way is fine and it doesn't really matter - my sole point was that it would be unfortunate if fully paid-up members (as of whatever date is decided upon) couldn't get access to a Society-endorsed bottling through their own Society at a reasonable price and instead would have to go through commercial outlets which would undoubtedly need a mark up on the price; because of earlier committments given on supply.

On the project ownership issue, absolutely agree that where no outright financial consideration has been offered in advance, we can't direct the supply - except within our own Society, and furthermore I have no issue with allocations being offered to the groups directly associated with the project - however, and let's not make light of it, whatever number of bottles are rendered into commercial supply will be distributed with the IWS endorsement, and, I appreciate that while this does not confer ownership it does consititute investment - and as it is a differentiation factor, I'm sure it will not be played down by the vendors in an effort to sell as many units as possible, which could impact on the number of units available for members and as an organisation will never see benefit from that - unless I'm mistaken??

J.

[varizoltan]

it may be a goodone at next meeting when people sign in the attendence sheet to thick a box if they want a bottle from cask 1-2 or both

[IrishWhiskeyChaser]

Not to make too much of a deal of this .....
J.

No not at all, Debate is good and all concerns should be aired

I also can see peoples points & Concerns especially when they have no visiblity of the full story.

Firstly we need to take everything in context. I was at the first meeting that this subject was broached but not at any subsequent meeting there after so not aware if anything else was said. As there was no official committee set up at the time I was involved with an unofficial committee meeting however I have not been at any official committee meeting as I'm not on it so cannot say what has been discussed since. However I do remember everybody being very enthusiastic but the General consensus after a quick talk to people on the night was that maybe not every member may purchase a bottle. In light of unsubstantiated numbers the society would under write an allocation of x to cover all members and if all were not sold they could be held back and kept in reserve for a possible tasting or other official IWS business (and no not the committee having a sup while talking shop, do you hear that Committee members )

- my sole point was that it would be unfortunate if fully paid-up members (as of whatever date is decided upon) couldn't get access to a Society-endorsed bottling through their own Society at a reasonable price and instead would have to go through commercial outlets which would undoubtedly need a mark up on the price; because of earlier committments given on supply.

The above approach would ensure that all members could avail of a bottle if they pleased, so therefore no one missed out. At this stage there was only one cask and the bottle numbers were severely limited. But it also guaranteed a specific quantified sale to the project. This approach has obviously remained but allocation has gone for one bottle of a cask to one of each by the sounds of it.

On the project ownership issue, absolutely agree that where no outright financial consideration has been offered in advance, we can't direct the supply - except within our own Society, and furthermore I have no issue with allocations being offered to the groups directly associated with the project - however, and let's not make light of it, whatever number of bottles are rendered into commercial supply will be distributed with the IWS endorsement, and, I appreciate that while this does not confer ownership it does consititute investment - and as it is a differentiation factor, I'm sure it will not be played down by the vendors in an effort to sell as many units as possible, which could impact on the number of units available for members and as an organisation will never see benefit from that - unless I'm mistaken??

J.

I think I'll have to disagree with you on this one. As we had no involvement with the purchasing of the cask the benefit we gained from selecting a cask for the project was an allocation of bottles for members as we as a society were not in a position to purchase a cask of our own due to money constraints. However I think there is another part of this that cannot be underestimated and that is the actual association to the project.

There is a bigger benefit to all this (and this is only my opinion by the way) ... the whole project is a publicity exercise to highlight the Inland Waterways & Barge Boat associations. Michael Slevin who is involved in the two as well as our own saw this as an opportunity to include the IWS in it and get our fledgling society out there.

To do this bottles need to be sold to the public so that they can see what we the IWS are about for themselves, i.e. get to taste an IWS selected whiskey. Remember there is a huge ignorance to Whiskey appreciation in this country and it is through events like this that people may realise there is more to whiskey than the bog standards.

Therefore indirectly we do benefit from it.

Anybody agree or disagree???



One thing that seems to have come from this is lack of communication ... are we discussing these topics at meeting and if not why not?

[varizoltan]

you hit the nail right on the head Adrien as you always

[jcskinner]

Adrian is correct. This project ought not be confused by society members with an actual society bottling. We haven't done that yet, but the experience of being attached to this project is very illuminating for the IWS and can only assist us when we do come to bottling our own cask, which hopefully will be in the near future.
We will have, I believe, a sufficient allocation for society members. But the importance of using this project (and the whiskey) to get knowledge out there about the very existence of the society should not be underestimated.

[varizoltan]

that is right, and our own bottling may not be Cooley and members could buy 5 of that if they wish, for a better price than from a reatailer if we go that road with it at all

[John]

I'd like a bottle of each, anyway. Would also like ones in the boxes...

John

I will also take one from each cask - I would however need to see the quality of the boxes before I committed to purchase them - any chance we can get a sample for the August meeting? Also, is the IWS 'logo' on the box also or just on the bottle?
John.

[varizoltan]

it is not finalised, but go to http://www.winebox.co.uk and look for 1 bottle luxury box, that will give you an idea

[Beano]

Congratulations to all involved with Grand Crew. Look forward to a tasting in due course, and maybe a bottle as well! The tasters appear to have had a tough job, but I suppose someone had to do it! Hope to be around on the 29th. I suppose the normal monthly meeting on Thurs 27th is still on? Good luck to all.

[DavidH]

I suppose the normal monthly meeting on Thurs 27th is still on?

It sure is. A Connemara extravaganza with Cooley.

[Beano]

Thank David for confirmation of Meeting
Following from my previous posting today I also confirm that I will be hoping to get a bottle from each cask in due course, with boxes , if available. We should also discuss allocations at some future meeting, if no time is available at the next one.

Re allocation of bottles ,I also speak for my fellow Member Cyril O'Brien who is not computerised.

[PureDrop]

Folks, we now have a tentative timetable for Saturday 29th August:
12:00: casks depart Locke’s Distillery by Vintage truck to travel to Kilbeggan Harbour (a distance of a mile)
14:00: casks depart Kilbeggan Harbour towed by horse (casks will be in a small boat on skids pulled by the horse - a Clydesdale)
refreshments (tea etc.) will be provided at the half-way point of what is an 8-mile journey.
~17:30: casks arrive Ballycommon

Three are one or two potenital hicoughs that might impact on timings - the 10th annual AXA/AON Annual Across Ireland run (Irelands largest & Longest motorcycle event of its kind) from Dublin to Galway will pass through Kilbeggan at some stage. Last year, there were 1200 motorbikes in the cavalcade.http://www.annualacrossireland.com/. It takes 20-30 mins to pass a given point.

If possible, we'd like to "intercept" the fun run and donate a boxed bottle of Grand Crew to their charity auction (or a certificate of entitlement to same!)

More details as they come.