What are you having yourself?

[jcskinner]

Beer then chaser, obviously!
Actually, I've been doing a bit of practical research on this, with the aim of matching beers to whiskeys for a potential tasting.
Whiskey first kills the nuances of the lower-alcohol beer that follows, even with beefy, chewy Belgian trippels that are hardly low alcohol in themselves.
Beer first allows it to be enjoyed on its own merits, with the taste lingering on the palate to be complimented by the spirit that follows.
My 2c anyway.

[IrishWhiskeyChaser]

Did a stock take last week after clearing 3 bottles (don't worry they were very empty) and the count was 89 So just to even everything up I opened a New bottling of Blackbush tonight.

After a lap QC you could be forgiven for thinking (if you listen to a scotch malt enthusiast anyway) that it would not stand up. Well I have news

The nose is quite evident... lighter than I've remember but more malty and lighter fruits but not neccessairly less evident ...

I have to conceed that the mouth feel is much lighter .. possibly watery even at the start but not weak ... after the intitial lightness the flavours reveal themselves even more and there is a great spice finish which is really excellent and it drys out and it quite long. I must have one of these tomorrow on it's tod to make sure it still is a top buy.

[jcskinner]

You gotta love the Black Bush. It's been the world's best bang-for-buck whiskey for so long now. I'm enjoying one right now!
The consistency, quality and value is superb. It's a national treasure in my opinion!

[IainB]

Beer then chaser, obviously!
Actually, I've been doing a bit of practical research on this, with the aim of matching beers to whiskeys for a potential tasting.
Whiskey first kills the nuances of the lower-alcohol beer that follows, even with beefy, chewy Belgian trippels that are hardly low alcohol in themselves.
Beer first allows it to be enjoyed on its own merits, with the taste lingering on the palate to be complimented by the spirit that follows.
My 2c anyway.

I'd generally do the beer first, but with Powers and Guinness it was and still is often the other way round. You'd often see aul lads have a couple of whiskeys and then move onto pints. Or a least have a whiskey while they waited for the pint to settle.

[IainB]

Is it the O'Hara's or their own brand name. I really like the O'Hara's. Goes really well wiht Irish malt whiskey.

did you know that there is a small brewery starting soon here in Co. Wicklow
i love to pair that with some malt

Not that I did not know - where?

Sorry about tonight by the way, but then I'm half relieved - I'm up with the lads in the morning and nights out with you never end early!

[IainB]

Tonight I'm doing a head to head of 4 Midlton 12 yr olds - Powers, Redbreast, Jameson and a Jameson "Distillers Selection" with a cream label.

I thought the Redbreast would be the clear winner but to my surprise it's the standard 12yo Jameson. Out of the 4 it's got the clearest pot still and is more spicy than the others which all seem a little flatter. I'm wondering though whether it's someting to do with the fact that the other 3 have been open for a while, while this one wasa freshly opened tonight. They're all about 3/4 full and I've never noticed a change before.

[JohnM]

Beer then chaser, obviously!
Actually, I've been doing a bit of practical research on this, with the aim of matching beers to whiskeys for a potential tasting.
Whiskey first kills the nuances of the lower-alcohol beer that follows, even with beefy, chewy Belgian trippels that are hardly low alcohol in themselves.
Beer first allows it to be enjoyed on its own merits, with the taste lingering on the palate to be complimented by the spirit that follows.
My 2c anyway.

I'd generally do the beer first, but with Powers and Guinness it was and still is often the other way round. You'd often see aul lads have a couple of whiskeys and then move onto pints. Or a least have a whiskey while they waited for the pint to settle.

I always thought that's what a chaser was, a beer or something else after a whisky. So the beer is the chaser. Not that it matters. Not that I know what I'm talking about.

I love Powers with a Guinness. Lagavulin too.

[varizoltan]

Leffe & Laphroaig QC in that order ... they don't call me the Irish WHiskey Chaser for nothing ... oooppps oh wait Laphroaig is not Irish .


Anyway a question to the rest of yez ... beer first or whiskey first ... when you have both infront of you.

whiskey and than the chaser

[IainB]

I remember now reading in one of John B Keane's books that the idea was if you were out drinking whiskey all night you should have at least 2 pints of stout before you went home so the whiskey wouldn't be sitting in your stomach all night. Sounds like good advice to me.

[varizoltan]

I remember now reading in one of John B Keane's books that the idea was if you were out drinking whiskey all night you should have at least 2 pints of stout before you went home so the whiskey wouldn't be sitting in your stomach all night. Sounds like good advice to me.

so i better drink that Guinness now

[IrishWhiskeyChaser]

I always thought that's what a chaser was, a beer or something else after a whisky. So the beer is the chaser. Not that it matters. Not that I know what I'm talking about.

I love Powers with a Guinness. Lagavulin too.

You'd be right on that but I always like my whiskey after my beer ...

Powers & Guinness a match made in heaven

[IrishWhiskeyChaser]

Writers Tears currently ... the whiskey is a bit on the cold side and the malt is really to the fore on the nowse and a bit salty loely bit of spice in the taste.

A Powers 12yo waiting in the wings when I finish this

[varizoltan]

BenRiach 29 years old single cask

[TheWhiskeyBro]

Having a Royal Lochnagar 12yo Single Malt, quite tasty and oily... hmmmm

[IrishWhiskeyChaser]

Tullamore Dew 43 Black ...

Yes definately a lot of pot still charachter and a good full taste. Quite smooth as you'd expect with a Tullamore with a good dollup of grain sweetness too but a little bit of dry and spice on the finish.

[PureDrop]

Having a Royal Lochnagar 12yo Single Malt, quite tasty and oily... hmmmm

Funny, finally killed a bottle of that during the week. Its funny, over the 10 years that I had that bottle, I very rarely found myself thinking that ... "What I'd love now is a little drop of Royal Lochnagar". Ditto for a lot of my open bottles.
/M

[varizoltan]

Midleton 1985

now we are talking

[IrishWhiskeyChaser]

Guinness Foreign Extra Stout with a Flora & Fauna Mortlach 16yo

Seem like a good match an excellent speysider with lovely rich sweetness (Prunes spring to mind) and a little sprinkle of dusty dry spice.


Had a Guinness FES with Blackbush last night which brought me back a few years as this was my regular drink for many years.

[TheWhiskeyBro]

Rediscovering Jameson 12 at the moment... been away too long...

[Dugarry]

just been drinking very cagey 'run to the jax quick' homemade cider that my brother made for the last few weeks - couldnt really afford much else - at least I will appreciate the whisky a bit more when i get delivery next week.

[IrishWhiskeyChaser]

Started with a large Redbreast 12yo and what a great drop, had a quick nip of the 15 in the middle just to compare and yes the 15 is still a long leap up but the Rb 12 is a top notch whiskey. Now on Laphroaig 15yo which is possibly one of the lightest Laphs but the Redbreast is in now way is over powered by this islay which is a nice favourite of mine also. It's all good though ...

[varizoltan]

comparing;

Connemara NAS
Kilbeggan Peated malt
Cooley heavily peated malt (TURF MOR)
Ardbeg Uigeadail
Laphroaig Cairdeas 12
Glen Mhor 28 years
Lagavulin Distillers Edition 1993
Laphroaig Quarter cask
Bowmore 21
Ardbeg Supernova


Laphroaig 30

[IrishWhiskeyChaser]

Knappogue Castle 1951.

Well what can I say ... what a transformation from the last time I tasted this. I always thought that the nose was amazing but the tastw was possibly a bit light. Maybe my taste buds were too used to stronger whiskey's but tonight it seems that the flavours have revealed themselves for the first time. The strange thing is I have a blocked nose and not getting the nose or finish as well as I should but I've detailed these before.

Taste: Toffee and Coffee, dry gin & spice and ginger ale.

Quite yummy actually ... maybe it is down to the fact that I'm not drinking much these days. As they say too much of a good thing ...

[JohnM]

I can drink again, so am treating myself to a few samples I bought from Master of Malt. Parker's 25 yr old Heritage Collection, Rittenhouse Rye 25 yr old, Ardbeg Uigeadail and Karuizawa 1977.

The Rittenhouse and the Karuizawa are my favourites. Very nice indeed.

[IrishWhiskeyChaser]

The Rittenhouse and the Karuizawa are my favourites. Very nice indeed.

Very nice Mr M and well deserved too

Karuizawa has been the relevation of Japanese whisky ... all top notch stuff.

Must get myself some Rittenhouse at some stage...

Currrently I'm supping a Jameson 12yo Distillery Reserve (Midleton). This is quite different from the regular Jameson 12yo and very enjoyable

Bit like a chocolate coffee liqueur and a nice hint of spicy-ness ike you can get from Powers. I quite impressed actually. I grab a shot of this in the Midlrton bar for 6 Euro only to realise I could of got a Jameson, Jameson 12yo & Jameson 12yo Disitllery res sample tray for €10 doohhh