Irish Whiskey Society first cask bottling

[TheWhiskeyBro]

Working on the members requests as we speak, hope to e-mail any members who haven't given an order over the next few days, allocation is going to be limited but we are doing our best to ensure that every member gets one bottle from each cask if they wish. Demand for these bottlings is very strong. Feel free to PM me with your order (include your name) and I will take note of it otherwise wait for an e-mail. Cost could be upto €60 per bottle and additional €10 for presentation box but this has to be confirmed by the committee. Thanks

When allocation is confirmed we will be in touch with everyone about payment & collection details closer to the time.

FYI they have just been bottled in the last week...

[PureDrop]

For those that might be interested, its likely that the 107B barge carrying the two casks will come into the city on Friday 2nd/Saturday 3rd. She's already in County Dublin.
Michael

[PureDrop]

We have been reliably(??) informed that the 107B, bearing our casks, shall descend into Dublin on Monday 5th October.
We plan to "accept" the delivery sometime on Tuesday 6th.

I would expect that the boat will travel from Lucan to Portobello on Monday and on to Mespil Rd. on Tuesday. I expect to be out on Monday with my trusty lock key to assist the 107B into Dublin. Do say hello if you can make it, even for a few minutes.

For an idea of what the canal is like from Lucan into Portobello, have a look at the Dublin IWAI photo galleries at http://dublin.iwai.ie/docs/gallery.html, particularly those for the 2008, 2009 Dublin Rallies.

And don't forget the tasting tomorrow Thursday night - details http://forum.irishwhiskeysociety.com/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=264#p2313
Michael

[DavidH]

I've been talking to Michael about this and we are going to post updates of the barges' progress on Monday on Twitter so anyone who wants to meet it along the way can time their visit.

You can find the Irish Whiskey Society's Twitter page here:
http://twitter.com/irishwhiskeysoc

The provisional schedule is this:
The 107B and 45M will leave the 12th lock Lucan at 08:30 on Monday morning. This should have them at the 9th lock, Clondalkin at around 09:30. They could be in Portobello anytime between 2 and 6pm, depending on snags encountered along the way.

Michael will bring a couple of spare life jackets and Robbie (the Skipper) is happy for people to come aboard and ride for a lock or two.

[PureDrop]

Hello Folks,
Firstly, I realise that Monday is a working day so I know its not convenient for many. However, its not every day we have two old canal boats coming into Dublin, one bearing our Locke's "Grand Crew" Casks.
For those who don't have an intimate knowledge of the Grand Canal in Dublin, there's a useful map of the city section at http://www.iwai.ie/maps/grand/maps.grand.1.html.
There are Luas stops at the 1st (Suir Rd.), 2nd (Goldenbridge) and 3rd (Black Horse) locks of the main line. Our final destination on Monday is Portobello Harbour.

I'll be heading out to the 9th lock (Clondalkin) for 9:15 or so. The boats (107B and 45M) should descend from the 12th lock (Lucan) at 08:30 or thereabouts on Monday Morning. As David said, I'll be updating on progress as the day goes on!

Since the eventual arrival time at Portobello on Monday is subject to so many variables (weather, weed, rubbish, mechanical failure, too much water making locks difficult to open, rubbish preventing locks opening, propellers getting fouled etc.), we won't do anything on monday. Instead, we will have a little ceremony at Portobello on Tuesday 16:30-17:00 to welcome the completion of the cask's journey from Kilbeggan to Dublin by canal - all welcome. Sorry for the early timing, but light is starting to fail at 6pm now.
NOTE change in time. This is to facilitate the participation of the Lord Mayor, Emer Costello.

Michael

[PureDrop]

Folks,
And the good news is that Jim Murray liked our cask 696 as much as we did. Indeed the reaction at last Thursday's tasting was equally positive. Jim scored our cask 696 a whopping 93.5 - Thanks Jim.
Michael

[PureDrop]

Folks,
The "107B" barge that delivered our casks will leave Portobello Harbour, Rathmines tomorrow morning at 08:30.
We would like assistance to see her out of Dublin - its a journey of 12 hours or so to get to Lucan and then Hazelhatch. If it suits anyone, give me a shout on 0876477144, Michael

[DavidH]

I wish I could do this but I am still making up for the loss of Monday's working hours. I thoroughly recommend it to anyone though. Opening and closing the locks is good honest labour. Very satisfying, feeds the soul.

[PureDrop]

2 updates:
1) A wee video of yesterday's proceedings can be found at http://www.iwai.ie/media
2) "107B" may not leave until Friday now. Any update will be posted here.
Some photos from Monday's trip to Portobello follow:
/M
Zoltan and David on security duty.

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Nearly there ...

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We've reason to celebrate - the 107B and cargo arrives safely.

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[PureDrop]

Mission Accomplished.
Last April, we proposed delivering a cask of whiskey from Locke's of Kilbeggan to Dublin by canal and bottling the contents. I think its been more fun and more successful than we hoped and highlighted how multiple groups and individual volunteers can cooperate to mutual advantage. The praise for the whiskey at the tasting on the 1st and the write-up in Jim Murray's 2010 Whisky Bible being the icing on the cake. In addition to publicising the neglected Kilbeggan Line of the Grand Canal, the journey/voyage has also succeeded in focusing attention on the state of the Main Line into Dublin.
Some photos (by Niall Galway) from the welcoming of the casks by the Lord Mayor on Tuesday are below.
I saw 107B off at Lock 10 (west of Clondalkin) yesterday evening at 6pm - It has left the Suir Road at 7am.

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Picture below shows the Lord Mayor, Emer Costello learning more than she ever wanted to know about our project.

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Slán
Michael

[John]

Hi Guys,
Where are we with this bottling at the moment. Will it be available for sale to members at the November meeting?
Thanks,
John.

[TheWhiskeyBro]

Members orders have been taken, committee has discussed distribution.

Distribution will be through three centres South, Central & North Dublin.

Will commence mid-November, hope to have distribution completed by end November

Awaiting additional order of boxes and second part of our allocation.

Will e-mail/post to members when ready to roll-out.

Members guaranteed one bottle of each (if already ordered) and hope to have enough to satisfy anyone who ordered a second of either cask (orders now closed to members).

Cheers

[John]

Cheers WhiskeyBro.
Better keep an eye on the e-mail then!
All the best,
John.

[TheWhiskeyBro]

The final allocation has been received at our dunnage warehouse in a secret location in Kilmacud, and good news too on the boxes, they have also been received from the respective suppliers. The final piece of the jigsaw is the card insert with the Grand Crew's details which accompanies the box. These are expected to arrive tomorrow Monday 16th November. If it is humanly possible the organisers will arrange to have the bottles at there destinations/collection points later in the week.

It will be strictly cash or cheque on collection, so as a reminder the cost is €60 per bottle & €10 per box
e.g if you ordered 2 bottles of cask 696, 2 bottles of cask 700 and two boxes your total would be €260.

It also looks like we will be just about able to fill all orders as received thanks to the diligent efforts of Mr Slevin.

Check back here for final details in the very near future...

I'm excited... look forward to tasting this in laboratory (or is that lavatory ) conditions at home

[varizoltan]

i have tasted them side by side last night

a fantastic whiskey

[TheWhiskeyBro]

Good news, everything has arrived and distribution should begin from Thursday onwards...
Everyone should receive an e-mail about collection in the next couple of days, if you don't 'pm' me for info...