Irish Whiskey Questions - Begging Indulgence!

[stonesstein]

I beg your indulgence for allowing me to post new topics and questions. I am certain that the vast collective knowledge of the board members can educate a guy from the SE US.

In the US (and perhaps elsewhere), many are driven to collect whiskey by the age of the bottle. I have been lucky myself to obtain 50+ year old bottles of Canadian Club and Seagrams V.O. which turned out to be WONDERFULLY SMOOTH and delightful to drink. However, a friend who has collected whiskies from all over once advised me that age is far from everything. While I have come to learn this in a most general sense, he did not give me the specifics that or any subsequent evening. He advised me of other aspects of collecting, but frankly, the hour was late, and my notes seemed to have run off.

With that in mind, and recognizing that this post deals with collecting Irish Whiskey, some of the questions could well belong in another division of this board:

1. What is considered to be of the finest Irish Whiskey ever available, regardless of price, regardless of age? (Yes, I am asking many and all to identify the penultimate, the cat's pajamas, the Grand Banana!)

2. How old is "too old" even if kept sealed and safe? In other words, does this stuff have a shelf life?

3. What is considered to be the most collectible Irish Whiskey? Most valuable? Holy Grail among collectors? (Again, regardless of price, regardless of age)

4. For the first time, I have seen and learned of so many special/commemorative/limited/rare releases of which we in the US never hear. How and where does one learn of these when they are released as opposed to several months or years thereafter?

5. Having just visited the Galway region in May (Christy Moore at Leisureland 15 May - YES!) for a three-day tour around small villages, pubs, and churches, three questions I asked many were:

a. what is your favorite US whiskey? (Jack Daniels and Blantons seemed to be the favorites)

b. what are the best Irish whiskies that we can get in the US? (Midletons and Red Breast won far and away with there being a loyal Connemara contingent!) and

c. what are the best Irish whiskies that we can NOT get in the US? (most had no idea, but some said Yellow Spot/Green Spot)

I know - so many questions, and if these have already been answered elsewhere, feel free to point me thereto!

Else, MANY MANY THANX to so many in advance for taking the time to read and even thinking about this!

[IrishWhiskeyChaser]

Hi Stonesstein,

You are more than welcome and this is what the forum is for. To exchange ideas and knowledge.

I'll try some for you I'm sure others will have different ideas which is why whiskey is so great we all have different likes.

1. What is considered to be of the finest Irish Whiskey ever available, regardless of price, regardless of age? (Yes, I am asking many and all to identify the penultimate, the cat's pajamas, the Grand Banana!)

Who is your favourite Child

But many consider the Midleton 25yo Limited Edition to be near perfect. This was a distilation from 1973 and released in the late 90's and you can still grab a bottle for circa €2500
Lately However Jameson released (for me) a classic in the Jameson Rarest Vintage Resreve which retails still in the US for CIrca $300.
The first release of Redbreast 15yo (2005) was another classic but other versions are not far off the spot.
Old releases of Single casks from Bushmills (Sherry cask for me but others love Rum casks or just plain Biourbon casks)

2. How old is "too old" even if kept sealed and safe? In other words, does this stuff have a shelf life?

When buying old bottles look out for teh fill level and if it is low (below the shoulder) then the contents cannot be guarenteed to be perfect. but as long as it is sealed and the seal is good the contents should be fine for years. We opened up a bottle of Jameson from 1910-20 and it was a wonderful experience, perfectly acceptable eventhough different. The problem is with old bottles we don't have a anything to measure them against as whiskey has evolved over the years and a bottle of Jameson 10 - 20 years ago will be different from today eventhough they say not . However what was interesting was there was a Jameson essence that can be identified through the ages. So your safe to keep whiskey for decades as long as you monitor evaporation.

3. What is considered to be the most collectible Irish Whiskey? Most valuable? Holy Grail among collectors? (Again, regardless of price, regardless of age)

Irish Whiskey is still very low on the collectors market but Probably the Midleton yearly release series is still the most collected. WHat the single casks will do is anybody's guess as tey are seen as quite expensive for what they are but with the Midleton name it is great a help.

4. For the first time, I have seen and learned of so many special/commemorative/limited/rare releases of which we in the US never hear. How and where does one learn of these when they are released as opposed to several months or years thereafter?

You just need to keep an eye on the market. i.e. keep visiting places like this and some of the main retailers like Celtic Whiskey Shop and The Whiskey Exchange. Also Google google and google

5. Having just visited the Galway region in May (Christy Moore at Leisureland 15 May - YES!) for a three-day tour around small villages, pubs, and churches, three questions I asked many were:

a. what is your favorite US whiskey? (Jack Daniels and Blantons seemed to be the favorites)

Have tried many Bourbons including small batch stuff but Makers mark has always been a favourite of mine for many years. Been lucky to try a William L Weller which was very enjoyable but was not so gone on George T Stagg both Bufflo trave I believe.

b. what are the best Irish whiskies that we can get in the US? (Midletons and Red Breast won far and away with there being a loyal Connemara contingent!) and

Powers John's Lane (Wonderful) Redbreast

c. what are the best Irish whiskies that we can NOT get in the US? (most had no idea, but some said Yellow Spot/Green Spot)

Possibly Writers Tears as I'm not so sure if it is available over in your side but ye get a fair bit of what is available just not available every where.

[JohnM]

Yeah. What Adrian said.

Answers will be different for everyone.

In terms of collectables, some of the Cadenhead anniversary bottles are very hard to find. Particularly the Royal Irish Distillers and the John's Lane.

And the best to drink might include that Middleton 25, Redbreast 15 first release and the new 21... Then there is the Jameson 15. I think some of the new Teeling whiskeys are right up there too.