Bushmills Tasting Galway 20th June

[IrishWhiskeyChaser]

A heads up on a tasting in Galway City this month ... whoo hoo ... finally something I can get stuck into

McCambridge's of Shop Street, Galway have the pleasure in hosting Colum Egan Master Distiller of Bushmills.

Entitled

A Father's Day Bushmills Irish Whiskey Seminar.

Taste six great whiskeys from Bushmills

Colum Egan, Bushmills Master Distiller will also give a talk about Bushmills and the whiskey while the audience sample some of Bushmills product.

There will also be senior diageo representive present, possibly to discuss the company's goals and objectives in relation to Bushmills.

This will take place in the Artisan Restaurant above Tigh Neachain's from 4-5pm on Saturday 20th June.

After Colum Egan will be in McCambridges signing bottles for those who wise to purchase 5.15pm - 5.45pm.

Tickets are €15 but that is deductable from the purchase of any Bushmills bottle if you wish to purchase. Seats are strictly limited (30 I think)

See you there if your going

Very good value if you ask me.

[DavidH]

Nice. Could you take good notes and fill us in on anything interesting that the speakers said? How the expansion is going, what products are slated for release, future of single casks, etc. I'd be much obliged!

[IrishWhiskeyChaser]

Will Do David ....

It will be interesting what the line up is ...

probably ...

Bushmills White
Blackbush
Bushmills 10yo
Bushmills 16yo

which is 4

so possibly 2 of the following

Bushmills 1608 ANniversary
Bushmills 12 Distillery Reserve
Bushmills 21yo
Bushmills Single Sherry Cask
Bushmills Single Bourbon Cask

Looking forward to it as I've never done a full Bushmills flight before.

[JohnM]

I was at one in Berry Brothers a good few years ago. Only two turned up and it was all free... It was excellent and Colm Egan is a very nice guy. Went for a few drinks with him after in Sheehan's.

There was as much bushmills as you could drink.

By the way, had some of the new Bushmills single cask from the Celtic Whiskey Shop. It was very nice.

[TheWhiskeyBro]

Hi there can you find out if they are producing there own grain whiskey now or still being supplied by midleton, or perhaps from another source within the Diageo group...

Can you also ask what the expansion will mean down the road... when will it impact on supplies/range etc...

And of course historically peating in the old Bushmills distillery prior to the 1880s, did it ever happen...

PS put it a good word for the IWS

Cheers

[IrishWhiskeyChaser]

Well all I can say is what a great hour ....(which turned in to 2 )

Met Colum Egan Bushmills master distiller, Diageo representive Emmet O'Brien and Martin Duffy (I think) their brand ambassador. All were very affable and freely gave up time to talk afterwards.

Colum was full of information and happy to freely discuss Bushmills. Came across as a breath of fresh air and it is obvious that he has a passion for whiskey and related himself to being a whiskey nerd ... he'd be at home here so

So lets get to the detail.

It was not an ideal tasting scene for me so I have no major tasting notes but I did end up buying a 16yo after

We had White Bush, Blackbush, Bush 10yo, Bush 16yo, Bush 21yo & Bush 1608 in that order.

Colum encouraged us to add water but after adding a drop to the Blackbush and ruining it I did not bother after that.

Bushmills Standard general charateristics for me were Vanilla , caramel(taste not colouring) and smooth oak.

I think this blend is totally bourbon aged.

Blackbush. Christmas Cake fruit mix and nutty. High sherry matured content.

Great to hear directly form Colum that this always has a 70%+ malt content.

10yo Peach Mango Vanilla with a touch of spice and honey.

Whiskey used again bourbon aged and from 10-13 years old whiskey used.

16yo A much richer whiskey with a bigger woodiness in it which is lovely. Was really impressed with this. Introduced in 1996 due to a spike in production in 1980.

16yo Bourbon and sherry casks finished in port wood for 6-9mths.

21yo Rich & Dry fruits and dark chocolate. Introduced in 2001 for the first time. 900 cases per year only.

1608 400th Anniversary I know some Bushmills fans don't overly rate this but it was my favourite of the day with the 16yo second. I found out that this was originally going to be a single malt but Colum was not happy and decided to add a bit of grain. He added less than 5% grain to open it up and create something that he was happier with. This really impressed me as it shows how Colum is more interested in the taste rather than creating something that sounds good on paper i.e. a single malt.

The other interesting thing about this is what it is made from ... Crystal Malt. Not being sure what Crystal malt was Colum explained. Crystal Malt is not a type/strain of Malt but a style of production of the malt. During the malting process it is let to simmer thus converting the starches to sugars even before the brewing process.

[IrishWhiskeyChaser]

See HERE for some more detailed facts about Bushmills ...

[cathach]

Hi Adrian,

Thanks a million for putting up all the info about this. A personal tragedy for me that I couldn't make it. I'm surprised that Bushmills still take their grain from Midleton on such long contracts, as I don't think it does their malt any favours, its a pity they couldn't experiment a little with the stuff from Cooley as I think it would suit it more. Does anyone else have a slant on this? Of course i've never had a chance to try Midleton's grain on its own but in all their regular releases I've found it to give an edge not present in the likes of Kilbeggan, Inishowen, Locke's etc.

[JohnM]

That's true. It's not as if the column-distilled stuff is triple-distilled anyway. Cooley make their grain whiskey the same way Midleton does.

[TheWhiskeyBro]

Hi there,
you could always take some Bushmills Single Malt Single Cask bourbon or sherry,
add some Greenore and hey presto you have your own blend....

Would give you some idea of the impact of a Cooley grain, a very expensive blend mind you

[IrishWhiskeyChaser]

In relation to the grain whiskey question ...

The way Bushmills look at it is that grain is grain and when it comes from the column still it basically is a fairly pure spirit so no matter where they get their spirit it is all down to how they use their own wood to mature their grain and therefore the flavour profile of such grain whiskey. They receive it in bulk and then cask it themselves giving them full control over any flavour profiles they want create.

We have no idea of the Midleton set up in relation to Cooley so it is hard to call on differences between the 2.

What we do know is Cooley use a copper column still which has been said does impart a flavour to the spirit in a similar (but much lesser) way to the pot still.

However the question should be, Why would Bushmills buy from Cooley?

The simple way to look at it is ... Bushmills and Midleton have had a relationship for nearly half of a century and even though they are 2 opposing super powers in the drinks industry they still would have close ties. Secondly the system is in place and everything works smoothly so why change it.

The other way to look at it is the cynical way ... why would Bushmills give business to Cooley. Cooley is a small company who needs as much business it can get and Midleton is massive and not relying on their business at all, therefore the business decision should be do not support the company that possibly needs your business the business the most as they are direct competitors.

[DavidH]

First off, thanks a million for all this info. I love getting into the nitty gritty.

What we do know is Cooley use a copper column still which has been said does impart a flavour to the spirit in a similar (but much lesser) way to the pot still.

This is not the case, I'm pretty sure. On our tour we were told that the column still was stainless steel with a short copper section to catalyse out the sulphur compounds. It was noisy and we were hearing about the column still and rectifying column at the same time so it's possible I got the story confused but I have the strong impression it's not copper.

On the more general issue of the interchangeability of Cooley and Midleton grain, Cooley are rather proud of their "soft" french maize and, by law, they are not allowed to distil out all remnants of grain taste from the spirit. So I'd say there is a good chance that Midleton and Cooley grain tastes different.

[varizoltan]

was it just a section copper
i think one was copper and one was stainless steel
i was standing beside the copperone, and i remember moving the insulation to see it
but not sure was it all copper or not

[IrishWhiskeyChaser]

Can't be fully sure on the copper Colunms but I know they have some in Kilbeggan ready for some purpose.

On the more general issue of the interchangeability of Cooley and Midleton grain, Cooley are rather proud of their "soft" french maize and, by law, they are not allowed to distil out all remnants of grain taste from the spirit. So I'd say there is a good chance that Midleton and Cooley grain tastes different.

Interesting ... can you expand on this as I have not come across this before.

However for sake of arguement ...

If by Law Cooley can't 'distil out all remnants of grain' is it not logical that Midleton have to abide by the same legislation ??? I still feel we really can't be sure that Cooley have a better quality grain whiskey ... I do agree that their aged grain is a very high quality grain whiskey but this may be the cream of the crop.

Then the edge as some people call it in IDL blends could very easily have more to do with younger pps being used rather than their grain. It stands to reason that grain whiskey in say a product like Midleton Very Rare is also of a very high quality so I don't think we can automatically assume Cooley produce a better grain as we have nothing to judge it against.

[DavidH]

Can't be fully sure on the copper Colunms but I know they have some in Kilbeggan ready for some purpose.

I remember your photos. That's the old Daly distillery equipment, is it not? Came with the big pots.

On the more general issue of the interchangeability of Cooley and Midleton grain, Cooley are rather proud of their "soft" french maize and, by law, they are not allowed to distil out all remnants of grain taste from the spirit. So I'd say there is a good chance that Midleton and Cooley grain tastes different.

Interesting ... can you expand on this as I have not come across this before.

Oh you have seen it, I'm sure. It's in the Irish Whiskey Act:

distilled at an alcoholic strength of less than 94.8% by volume in such a way that the distillate has an aroma and flavour derived from the materials used

Naturally that applies to Midleton too. If they use different types of maize, it stands to reason that the distillate might taste different. Noel Sweeney points out that Cooley make the best grain whiskey they can, selecting the type of maize for flavour and maturing the result in first-fill casks.

I still feel we really can't be sure that Cooley have a better quality grain whiskey

Let's just say it may be "different". As you say, we can't compare. It's not neutral, tasteless spirit that these distilleries are producing, is my point, so there is a good chance they don't taste the same. And therefore they are not interchangeable as far as Bushmills is concerned. But that's just speculation on my part. Perhaps maturation is more important.

[DavidH]

was it just a section copper
i think one was copper and one was stainless steel
i was standing beside the copperone, and i remember moving the insulation to see it
but not sure was it all copper or not

I was finding it hard to hear at this point so I can't be sure if he was talking about the column still, the rectifier, or both. One of them at least was stainless steel with a copper segment for the reason I mentioned.

Perhaps TheWhiskeyBros was closer and remembers?

[IrishWhiskeyChaser]

I remember your photos. That's the old Daly distillery equipment, is it not? Came with the big pots.

No the Column still were Brand Spanking New so not sure if they were replacements or are they going to set one up in Kilbeggan too.

.....As you say, we can't compare. It's not neutral, tasteless spirit that these distilleries are producing, is my point, so there is a good chance they don't taste the same. And therefore they are not interchangeable as far as Bushmills is concerned. But that's just speculation on my part. Perhaps maturation is more important.

Ahh with you now

Think I'm getting 2 conversations confused again as usual.

[Michael Foggarty]

[/quote]

No the Column still were Brand Spanking New so not sure if they were replacements or are they going to set one up in Kilbeggan too.

[/quote]

Not so sure about that, they may have looked new as if they had just came out of a distillery.

Would you leave a brand new still out in the yard ?

[IrishWhiskeyChaser]

Not so sure about that, they may have looked new as if they had just came out of a distillery.

Would you leave a brand new still out in the yard ?

That could be the case too Michael but I'd put money on it that they are not from Tullamore.

[IainB]

At the risk of sounding like Jim Murray I think you can detect some of the difference between Midleton and Cooley grain by nosing some of the higher grain Midleton blends, say Paddy, or even White Bush for that matter. (This being a Bushmills topic). I think the current Black label clontarf has quite a high percentage of grain also. The impression I get is of a harsher, more spirity(?) grain, as against the Cooley which is quite soft. This may, as noted above, be more to do with maturation than anything else.

Also, the Midleton and Bushmills blends all state they are triple distilled - I presume this means the grain must also be triple distilled. This would, therefore, rule out Cooley's grain for Bushmills as, having seen the still, it is definitely not triple distilled. I'm not quite sure how exactly triple distilling in column stills would operate, but if the grain spirit has been subject to an extra distillation wouldn't this result in a "purer" and therefore less flavoured spirit?

[DavidH]

That could be the case too Michael but I'd put money on it that they are not from Tullamore.

Great, I'll take that bet. How much?

[JohnM]

I heard somewhere that they were from Tullamore, but I'm not sure where I heard it or if it's correct.

[JohnM]

This is where I heard it ... www.irishwhiskeynotes.com ...

New still for Kilbeggan
Wednesday, February 4, 2009

The big whiskey story in 2007 was the recommencement of distillation at Kilbeggan after a pause of more than 50 years. Cooley bought the old distillery (which by this time had become a museum) in 1988 as a place to mature its own whiskey. But the intention was there from the beginning to eventually bring the distillery back to full operation.

The all important stills were gone from Kilbeggan but Cooley managed to source replacements from the defunct B. Daly distillery in Tullamore. It ended up with one small and three large copper pot stills, and a copper column still.

The small pot still was restored, a boiler installed, and production resumed on the site on March 19th, 2007. Since there is only one pot, the first stage of distillation happens at Cooley's main plant in Louth and the "low wines" are transported to Kilbeggan where they receive the second, and final, distillation.



While the result naturally shares much of its character with spirit distilled entirely at Cooley, the smaller pot still produces a lighter spirit. The first matured whiskey from this still might be ready for release as early as 2011.

In early April Cooley expects to take delivery of a new still at Kilbeggan. It has been made by Forsyths of Scotland to much the same design as the existing still, including the distinctive rivetting. It will be larger though - 3,000l capacity compared to the 2,000l of the old still.

Mashing and fermentation will continue to take place at Cooley but now the wash will be taken directly to Kilbeggan where it will first be distilled in the new, larger pot, then in the old one. At some point, it is intended to distil three times by using the new still twice.

[DavidH]

Must be true then. Quality site. I may have got it from here (and seemingly it's two column stills, not one, as I had).

But I had a good thing going with IWC there. I was on track to make some cash from that. You owe me, man!

[IrishWhiskeyChaser]

Well fair play lads ... I was deducing from the condition of them. The potstills look weather beaten while the column stills look in great condition. Obviously a wrong deduction on my behalf

So now we have that sorted ... next, what is the bottom line on the column stills in Cooley.