Wild Geese
"Registered under the Avalon Group Inc this whiskey has been knocking around in
various forms for a while now. Designed and Marketed by Protégé International
Ltd The latest incarnation has a line of of 4 whiskies 3 in square decanter type
bottles is both impressive and stylish and smacks of a quality product."
"This is a slight rebranding of the Wild Geese line-up especially for the North
American market (USA & Canada)"
"Expression %
Distillery
Launched
Single Malt
43.0 Cooley
2007
Limited Edition Fourth Centennial 43.0 Cooley
2007
Rare Irish 43.0 Cooley
2007
Classic Blend
40.0 Cooley
2007
Blend (Old Green label tall bottle, Cork Top)
43.0 Cooley
2006 *
Blend (Older Purple label tall bottle, Screw Top)
40.0 Cooley
2003
http://irishwhiskeychaser.webs.com/privatebrands.htm#314042779
"Avalon is a legendary island featured in the Arthurian legend. It first appears in
Geoffrey of Monmouth's 1136 account "The History of the Kings of Britain" as the
place where King Arthur's sword Excalibur was forged and later where Arthur was
taken to recover from his wounds after the Battle of Camlann. Avalon was
associated from an early date with mystical practices and people.
"Avalon (novel), a 1965 novel by Anya Seton
"Avalon (1990 film), a film directed by Barry Levinson
"Frankie Avalon (born 1940), American actor, singer, and former teen idol
"Avalon (Roxy Music album), a 1982 album by British group Roxy Music
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avalon
They also make a rum
Distilled at Cooley
" Beam Global purchased Ireland’s only Independent Distillery (at the time),
Cooley, in 2011, in a huge deal.
"They have history of working in whisky that goes back to Walter Teeling founding
a distillery on Marrowbone Lane, Dublin in 1782. Fast forward to John Teeling
founding Cooley in 1987.
http://www.edinburghwhiskyblog.com/2013/03/18/the-teelingwhiskey-company-a-blend-a-poitin-a-hybrid/
"Double distilled, unpeated single malt and grain whiskey are aged in bourbon
casks and then blended together.
"It received a great review from Jim Murray's 2009 Whiskey Bible! 89.5.
'some toffee, yes, but the excellence of the vanilla is there to behold; just a light
layering of barley but the gentle citrus caresses with the more exquisite
touch...superb arrival on the palate...just love this. The Cooley grain is working
sublimely and dovetails with the malt in the same effortless way wild geese fly in
perfect formation. A treat.'
Richard Hennessy In 1745, he enlisted in King Louis XV’s Irish Brigade and
discovered the Charente region shortly after the Battle of Fontenoy.
In 1756 Captain Hennessy left the army and traveled to Ostend, a place where
some of his family lived and where he would begin trading in eaux-de-vie.
in 1765, Richard returned to Charente and established his own Maison in Cognac
http://www.hennessy.com/en-ca/news/3903-richard-hennessyfounder-and-visionary
"A blend of Irish malt and grain whisky made by Cooley Distillery and mainly aged
in first-fill ex-bourbon barrels with some second-fill also used. How long this
whiskey is matured for is not disclosed.
"The Wild Geese brand is owned by Avalon Group Inc. and their Irish whiskey
range joins a line-up of third-party distilled spirits which includes Wild Geese
Rum. Launched in May 2012, the whiskies are made by Ireland’s Cooley Distillery
(now owned by Beam Inc.) using what the brand owners describe as a “unique
Extended Double Distillation process”. When asked exactly what this was we were
told, “The distillation is over a longer period and a lower heat”. We’d guess Cooley
distil their own branded whiskies equally as slowly in which case this would hardly
be unique. Sounds distinctly like marking puffery.
The brand name is not an ill-conceived attempt to piggyback on Grey Goose. (At
least we hope it’s not). In Irish history the term ‘Wild Geese’ generally refers to
Irish soldiers who have left the Ireland to serve as mercenaries in continental
European armies, particularly during the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. The Wild
Geese Collection of Irish whiskies in particular celebrates the 1691 ‘Flight of The
Wild Geese’ which occurred after the Treaty of Limerick.
During the Williamite War in Ireland (1688–91), Louis XIV gave military and
financial support to the Irish Jacobites, including his sending 6,000 French troops.
In return, in 1690, Louis demanded that the Irish send 6,000 of their troops to
fight in the Nine Years War against the Dutch. Accordingly, five regiments, known
as the ‘French Irish Brigade’, were sent. The following year, in 1691, the Irish
Jacobites under Patrick Sarsfield surrendered and he signed the Treaty of
Limerick. His troops were permitted to leave Ireland for service in the French
Army in return for their surrender so 14,000 soldiers and 10,000 women and
children left for France. This mass emigration has since become known as the
Flight of the Wild Geese.
Some might say this whiskey brand represents a cynical attempt to market to
patriotic Irish Americans and indeed in the USA we note that this range of
whiskies goes by the longer brand name, “The Wild Geese Irish Soldiers & Heroes
Irish Whiskey Collection.” Tellingly the website says, “Wherever you are in the
world, if you are of Irish descent you are part of this story and entitled to call
yourself ‘Wild Geese’. (For the record I boast more than a little Irish decent
-thanks mum.)
diffordsguide Tasting notes
Sampled on 13/08/2012
Appearance:
Clear, mid golden.
Aroma:
Butterscotch, slightly burnt crème brûlée, vanilla and lemon zest.
Taste:
Burnt notes continue through to the slightly honey sweet and buttery
toffee malty palate with pleasing toasty notes, cleansing citrus zest and a mild
spicy oak garnish.
Aftertaste: Butterscotch and light cinnamon spice. Easy but perhaps lacking real
depth of flavour.
http://www.diffordsguide.com/beer-winespirits/spirits/whiskey/BWS002960/the-wild-geese-rare-irish
THE WILD GEESE RARE IRISH WHISKEY (Avalon Group)
CSPC #13623, 700 mL, $69.95
Bright gold whiskey with a fruity corn syrup, spiced nose. Big, smooth with a
slightly sweet personality.
Elegant cinnamon and nutmeg spice finish replays the initial aromas in the finish.
(88)
http://www.vintageassessments.com/pn/pn_61014.html
"the first Flight of the Wild Geese took place in 1607, when Hugh O'Neill and Rory
O'Donnell, the respective Earls of Tyrone and Tyrconnell set sail from Loch Swilly
on Co. Donegal. They never returned to their native land.
The Wild Geese certainly made their presence felt in the world. They fought in
every major conflict from the days of Louis XIV to the last world war. They
founded four navies and were particularly active in the foundation of the United
States, Chile, Peru, and Mexico. They were to a great extent responsible for
opening up the western states of America, and were particularly active in the
Boer War in South Africa. They fought on both sides in the American Civil War.
They fought for the French Revolution. Four were among Washington's principal
aides, just as four others were signatories of the American Declaration of
Independence. Over sixty fell at the Batttle of the Little Big Horn, whilst Chief
Sitting Bull wore the medal of one of the Wild Geese around his neck until he
died.
Red Hugh O'Donnell and his brother Rory both made their way to Spain during
the early years of the seventeenth century, and their descendants have been
prominent in Spanish society ever since. Leopoldo O'Donnell became Prime
Minister of Spain in the nineteenth century. Irish family names are prominent in
Spain, including O'Reilly, O'Callaghan, O'Shea, and McMahon. The principal street
in Madrid is called Calle O'Donnell.
"uisce beatha is Gaelic ie Irish language
"Irish Whiskey Act of 1980
"The Irish Whiskey Act, 1950 , is hereby repealed.
"the Spirits Act, 1880
Irish whiskey must be distilled and aged in the island of Ireland
The contained spirits must be distilled to an alcohol by volume level of less than
94.8% from a yeast-fermented mash of cereal grains (saccharified by the
diastase of malt contained therein, with or without other natural diastases) in
such a way that the distillate has an aroma and flavour derived from the
materials used
The product must be aged for at least three years in wooden casks
If the spirits comprise a blend of two or more such distillates, the product is
referred to as a "blended" Irish whiskey
Most Irish pot still whiskey is distilled three times,
four distilleries in Ireland. Currently the distilleries operating in Ireland are: New
Midleton Distillery (Jamesons, Powers, Paddy, Midleton, Redbreast, and others),
Old Bushmills Distillery (all Bushmills), Cooley Distillery (Connemara, Michael
Collins, Tyrconnell, and others) and the reopened Kilbeggan Distillery, which
began distilling again in 2007.
Irish Distillers' Midleton distillery has been part of the Pernod Ricard conglomerate
since 1988.
Bushmills was part of the Irish Distillers group from 1972 until 2005 when it was
sold to Diageo.
Cooley, which also owns Kilbeggan, agreed in December 2011 to be acquired by
Beam Inc.
http://www.thewhiskyguide.com/Irish/Irish_Whiskey.html
"saccharification = the process of breaking a complex carbohydrate (as starch)
into simple sugars
"Cooley Distillery is an Irish whiskey distillery, located on the Cooley Peninsula in
County Louth, converted in 1987 from an older potato alcohol plant by John
Teeling.
"The distillery features both column stills and pot stills for distillation. Unlike most
other Irish whiskeys, which are usually distilled three times, Cooley's products are
generally distilled twice, as the third distillation is thought to remove some of the
flavor components.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooley_Distillery
"John Teeling bought the former State owned potato alcohol plant in the Cooley
peninsula on Ireland's east coast. This alcohol plant was converted in less than
two years into two distilleries - a pot still and a patent still operation. This marked
the first rival to Irish Distillers, who up to this point were the sole producer of
Irish whiskey in the world.
http://www.shopwiki.co.uk/d/356528/256033635/Tyrconnell-SingleMalt-Irish-Whiskey-40%25-vol-70cl
"Distillery Capacity
3 250 000 litres
"Previously it has produced spirits in column stills (e. g. Vodka)
http://www.masterofmalt.com/distilleries/cooley-whiskey-distillery/
"In 1966, John Power & Son, John Jameson & Son and the Cork Distillery
Company (which owned the Old Midleton distillery) merged to form the Irish
Distillers Group. The board of the newly formed company decided to close their
existing distilleries and consolidate all production at a new facility. This was built
at Midleton as it was the only existing site with room for expansion. In July 1975,
production ended at the old distillery and began in the new one. The old distillery
has since been turned into a visitors' centre.
"a production capacity of 19 million litres per annum, is the largest in Ireland. The
distillery boasts three 75,000 litre pot stills, and three column, which are used in
combinations of three to produce different types of whiskey.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Midleton_Distillery
"Although Bushmills will claim to be the oldest Irish whiskey, there can be little
doubt that Jameson is the most famous and widespread. Jameson today is
distributed in 122 countries worldwide and accounts for the largest share of the
global Irish whiskey market, which is estimated at over 22 million bottles per
year.
Jameson became part of the new Irish Distillers triumvirate in 1966 when it
joined forces with John Power & Son and the Cork Distillery Company. Bushmills
joined Irish Distillers in 1972, giving the company a monopoly on the production
of Irish whiskey which lasted until the founding of the Cooley distillery in the late
1980s. Today, Jameson is owned by the Pernod Ricard group which took over
Irish Distillers in 1988. Bushmills was sold to Diageo in 2005.
Originally distilled at the famous Bow Street distillery in Dublin, since 1975
Jameson has been produced at Midleton, an enormous modern distillery in County
Cork built by Irish Distillers to streamline the production of its many brands. This
brought an end to nearly 200 years of Jameson production in Dublin, but the Old
Jameson Distillery in Bow Street is now a visitor's centre. Tourists can also visit
the Midleton distillery, which is home to many other brands beside Jameson,
including Green Spot, Paddy, Power's, Redbreast and Tullamore Dew.
""Sine Metu", meaning "Without Fear"
"By 1820, John Jameson & Son was the second largest distilling company in
Ireland.
"In 1858, a blight destroyed France's vineyards and consequently supplies of
brandy dried up. Traditional brandy drinkers switched to Irish whiskey and
Jameson sales soared. By 1890, Ireland had about 90% of the global whisk(e)y
export market and the Jameson distillery was making 10% of Ireland's annual
whiskey output.
"Before Prohibition in 1919, Jameson was a best selling whiskey in America.
"Up until 1922, Jameson was the most popular whiskey in the British Empire. But
after Irish Independence, English tariff barriers priced it out of the market.
http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/B-32-Jameson.aspx
"The Bow Street Distillery, which was established in 1780 John Jameson was
originally from Scotland and was related through his wife to the Haigs and Steins,
powerful Scottish distilling families. Around 1777, he moved to Ireland, and a few
years later bought into the Bow Street Distillery. He was initially the General
Manager, before taking full ownership and enlarging the distillery in 1805. By
1810 it had been officially renamed to John Jameson & Son.
"In 1886, the distillery covered upwards of 5 acres.
"Jameson had 6,000 duty paid casks on the premises, which they sold to trusted
merchants who would in turn bottle it as a Jameson whiskey. So careful was the
distillery about quality control, that any merchant found adulterating a Jameson
whiskey was inevitably blacklisted and prosecuted.
"it suffered like all Irish distilleries from the introduction of Scottish blended
whiskies, American prohibition and Ireland’s Trade War with Great Britain.
"The Bow Street Distillery became one of the last distilleries in Ireland to close,
the stills going cold in 1971, when the production of Jameson whiskey was
transferred to Midleton. The millions of bottles of Jameson whiskey produced each
year from Midleton still embrace the Bow Street, Dublin 7 address on their labels
and Jameson has now once again become one of the world's best selling
whiskeys, available in over 120 markets and accounting for over 75% of all Irish
whiskey sold worldwide.
"What remained of the distillery after 1971 was sold on or dismantled, with the
exception of one of the larger buildings, kept on by Irish Distillers as their head
office. By the late 1990’s the main distillery complex had become a sorry sight, a
fire having ravaged the buildings some years earlier. However, the new Millennium
saw new life breathed into the old distillery as the site was rebuilt into a complex
of apartments, shops and a hotel.
http://www.irelandwhiskeytrail.com/?
pg=jameson_distillery_bow_street_dublin.php
"JAMESON 18yr
Aged 18yrs in sherry oak, this blend has won multiple awards
JAMESON RAREST VINTAGE RESERVE
A blend of 24yr old grain whiskey and pure pot still whiskey, aged in ruby port &
bourbon casks
http://www.mcmullansirishpub.com/menu_scotchwhiskey.shtml
"Alfred Barnard... visited every working whisky distillery in Great Britain and
Ireland from 1885-1887. In all, he visited an incredible 162 distilleries; 129 in
Scotland, 29 in Ireland and 4 in England. The result of which was the
monumental 500 page The Whisky Distilleries of the United Kingdom,
++ About one/week for three years++
" Barnard undertook a similar beer tour in 1889-1891 visiting over 110 breweries
in Great Britain and Ireland. The end product of this tour was The noted
breweries of Great Britain and Ireland,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Barnard
The book is available here: http://www.wormtub.com/alfred_barnard.php
Partial http://www.ourscotland.co.uk/ebooks/whiskydistilleries.htm
By Distillery http://www.smwhisky.com.au/catalogue.php?section=tour
"Jameson Irish Whiskey is made from 3 main ingredients: barley, maize and pure
Irish water. Our water is sourced from the local Dungourney River,
"Malting a proportion of the barley is essential to produce the natural enzymes in
the grain which will later be used in the brewing process. We malt our barley in 3
steps; Steeping, Germination and Kilning.
"Brewing
Milling
When we’ve got our malted and unmalted barley, we mill the grains to create a
coarse flour called grist. By milling the barley and malt into a flour we gain better
access to the starch and enzymes which we need later to create alcohol. The
proportion of barley to malt is based on a recipe according to the Master Distiller.
Mashing
The grist is then mixed with hot water at a temperature of 63C to form a mash. It
is then pumped into a large vessel called the ‘Mash Tun’ and this is where the
enzymes breakdown the starch into smaller sugars. We then need to extract this
sugary liquid from the mash so we filter the mash through a Mash Filter giving us
a hot sweet liquid called wort.
Fermentation
The wort is pumped into giant vats called ‘washbacks’ where yeast is added and
then the fermentation begins. After 60 hours, the sugar is converted into alcohol.
The liquid, now called ‘wash’ contains just 8% alcohol by volume. The ‘wash’ is
now ready for the next stage of the whiskey making process, distillation.
"After the fermentation is complete the wash is then pumped to the first of our 3
copper pot stills; the Wash Still. Alcohol boils at a lower temperature than water
so by boiling the wash at around 80°C the alcohol vapours rise out of the neck of
the still and through a condenser to return back into a liquid. Under the care of
the Master Distiller, this process is repeated two more times: once in the Feints
Still and again in the Spirit Still until the alcohol by volume is between 80 and
85.5%.
"Triple Column Still Distillation
Maize, another vital ingredient to Jameson Irish Whiskey is also milled into grist
along with malted barley, mashed and fermented to create a beer containing 15%
alcohol by volume. The beer is then triple distilled in our tall and sophisticated
column stills producing a light, delicate and fragrant spirit that is 94.4% ABV.
"Maturation
After distillation, the 2 styles of spirit are reduced in strength to between 60-70%
ABV with pure water and filled into casks. We use three different types of casks;
sherry butts, bourbon barrels and port pipes (three’s our lucky number, after all),
each of which are maintained by the cooper. The casks are then stored in our
vast, dark and aromatic warehouse in Midleton where they rest and mature for
the next few years. Each barrel loses about 2% of its volume through evaporation
each year. This is called the Angel’s Share.
Marrying & Vatting
The mature whiskeys are then emptied into a huge vat and allowed to marry
before being bottled. The alcohol strength is also reduced to 40% alcohol by
volume, ready to be enjoyed.
"Jameson Select Reserve
a high proportion of Irish pot still whiskey and a rare small batch grain whiskey,
and left it to mature in flame-charred bourbon barrels.
"Tasting Characteristics
Nose: Rich and full, developing into the succulent sweetness of exotic fruits like
nectarines, apricots and papayas.
Taste: A burst of flavours combines to produce a creamy, luscious taste
experience. The special fruity sweetness from the grain remains consistent, while
the waves of vanilla, toasted wood and spices roll through from the pot still
whiskey and flame charred barrels.
Finish: An incredibly long finish with fruit and wood spices lingering in perfect
proportion, delivering an extremely rich and smooth taste experience.
"Jameson 18 Year Old Limited Reserve
These 3 beautifully matched whiskeys are matured for at least 18 years in hand
selected American bourbon barrels and European oak casks, where they complete
their rite of passage and are finished in first fill bourbon barrels
"Tasting Characteristics
Nose: Aromatic oils with a touch of wood, spicy toffee.
Taste: Wonderfully mellow and smooth, a mouthful of complex flavour - fudge,
toffee, spice, hints of wood and leather, vanilla and a gentle sherry nuttiness.
Finish: A long, lingering finish carries the theme of the wood, spice and toffee
right through to the end.
"Jameson Rarest Vintage Reserve
The advanced aged whiskeys in this magnificent reserve are brought together
with pot still whiskey that has been matured in hand-picked second fill bourbon
casks
"Tasting Characteristics
Nose: A real full-bodied aroma. Initially sweet with ripe fruit notes of melon,
bananas and dark fleshy plums. The unmistakable pot still spicy character
combines to give hints of treacle, cinnamon and liquorice.
Taste: A mouthful of flavours. Mellow sweetness and toasted wood are
complemented by fruit richness characteristic of the port casks. A touch of
creamy dairy fudge and dark chocolate add to the complexity.
Finish: A tantalizingly long finish which covers the spectrum from the sweetness
of fruit, through the spices to the unmistakable note of barley, where it all began.
http://www.jamesonwhiskey.com/en/
What we're drinking costs about $30/oz here in Quebec.
"Both Midleton and Cooley distilleries produce both pot still and grain whiskey,
"Styles of Irish Whiskey:
Single Malt Irish whiskey is made from 100% malted barley by a single distillery
in a pot still.
Grain whiskey is particularly light in style. Made from corn or wheat, grain
whiskey is produced in column stills.
Blended whiskey constitutes 90% all Irish whiskey production. Jameson and
Kilbeggan are famous blended Irish whiskies.
Pure Pot Still whiskey is a blend of both malted and unmalted barley distilled in a
pot still. Pure Pot Still is a style of whiskey unique to Ireland.
Potcheen (poteen, poitín) or Irish moonshine distillates don't meet the age
requirement to be labeled as Irish whiskey. Similar to American white dog, this is
new make of spirit that has seen little to no time in barrel.
"Redbreast is a famous pure pot still whiskey from Midleton.
http://cocktails.about.com/od/irishwhiskey/a/about_irishwhiskey.htm
"Today, Irish whiskey is the fourth most popular style of whiskey in the world
behind scotch, bourbon and Canadian whiskies.
"Queen Elizabeth I (1533-1603) was known to be a fan of Irish whiskey and had
stocks of it delivered to her court, the start of making it a fashionable beverage in
England.
"Czar Peter the Great of Russia (1672-1725) declared, "Of all the wines of the
world, Irish spirit is the best". By 1755, Samuel Johnson had put the word
whiskey in his dictionary, commenting, "the Irish sort is particularly distinguished
for its pleasant and mild flavour".
"A number of factors at the dawn of the 20th Century almost completely
destroyed the Irish whiskey industry. The advent of the Coffey still allowed
competitors to produce whiskey in a more cost effective manner. The Irish were
slow to adopt the Coffey still (a type of continuous still) and clung to pot stills, a
less efficient but more flavorful style of still. Additionally, Ireland's War of
Independence from 1919-1921 interrupted the distiller's access to overseas
markets, and once freedom from England was achieved, the English closed all
access to their market. England had been the largest market in the world for Irish
whiskey at that time. Next, the second largest market for Irish whiskey, the
United States, closed its markets from 1920-1933 due to Prohibition. Even worse
for the Irish whiskey industry was that during the Prohibition era, bootleg whiskey
was often passed off as Irish whiskey, destroying its reputation and turning off an
entire generation of Americans to Irish whiskey. Finally, World War 2 destroyed
what was left of the Irish whiskey industry. After World War 2, only seven
distilleries remained from approximately 160 in 1880.
"San Francisco's legendary Buena Vista cafe may have done just that with their
famous Irish coffees. Owner Jack Koeppler was served an Irish coffee at the
Shannon Airport in 1952 and came home obsessed with recreating this drink at
his San Francisco restaurant. With the help of travel writer Stanton Delaplane and
the mayor of San Francisco, he finally recreated this drink successfully. With the
Buena Vista serving up to 2000 Irish Coffees a day to tourists from around the
country and locals,
http://cocktails.about.com/od/irishwhiskey/a/irishwhiskey_history.ht
m
"Jameson 18 year old Irish whiskey is a great representation of just how good a
blended Irish whiskey can be with age. Within the Jameson range, the 18 sits
only below Rarest Vintage Reserve and above Jameson, Gold Reserve and 12
year.
Bouquet
On the nose, there is a pronounced alcohol sting along with warm notes of
vanilla, honey, and caramel. With a bit of time, dried lemon peel, green apple and
cinnamon emerge.
Body and Palate
Jameson 18 has a big, oily and wonderfully mouth coating body. As it coats the
mouth, flavors of caramel, molasses cookies, vanilla, oak, apple pie spice and
umami notes appear. This is a complex and well made whiskey and it really shows
on the palate.
Finish
The finish on Jameson 18 year is long for a blended Irish whiskey. More oak
flavors appear, along with alluring hints of dried fruits and freshly roasted
hazelnuts before evaporating off of the tongue, leaving you wanting more and
more. This is a very well made blended Irish whiskey
http://cocktails.about.com/od/irishwhiskeyreviews/fr/jameson_18yo.h
tm
"The Old Bushmills Distillery lays claim to being the oldest licensed distillery in
the world. James I awarded the distillery its license in 1608.
"Irish whiskey comes in several forms. There is a single malt whiskey made from
100 percent malted barley distilled in a pot still, and a grain whiskey made from
grains distilled in a column still. Grain whiskey is much lighter and more neutral in
flavor than single malt whiskey and is almost never bottled as a single grain. It is
instead used to blend with single malts to produce a lighter blended whiskey.
Unique to Irish whiskey is pure pot still whiskey (100 percent barley, both malted
and unmalted, distilled in a pot still). The green, unmalted barley gives pure pot
still whiskey a spicy, uniquely Irish quality. Like single malt, pure pot still is sold
alone or blended with grain whiskey. Usually no real distinction is made between
blended whiskeys made from single malt or pure pot still.
http://www.netplaces.com/bartending/whiskey-amber-waves-ofgrain/ireland-whiskey-in-the-jar.htm
"Queen Elizabeth I of England once remarked that her only true Irish friend was
whiskey.
http://www.netplaces.com/irish-history/family-and-food/whiskey-amore-potent-beverage.htm
Master Distiller Barry Crockett "My typical working day is largely devoted to
evaluating the highest standard. I look carefully at the 'cuts' of alcohol that are
distilled and choose the most flavoursome cut. This is the heart of the distillation.
Innovation and change are also important and we constantly look at different cuts
and blends to create different whiskeys that may be put into casks for
maturation. Learning to appreciate the pure, elemental character of whiskey, as I
did under the guidance of my father Max, is part of a life-long academy, from
which I'm happy to say I'll never finally graduate."
Dave Quinn, our Master of Whiskey Science. " "Variety's the spice of my life.
Every day tends to be different, but typically it will involve aspects of brand
protection, whiskey analysis, whiskey stock management with Billy, research and
development plus a number of projects that are ongoing at the moment, like the
development of an updated Irish Whiskey Act. Although I'm known as the Master
of Whiskey Science, there's also an art to distilling whiskey. It's the combination
of the two - science and art - that brings together the mastery of the process with
the mystery of its humble ingredients. It's this indefinable nature that makes a
reserve whiskey far more than the sum of its parts."
Master Blender, Billy Leighton, "The top priority is the management of the
maturing stocks to make sure that the right type of whiskey will be available at
the right age and in the right casks. It's the only way we can confidently and
consistently maintain supplies of all the Jameson brands, from the standard
Jameson right through to Jameson Rarest Vintage Reserve. Then of course there
is the sampling and selection of casks, which is vital, as only the highest
standards are acceptable."
Ger Buckley Master cooper a...same tools which were made and used ...over 80
years ago. With a stock of more than 850,000 oak casks
http://www.jamesonwhiskey.com/en/ourpeople
"the old Cork Distilleries Company distillery operated for 150 years, from 1825
until 1975, when the workers clocked off on a Friday in July, to start work in the
new Midleton Distillery the following Monday.
"the original buildings date back to 1795, built as a mill before being converted
for use as a distillery.The water wheel, which once operated all the machinery at
the distillery, still turns and operates the cogs and wheels in the Mill Building,
where visitors can also admire one of the original steam engines installed in the
later half of the 19th century. The Still House is always a tour highlight, the three
original pot stills still gleaming like burnished gold. One of these pot stills,
installed in 1949, can hold 31,000 gallons (141,000 litres), making it the largest
pot still in the world.
http://www.irelandwhiskeytrail.com/?
pg=jameson_distillery_experience_midleton_cork_ireland.php
"Jameson Irish Whiskey
The world's best selling Irish Whiskey, selling over 20 million bottles annually.
Triple distilled in Midleton, it is a smooth and well balanced whiskey. Almonds,
vanilla and orchard fruits on the nose with light sherry notes, marzipan and
gentle toasted wood on the palate with a very pleasant dry finish. Matured in ex
bourbon and sherry casks.
"Redbreast Single Pot Still
A Single Pot Still range of whiskeys from the Midleton Distillery, available as a 12
YO, 15YO and now also as a 12YO Cask Strength edition.This type of whiskey is
unique to Ireland and Redbreast is a continuation of the great tradition of pure
pot still whiskeys, made from malted and unmalted barley in the traditional pot
still method. The regular 12YO is a unique whiskey, full of character, lovely touch
of oilyness and fruitcake on the taste and long classy sherry notes on the finish.
Regularly wins top awards in International spirits competitions. Very hard to find
outside of Ireland with the exception of UK, France and Germany. Small quantities
exported to USA too.
http://www.irelandwhiskeytrail.com/irish_whiskey_brands.php
"Noel Sweeney, the master distiller at Cooley
http://www.irishwhiskeysociety.com/about
http://www.irishwhiskeysociety.com/reference/bibliography
" Midleton Distillery
Midleton Distillery, Midleton, Co Cork
Owner
Pernod - Ricard
Web http://www.irishdistillers.ie/
Founded
1974
Status
Fully Operational
Type Pot Still / Grain / Single Malt
Capacity (annual)
Circa 30 MLA
Water Source
River Dungourney
Malt Source
Phenol level in malt
N/A
Washbacks
Material
Stainless Steel
Wash Stills x 2
Heating
External Heat Exchanger (Non Coil)
Volume
Circa 60,000 Litres
Low Wine Stills x1
Heating
External Heat Exchanger (Non Coil)
Volume
Circa 60,000 Litres
Spirit Stills x1
Heating
External Heat Exchanger (Non Coil)
Volume
Circa 60,000 Litres
Casks
Mainly Bourbon, Sherry & Port + various others in small rotation
ABV at filling
63.5% ???
Main Brands: Jameson, Midleton, Paddy, Powers & Redbreast
http://www.irishwhiskeysociety.com/irish-distilleries/midleton
" Riverstown (Cooley)
Riverstown, Co Louth (Cooley)
Owner
Beam Inc
Web http://www.beamglobal.com/
Founded
1987
Status
Fully Operational
Type Malt / Grain
Capacity (annual)
Circa 2.25 MLA Malt & 2.5 MLA grain
Water Source
Sliabh na gCloch (mountain on the Cooley Peninsula)
Malt Source
Phenol level in malt
5ppm
Washbacks
Material
Wash Stills x 1
Heating
Indirect Steam (Coil)
Volume
16,000 Liters
Spirit Stills x 1
Heating
Indirect Steam (Coil)
Volume
16,000 Liters
Casks
Mainly ex-Bourbon from Heaven Hill Also Sherry, Port and Maderia
ABV at filling
63.5% ???
Main Brands: Connemara, Greenore, Kilbeggan, Locke's, Miller's and Tyrconnell
http://www.irishwhiskeysociety.com/irish-distilleries/riverstowncooley
"Vermont has more distilleries than Ireland.
"in many parts of Ireland they call whiskey “the brown.”
"Jameson is more like Scotch, deeper and more complex,
"Each of these distilleries makes multiple spirits, both labels they own and on a
custom basis. For example, my personal favorite Irish whiskey is Redbreast.
Redbreast is owned by Irish Distillers, which owns the Midleton distillery and
there it makes Redbreast, Midleton, Paddy, Powers and Jameson, all of which it
owns. On the other hand, I sometimes drink Knappogue Castle, which is
independent, made to its own standards, sometimes at Cooley and sometimes at
Bushmills. Bushmills makes a wide variety of its own labels, while most of the
other Irish whiskey you can think of, including Tyrconnell and Connemara, are
owned and made by Cooley.
"Jameson Rarest Vintage Reserve: The top offering ever by Ireland’s most famous
distillery, this blend contains some of the oldest grain and rarest pot still whiskeys
available, aged up to 23 years and all hand picked. By comparison, the best
selling regular Jameson is 12 years old. The extra long maturation creates
complexity, while additional aging in Bourbon casks and Port pipes gives it a rich
fruit character and spice. Thanks to the smoothness so associated with Irish
whiskey, many drinkers will be surprised to find out high strong the blend is,
bottled at 92 proof
http://www.forbes.com/sites/larryolmsted/2011/06/09/completeguide-to-irish-whiskey/
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and more
"Jameson 18 Year Old Limited Reserve
The 18 year old Limited Reserve is a supreme example of the Jameson tradition
of maturing whiskey in Spanish sweet oloroso sherry casks.
Rich, complex and truly rare - only limited stocks of this exceptional whiskey are
available.
Each bottle is individually numbered to become a true collectors item over time.
'Nose: Soft, rich, juicy: apricot, dried fruits, orange, butterscotch, hazelnut butter.
Water brings out sherry, becoming chocolate and bourbon biscuit. Palate: A
luscious, oily sweetness with a crisp solidity on the palate, then a burst of dried
fruits, spices and citrus fruits. Finish: Rich, soft & honeyed. Comments: I could
drink this all day. A classic Irish whiskey. 9/10' Dave Broom, Whisky Magazine
Awards.
Double Gold Medal Winner at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2009.
Gold Medal Winner at the International Spirit Challenge 2009 & 2010.
€125
Jameson Irish Whiskey
Jameson Irish Whiskey is the top selling Irish Whiskey in the world!
A blend of triple distilled pure pot still whiskey and grain whiskey, Jameson is
exceptionally smooth.
'truly brilliant; moth-watering delivery and then wave upon wave of diamonh-hard
barley and grain; the odd eclectic layer of something sweetish and honeyed, but
this is eye-watering stuff.' 95 Points Jim Murray Whisky Bible 2010.
Awards.
Silver Medal Winner San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2009.
Silver Medal Winner International Spirits Challenge 2009 & 2010.
€26.99
Jameson Rarest Vintage Reserve
An exciting new release from the most famous name in Irish whiskey. The Vintage
Reserve is a fantastic blend of well aged grain whiskeys, with bourbon cask and
port pipe matured pot still whiskeys. A magnificent fruit rich whiskey that displays
an impressive collage of flavours.
Nose: A real full bodied aroma. Initially sweet with ripe fruit notes of melon,
bananas and dark fleshy plums. The unmistakable pot still spicy character
combines to give hints of treacle, cinnamon and liquorice.
Palate: A mouthful of flavours. Mellow sweetness and toasted wood are
complimented by fruit richness characteristic of the port casks. A touch of creamy
dairy fudge and dark chocolate add to the complexity.
Finish: A tantalisingly long finish which covers the spectrum from sweetness of
fruit, through the spices, to the unmistakable note of the barley where it all
began.
Awards.
Gold Medal San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2009.
Gold Medal International Spirits Challenge 2009 & 2010.
€369.99 inc tax
Jameson Select Reserve Small Batch
A special bottling of Jameson, blended from grain and pot still whiskeys and aged
in a combination of Oloroso Sherry and Bourbon casks.
Aromas:
Intensely fruity with characters of apricot, kumquat, and fruit cake. A hint of
bitter, dark chocolate and truffles.
Flavours:
Spice and dried fruits, mixed peel, apricots, marshmallow and burnt caramel. The
palate ends with a spicy, bitter chocolate finish.
€41.99 inc tax
The Wild Geese Rare Blend Irish Whiskey
The Wild Geese Rare is distilled by Cooley Distillery for the Avalon Group. Double
distilled, unpeated single malt and grain whiskey are aged in bourbon casks and
then blended together.
It received a great review from Jim Murray's 2009 Whiskey Bible! 89.5.
'some toffee, yes, but the excellence of the vanilla is there to behold; just a light
layering of barley but the gentle citrus caresses with the more exquisite
touch...superb arrival on the palate...just love this. The Cooley grain is working
sublimely and dovetails with the malt in the same effortless way wild geese fly in
perfect formation. A treat.'
€52.99 inc tax
Redbreast 12 Year Old Pure Pot Still Irish Whiskey
A 100% heavy pot still whiskey with a high sherry ageing percentage. One of our
all time favourite Irish Whiskeys.
'Stupendous nose....just a sip is enough to fill your mouth with a multi-layered
attack of malt and pepper plus a few sherry notes with the pot still arriving on the
2nd wave and refusing to budge...this is a marvellous whiskey' Jim Murray A
Taste of Irish whiskey.
Redbreast was a brand name for Jameson's pure Irish pot still, bottled in bond by
Gilbeys. First made in 1939 with Jameson filling Gilbey's own casks. Two sherry
casks were used for each bourbon cask. The brand died off with the closure of
Jamesons distillery but was recently relaunched and is a huge favourite with both
whiskey drinkers and connoisseurs. Really deserves to be marketed worldwide!
Awards.
Irish Whiskey of the Year 2010 - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible.
€46.99 inc tax
http://www.celticwhiskeyshop.com
"Brian Quinn, the manager of Beam/Cooley's Kilbeggan distillery, grew up in the
north (Co. Tyrone). He recalls that in Belfast years ago you could spot the
Catholic and Protestant workmen in the pubs on Friday evening by what they
ordered. Protestants would order a half-one (a glass) of Bushmills, a bottle or
glass or Tennent's beer (made in Belfast) and Gallagher cigarettes. Catholics
would order a half-one of Powers, a Guinness and a pack of Players cigarettes -all made in Dublin at the time. It was about geography, not ideology.
In fact, one of the most iconic of "Catholic" brands had a long history being
staunchly "Protestant." In his book, A Bottle of Guinness Please, author David
Hughes writes that until 1939 any Guinness employee intending to marry a
Catholic had to offer his resignation. That was as much class-based as it was
religious bigotry at the time.
Eventually, the fact that the "Catholic" brands produced in the Republic of Ireland
were from Protestant-owned companies didn't matter very much. It mattered
more that they were Irish. Both Bushmills and Jameson were owned by the same
Irish company for 15 years in the 70s and 80s. Today, the British drinks
conglomerate Diageo owns Bushmills and Guinness and the French spirits giant
Pernod-Ricard owns Jameson, Powers, Paddy and other brands. But that doesn't
make those brands any less Irish.
"The Catholic-Protestant whiskey myth has endured primarily in America
http://irishwhiskeyblog.com/
Jameson 2009 Rarest Vintage Reserve
"Nose: Rich, creamy vanilla, and some sweet brown spices (cardamom,
cinnamon, all-spice). A cool melange of fruit - pear, sauteed apples, bananas, and
tropical fruits (melons, too). There's a sweet marshmallow quality, probably from
the rising vanilla. There is some wood in it, providing a good base. With more
time, a bit of cocoa, toffee, and orange in the background. Slightly sweet rice
pudding.
Palate: Soft and a little silky on entry. Hrm. Surprising bite from the wood -bitter with a touch of dryness. A pinch of pepper serving up the alcoholic bite. The
wood has vanilla and slowly yields to the fruit. The mid-palate brings a good
transition to the fruit. Mango, apricot, sweet pears, bananas, apples, and more
"melon." Very fruity, but not a bomb, and the sweet creaminess of the vanilla
reminds me of a rich milkshake.
Finish: More of the same, really. Medium-length finish. Never too sweet or fruit,
just a real pleaser. The wood came out a bit strong on the palate, but it's a minor
gripe.
http://www.connosr.com/reviews/jameson/2009-rarest-vintagereserve/top-notch-irish-whiskey/
"Jameson 2009 Rarest Vintage Reserve
This is a review of a bar sample from bottle # 54673 of Jameson 2009 Rarest
Vintage Reserve. The sampled bottle was 70% full.
Nose: very refined, cognac-like flavours, strong vanilla, and some strong hints of
chocolate and toffee. Citrus is more in the background in the nose. This also has
some strong similarities to an excellent old bourbon. This is a first-rate whiskey
nose
Palate: big flavours immediately, including a pot still citrus which sparkles with
vitality, sweet and sour in the best way. Full-tasting, with lots of oak and vanilla.
The chocolate and toffee from the nose are present also on the palate. These are
very attractive flavours. Top notch
Finish: continues the beautiful flavours moderately long, with slight
bitterness/sourness at the end
Balance: wonderful whiskey. Only the finish left a little bit to be desired. Jameson
Rarest Vintage Reserve whiskeys are very expensive but quite delicious. This is
the sort of whiskey that makes you really sit up and take notice that you are
drinking something special
http://www.connosr.com/reviews/jameson/jameson-2009-rarestvintage-reserve/aristocrat/
"Jameson 18 Year old
Nose: vanilla, hint of confectioner's sugar, light lemon-citrus; not too much
intensity
Taste: lots more flavour in the mouth, especially much more citrus, than in the
nose; substantial toffee and vanilla, with some wine notes becoming noticeable in
the mouth
Finish: all the flavours stay strong for a relatively long finish. Nice, but heavy on
the toffee, and the oak seems a little tired
Balance: the parts fit together well, except that I would have preferred a stronger
nose. Bar samples were used for this review, so I would also hope to later taste a
newly opened bottle for contrast, to see whether oxidation changed the original
flavours very much in the samples reviewed
Bottom line for me: the wood tastes tired to me here, and so I prefer the
Jameson 12 yo Special Reserve to this Jameson 18 yo
http://www.connosr.com/reviews/jameson/jameson-18-yearold/vanilla-and-old-oak/
"Jameson 18 Year old
Nose: Higher pitch and more floral than the small pot reserve. The vanilla is
rather more prominent here, and in a very buttery rich whipped cream/airy ice
cream way. The base aroma is honey on a cool fruit salad. Pear, peach, and other
fruits with white meat. Pinch of cinnamon and anise, and very refreshing.
Palate: Oooh, citrusy and spicy! This is going somewhere new and exciting. I
really like how this kicks out. Pepper and cinnamon on the fruit simmering in
honey, vanilla, and cloves. Oils from pressed violets (it does taste 'purple,' which,
Homer Simpson argues, IS a fruit.) Creamy. Fruit pie a la mode with almonds.
Finish: Not the strongest or longest, but very heavy on the same general flavors
as the small pot reserve. There's more wood, spice, and honey in thi sone. Very
tasty, though I probably prefer the SPR. Both, though, are clearly cut from the
same cloth. I half think that this could be a bit richer, but I don't think that the
ABV is the issue. Who am I kidding? This is lots of fun! I'm looking forward to
trying a Vintage Reserve at some point. This one settles in nicely B/B+ (86)
First time in a long time that I really tinkered with Jameson, and I really hope
that I don't wait so long until I do again!
http://www.connosr.com/reviews/jameson/jameson-18-yearold/creamy-rich-fruit/
"Jameson
Nose is sweet with citrus, apples, spices, specifically hints of cinnamon and
nutmeg, some grassy notes along with oak.
[Taste] Apples, pears, oak, some spices and barley.
Finish is short with pears and apples and that chemical flavor.
http://www.connosr.com/reviews/jameson/jameson/24-days-ofchristmas-day-3/
"Jameson
"Nose: delicate. Metallic, peppery, slightly sweet and fruity. Hints of apricot and
caramel. Orange zest.
Taste: smooth and silky, light- to medium-bodied, with a slight peppery bite.
Citrus flavours dance around amid the coppery tones. Better than I was
expecting!
Finish: fades on a bitter note.
Balance: for those who are looking for something smooth, it hardly gets smoother
than this. The taste is better than I recall, though.
http://www.connosr.com/reviews/jameson/jameson/light-andsmooth/
"Jameson
Nose: sharp unmalted barley with an edge of citrus, licorice, early-moderate
intensity of wood flavours in the background
Taste: strong citrus, licorice; sweet and tart, sharp barley. Wood flavours are
more in the background. The licorice may be light or heavy, and in 4 of 7 samples
had unpleasant tinges of kerosene
Finish: long finish with all of the flavours holding up
Balance: I never know what I am going to get when I sample standard Jameson.
I have had samples from two different bottles which I liked very much and would
rate at 87, four others which had the heavy kerosene-licorice which I hated, and
would rate at 65, and, most recently, one right in the middle, pleasant, but not as
good as the first two, which I rate at 82. I average these out to settle on about
74.
http://www.connosr.com/reviews/jameson/jameson/moveable-feast/
"Jameson Select Reserve Small Batch
Nose: Cinnamon, vanilla (light), and stewed soft fruits - mainly pear, white
peaches, some apricot, and sweet melon. Red apple and some real banana* are
out there in a creamy base. Rich and soft pie crust. It's light and creamy, and lots
of finesse.
Palate: Soft and light on entry. We get some sweet wood, and it's a good thing.
The fruit stew and pears return, but there's more brown spice, which is also more
prominent than it was on the nose. Cinnamon, cardamom, and all-spice: the
spices of sweet baking, and it's no wonder because this is like a light and creamy
apple and pear crumble, having almost just cooled off, with a dollop of rich
whipped cream on it. Yeah, it's got a sort of delicious thing going on here.
Finish: A bit short, but thoroughly enjoyable. Mainly the wood, vanilla, and pear
remain. Some spice remains, but it's very subdued. On the whole, the triple
distillation lends a certain finesse, but also takes out some of the heft and length.
B+ 87/88
*- Generally, I don't like banana flavors or aromas in my spirits because they are
always closer to banana flavoring, that artificial creation that I can't stand and
don't enjoy in any food stuff (ask about banana flavored milk). Here, though, it's
soft and subtle ripe banana - not the artificial stuff - and it works so well.
http://www.connosr.com/reviews/jameson/select-reserve-smallbatch/fantastic-fruit-crumble/
"Redbreast 12 Year old
Nose: Resinous sherry residue and lots of vanilla. Coconut and an almost grainlike sweetness. The fruit's there, but not over the top. Baked pears and apples, in
cardamom infused whipped cream. Slightly sharp point in it somewhere between
green apple and lemon. Keeps it rather fresh. Tannins?
Palate: Entry is really nice. This is cask strength? Honey, oatmealy, and vanilla,
though the mid-palate falls apart with bitter wood. Definitely wood. The vanilla is
rich and creamy, but the wood is too much for me.
Finish: The essence of the nose is still in there, but my palate is loaded with the
wood, which subsides a little with time. Water helped and brought out more of
the fruit, but it was a bit one-dimensional.
http://www.connosr.com/reviews/redbreast/redbreast-12-yearold/meh/
"Redbreast 12 Year old
Nose: Wow, like banana cream, nutmeg, hazelnut, caramel...
Nose: Dried fruits and spices; vanilla, raisins, apricot (dried), ginger, almond
Nose: All that's sweet, creamy, and syrupy. Honey, caramel, vanilla,
marshmallows, nougat, brown sugar...you name it, it's here. Yet there's also
wonderful balance with some sour and bitter notes that add a deep richness and
keep things from being too sticky-sweet. Marvelous.
Nose: delicious very intense intoxicating vanilla with other light wood flavours,
some barley-style citrus, and other malted and unmalted barley flavours. A bit
floral with a hint of roses and carnations.
Nose: lots of vanilla, light citrus from tart barley, high pitched wood flavours,
sweet but understated in its sweetness
Nose: Sweet and spicy Very rich thick vanilla, golden syrup. Some rye notes too
and Tangerines.
Nose: I could just keep my nose in that glass and be content with it. It is a big
smell: fruity and spicy, with vanilla in the background. It smells of comfort and
warmth.
The nose on the Redbreast 12 year-old has notes of sour apples, vanilla, white
wine, permanent marker, banana custard, and pencil shavings, with hints of
butterscotch and confectioner’s sugar.
Nose: Sweet malt, marshmallows, lemon meringue, pie crusts, plenty of vanilla.
Soft spoken and gentle.
Nose: Big hit of toffee, green fruits and wood. Slightly coffee-ish.
Nose: Clean and pleasant. Like falling into a pile of freshly-cut alfalfa hay.
The Nose: A wonderful heat, ripe orange, a little baked fruit...apple cobbler
maybe, vanilla and caramel. I might be imagining a faint whiff of sweet pipe
smoke as well.
The nose is a true fruit basket: a mixture of pear, banana and apricots, suffused
with honey and an overdose of vanilla. You can even taste a little crispy read
pepper in the background.
Nose: clean and slightly sweet
Nose: creamy and fruity. Pear, banana and peach, with a layer of sweet honey. A
bit of marzipan. Very rich vanilla pudding. Fresh cake and hints of sherry. Slightly
waxy. Some red pepper in the distance.
Palate: Wow, this is great! Easy, approachable, something you could easily enjoy
as a desert Whiskey if you were looking for something sweet. I found bisquit,
caramel, more orchard fruits and banana, and an awesome maltiness comes
through... easy, light yet sweet, and entirely enjoyable.
Palette: Starts sweet and fruity with a slight tartness; some malt, fall harvest
fruits, vanilla. Then a bit of pepper and warmth with a non-resiny bittnerness.
Palate: Something to please every taste bud. Exactly what the nose led me to
believe. Some hints of bourbon without the peppery bitterness. A touch of
nuttiness (almonds?), a pinch of salt, and a dry finish keep the sweetness in
check. As balanced as a ballet dancer on a tightrope.
Taste: all of the nose flavurs translate well onto the palate. This is sweeter on the
palate than in the nose, and also more so now that the bottle has oxidised a good
bit. The tart lemon-tasting unmalted "pot still" barley component gives a nice
edge
Palate: Spicy heaven then off to sweeter sherry. Down to cocoa powder. Nuts and
toffee, some cake too, the spongy type, with hints of citrus inside.
Taste: Creamy! That's the first thought as it hits the tongue and sloshes through
the mouth. Unlike the nose, there's no big tastes at first, but the sweet spiciness
of cinnamon starts to tingle the tongue as the whiskey warms.
The palate is oily, with a sweetness that turns to mild astringency. It begins with
vanilla and becomes slightly chalky before a touch of dry, white wine enters the
mix. Then notes of menthol and plums appear. The finish is beautifully tropical,
ripe with pineapple and mango.
Taste: Dry and tart arrival. Quite different from the nose. Lemons, barley, and a
gentle sweetness like whipped cream. Light as a feather.
On the palate, the malt sugar dukes it out with the wood in the opening bars.
Then the cherry and the cherry stones appears followed by vanilla and dried
fruits.
The Palate: Great, smooth, viscous mouth-feel. A faint wisp of wet stone...then,
strength. A baked sweetness and malt notes fly everywhere doing their sharp rye
imitation again only to swell into a huge, rich peppery mid-palate blow-up, replete
with vanilla, burnt sugar and a faint touch of fruit.
The body is oily and the whisky remains very fruity on the palate, primarily
apricots and a little bit of coconut.
Mouth: oily mouth-feel, fruity again (cassis, strawberry). Coconut with peach.
Gingery notes as well.
Finish: Smooth, lovely, more fruit and malt... that malt is fantastic.
Finish: Fading mild spice leaves a relatively long but gentle breads and maybe a
little nutty.
Finish: rich, sharp, and rather long finish, richer still and longer still with some
oxidation
Finish: Bitter sweet,Double espresso with toffee going a long way.
Finish: The spiciness and fruitiness strike first, then are replaced by vanilla from
the oak, before it too gives way to a warmth that goes on and on. It's a very
comforting finish.
Finish: Some meringue cookies with soft vanilla and malt.
The Finish: Long and strong, that peppery-ness dances on the tongue while all
the other flavors march past in a jumbled parade.
The finish is somewhat spicy, but the pears and honey dominate, accompanied by
some nutmeg.
Finish: growing spicier with hints of liquorice. Pears and honey. Quite some
nutmeg, and a slightly winey aftertaste
http://www.connosr.com/reviews/redbreast/redbreast-12-yearold/desert/
http://www.connosr.com/reviews/redbreast/redbreast-12-yearold/great-irish-whiskey/
http://www.connosr.com/reviews/redbreast/redbreast-12-yearold/true-strength-lies-in-gentleness/
http://www.connosr.com/reviews/redbreast/redbreast-12-yearold/cheshire-cat/
http://www.connosr.com/reviews/redbreast/redbreast-12-yearold/best-irish-out-there-period/
http://www.connosr.com/reviews/redbreast/redbreast-12-yearold/creamy-spicy-and-comforting/
http://www.connosr.com/reviews/redbreast/redbreast-12-year-old/apure-pot-gem/
http://www.connosr.com/reviews/redbreast/redbreast-12-yearold/sweet-and-easy/
http://www.connosr.com/reviews/redbreast/redbreast-12-yearold/another-irish-hit/
http://www.connosr.com/reviews/redbreast/redbreast-12-year-old/ifthe-english-had-invented-whisky-the-irish-would/
http://www.connosr.com/reviews/redbreast/redbreast-12-yearold/pure-pot-still/
http://www.connosr.com/reviews/redbreast/redbreast-12-yearold/fruit-basket/
http://www.connosr.com/reviews/redbreast/redbreast-12-yearold/straight-foward-character-lacking-whiskey/
http://www.connosr.com/reviews/redbreast/redbreast-12-yearold/very-attractive/
Phase shift upon total internal reflection
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Total_internal_reflection
As light passes the border between media, depending upon the relative refractive
indices of the two media, the light will either be refracted to a lesser angle, or a
greater one. These angles are measured with respect to the normal line,
represented perpendicular to the boundary. In the case of light traveling from air
into water, light would be refracted towards the normal line, because the light is
slowed down in water; light traveling from water to air would refract away from
the normal line.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snell%27s_law
http://spie.org/Documents/Publications/00%20STEP%20Module%2003.pdf
LCBO Prices
Redbreast $ 54.95
Jameson 18 Years Old Master Selection Irish Whiskey $ 110.45
Jameson Select Reserve $ 49.95
Jameson Irish Whiskey $ 32.45
Jameson blends column still spirit with Single pot still whiskey, a combination of
malted barley with unmalted or "green" barley distilled in a pot still.
Aged in sherry butts [7/8s full with flora), bourbon barrels and port pipes (very
similar to how bourbon is aged)
John Jameson 7 Year Old / Bot.1940s
75cl / 43.5%
An old bottle of Jameson's whiskey which was bottled sometime in the 1940s for
export to the US. This whiskey has been aged for a minimum of 7 years and has
been bottled at a rather interesting strength of 87 proof (43.5%). £899.00 Inc.
VAT
http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/B-32-Jameson.aspx
Jameson sales have increased 750 percent since 1988, the year Irish Distillers
was acquired by French drinks giant Pernod Ricard, according to the Irish
Independent.
4 million cases of Jameson were sold in 2012
http://www.irishcentral.com/news/Jameson-Irish-whiskey-the-worldsfastest-growing-drink-brand-161772195.html
“We are delighted and proud to have reached the four million cases milestone. To
think in 1988, when Irish Distillers joined Pernod Ricard, Jameson sold just
466,000 cases globally, with Ireland as its main market... To have reached the
four million cases milestone, which equates to over 1.3 billion glasses of Jameson
consumed
the distillery in Midleton; the bottling plant at Fox and Geese in Dublin, our
Visitors Centres and our head office.
JamesonSelect Reserve
Rich Pot Still whiskey and a rare small batch grain whiskey, matured in flamecharred black barrels for a rich and luxurious taste.
JamesonRarest Vintage Reserve
The ultimate expression of Jameson, crafted from the oldest and rarest whiskeys
of the Distillery, non-chilled filtered, with an amount of 46% ABV.
http://pernod-ricard.com/405/brands/see-all-brands/strategicbrands/jameson
"Jameson Rarest Vintage Reserve (JRVR) 2007. How rare? A mere 1,000 of which
will be sold in the U.S.
"Irish dries its barley with hot air, not smoky, open fires, hence the lack of much
smoky character in Irish. Irish uses some unmalted barley in its mix, too. Irish is
also distilled three times (Bourbon is distilled once, Scotch twice), which removes
much of the heavy, oily notes from the spirit. And finally, Irish Whiskey is
matured in multiple types of wood casks instead of just one (though Bourbon
barrels are the most common)
"Jameson Rarest Vintage Reserve 2007 – The secret sauce? Whiskeys aged 20 to
23 years are, in part, laid down in old Port casks, a deal Jameson brokered with
Sandeman decades ago and is now making its first appearance on the market.
It’s a heavenly concoction that makes me wonder why more whiskey makers
don’t turn to Port barrels. The mix is incredible, with that raisiny, plumlike flavor
in the mix, plus sugary, cinnamon, and chocolate notes. (I strained to catch the
banana that Monks said was present, but it eluded me.)
http://www.drinkhacker.com/2008/03/03/tasting-report-jamesonrare-and-reserve-irish-whiskies/
"The Wild Geese Irish Soldiers & Heroes Rare Irish Whiskey – A considerably
smoother whiskey, with smoky notes and a big caramel body. Also hot on the
finish, but with spicy layers that mitigate that considerably. 86 proof. A- / $50
http://www.drinkhacker.com/2009/10/31/review-the-wild-geese-irishsoldiers-heroes-irish-whiskeys/
"Jameson 18 Year Old
The nose and taste are incredibly well balanced, with that unique Irish oiliness
ever present, and I’ve always been weak for a toffee/vanilla finish – which it has.
That said, though, I do have to say that it is a bit on the pricey side. Going for
between $95-115 it’s not cheap, especially considering that you can pick up a
bottle of the Scottish blended whisky Whyte & Mackay 22 Year old – Supreme for
$80, without sacrificing the happiness of your taste buds. That said, if you’re after
a more refined version of the 12 year old Jameson, you won’t be disappointed,
but in my opinion you get better value for money with the 12 year old special
reserve, at under half the price.
Eye: Amber, dark
Nose: Citrus, overripe autumn fruit, honey, fudge and mildly spicy, and it must be
said that they all comes together beautifully.
Taste: Very smooth indeed, with hints of leather, vanilla fudge, nuts – and there is
no hiding that it has spent some time in a sherry cask; overall very well balanced
with a nice, rounded, sweet aftertaste that lingers pleasantly in your mouth.
http://www.whiskycritic.com/jameson-18-year-old
"Redbreast 12 Year Old
A clean and welcoming nose, it presents a unique fruit basket of banana, peach,
apricot, pear and something exotic (perhaps passion fruit) as well as vanilla and
caramel. It may be that this all sounds a bit too sweet and sickly, but let me
assure you that such is not the case. On the palate it is quite oily and again
there’s a beautiful combination of fruity flavors ranging from peach to strawberry,
but there is also a spicy element and hints of ginger, licorice and nutmeg. The
aftertaste is peppery at first, but soon turns into burnt brown sugar.
In some ways, it quite reminds me of the fabulous Rittenhouse Straight Rye. At a
mere $45, this is definitely one to add to your wish or shopping list. Well done,
Ireland.
Color: Pale gold, Ray of summer sun through a countryside window
Nose: A blissful fruit explosion; banana, apricot, peach, pear, perhaps passion
fruit, vanilla and caramel.
Taste: Oily, fruity (as above, but also strawberry), spice, ginger, licorice and
nutmeg. Aftertaste of initial pepper, then burnt brown sugar.
http://www.whiskycritic.com/redbreast-12-year-old
Waterford Crystal
"While in Russia, the most popular type of whisky by far was Irish Whiskey
"IRISH WHISKEY - KEY FACTS
It is thought that distillation technology reached medieval Europe around the 12th
century, with Ireland & Germany being the first countries where distilled spirits
became widely available to the populace. However, some sources claim that Irish
monks were distilling spirits in the 6th century.
The continuous still was perfected and patented by an Irishman, former Customs
& Excise official Aeneas Coffey, which is why it is also known as a ‘patent’ or
‘Coffey’ still.
Coffey had retired from his position as Inspector General of Excise in Ireland in
1824 to work on perfecting the technology. His Coffey still was patented in 1831.
Irish (and American) whisky added the ‘e’ to become ‘whiskey’ in the late 19th
century to distinguish themselves from Scotch whisky - which was suffering from
a reputation for very low quality due to the flood of inferior Coffey still Scotch that
was being produced at the time.
As well as Scottish and Irish grain whisk(e)y, nowadays the Coffey still is also
used for the production of vodka, gin, bourbon and most rums.
All the Irish whiskey currently available is produced at just three distilleries:
Cooley, Midleton and Bushmills. However, Cooley recommenced production at
Locke’s distillery (now renamed Kilbeggan) in 2007. Kilbeggan is the oldest
licensed distillery in the world, having been established in 1757.
Bushmills is the only distillery in Northern Ireland. Cooley and Midleton distilleries
are in the Republic of Ireland.
It is a myth that all Irish malt whiskies are triple-distilled. In fact, the only
available triple-distilled Irish single malt whiskies are from Bushmills. The vast
majority of Irish malt whiskey brands are distilled at Cooley, and all of them are
double-distilled.
It is also no longer true that all Irish whiskey is unpeated, as the Cooley distillery
has been producing peated whiskeys in Ireland for some time.
Types of Irish Whiskey
Pure Pot Still Irish Whiskey
Pure pot still is the only style of whiskey that is exclusively made in Ireland.
Confusingly, pure pot still’s distinctive characteristic is not that it is made in a potstill – Irish malts are also made in potstills – but the type of barley used in the
distillation process. Where single malt is produced from 100% malted barley, pure
pot still whiskey uses a mix of malted and unmalted barley.
This mixed mashbill gives the whisky a distinctive spiciness known as ‘potstill
character’.
All the pure pot still Irish Whiskey available today is made at the New Midleton
distillery, home of Jameson. Some of the older expressions of Jameson contain a
large proportion of aged pure pot still whiskey.
The best pot still whiskies are Redbreast, which is rounded, rich and silky due to
partial ageing in sherry casks; and the younger Green Spot, which is lively, fresh
and displays a flawlessly clean pure pot still character.
Blended Irish Whiskey
Irish blends are the cornerstone of the industry. Midleton and Cooley distilleries
both produce several different brands, but all of Bushmills’ blended whiskey is
bottled under their own label.
Bushmills distillery produces only single malt whiskey. The grain component in the
Bushmills blends comes from the Midleton distillery. The Black Bush blend
contains a very high proportion of sherry-aged malt whiskey.
Cooley’s Kilbeggan 15yo blend was released in 2007 to celebrate the 250th
anniversary of the Kilbeggan distillery. It went on to win the title of World’s Best
Irish Blend at the World Whiskies Awards, as well as a Gold Medal and Best in
Class award at the International Wine & Spirits Competition 2008.
The Midleton distillery is the largest in Ireland, with a production capacity of 19
million litres per year. Other brands produced at the distillery include Tullamore
Dew, Powers and Paddy.
Irish Single Malt Whiskey
The vast majority of Irish single malt whiskey brands are produced at the Cooley
distillery under different brand names. Besides its own brand, Bushmills produces
only Knappogue Castle, Clontarf and The Irishman malt whiskies. The Midleton
distillery does not produce any single malt.
Bushmills is the only producer currently releasing triple-distilled Irish single malt
whiskey, although it is rumoured that Cooley have recently made some tripledistilled malt.
Cooley is Ireland’s only producer of peated single malt whiskey - their main
peated brand is Connemara. However, the peat character of Connemara contains
none of the iodine notes associated with Islay single malt whiskies.
Irish Grain Whiskey
The Midleton distillery produces the vast majority of Irish grain whiskey for its
Jameson brand. The remainder is made by Cooley.
Strangely for such a big producer, none of Midleton’s whiskey is bottled as a
single grain.
This leaves Greenore as Ireland’s only commercially available single grain
whiskey.
http://whiskystuff.blogspot.ca/2010/03/irish-whisky-facts-by-tim.html
"Ralfy's whisky review 192 - Jameson Whiskey 58,931 views
Auchentoshan is an Irish whiskey (triple distilled...)
John Jameson was a Scot
"Pot Stills
With out a doubt the size and shape of the stills has a huge impact on the final
character of the final product. I will try to provide some very basic information
about the types of stills and other still related facts.
"There are many factors that affect what style of distillate the stills produce.
These includee the type of copper, shape, size, angle of the lyne arm, height,
temperature, etc . This is way beyond what I know.
"From what I can remember, the length and angle of the lyne arm has a huge
effect on the taste of the whisky.
http://www.reddit.com/r/Scotch/comments/hsahm/education_series_
stills_and_the_effect_on_the/
Pictures
http://www.ireland-forever.com/old_midleton_distillery.htm
http://www.whisky-lindispensable.com/fr/midleton-distillery/les-distilleries-dirlande.html
http://www.tripadvisor.de/LocationPhotos-g186591-d1005627Irish_Whiskey_Trail-Ireland.html
http://media.lonelyplanet.com/lpimg/25405/25405-48/preview.jpg
http://magazine.inspirato.com/wpcontent/uploads/2013/01/jameson_Distillery_HED.jpg
http://www.blahbloblog.com/2012/02/07/ireland-old-jameson-distillery/
http://www.blahbloblog.com/2012/02/07/ireland-old-jameson-distillery/?
picasaViewAlbumId=JamesonDistillery%2C0&startIndex=17
http://production.thevitalingredient.ie/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/h-baconman/3489651786/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/punkchick713/1205127092/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/hangtowngal/4459383126/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/geewiz/198217662/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/realmattkane/8068773797/
http://i.imgur.com/9K2O6.jpg
"Simple effects of dilution
Adding water, or serving on the rocks, has a number of simple effects, such as
diluting the ethanol a bit (ethanol anesthetizes your taste buds a bit), and cooling
it (making your taste buds slightly less sensitive to certain flavors), but the
fascinating part is what happens to the oily flavor compounds during dilution.
Dilution masks some flavor compounds
Oily hydrocarbons are somewhat soluble in high-proof whiskey. There are longchain esters and short-chain esters of many varieties. As you add water, the
whiskey becomes more polar, and the long-chain esters become supersaturated
and start to precipitate in the form of micelles, microscopic "droplets" of esters
that have clumped together. In some liquors like absinthe or ouzo, these droplets
can get so large that they become visible, and visibly cloud the drink (an intended
feature of absinthe preparation). In whiskey, these droplets are usually
microscopic and don't visibly cloud the drink, because most of the oils have been
removed during chill-filtration.
However, these droplets do something important, in that short-chain esters, being
more soluble in the droplet than they are in the diluted whiskey, enter the droplet
and become trapped inside. These compounds are now less available for tasting
or smelling. Fortunately, these compounds are the oily, grassy compounds that
many people do not like in their whiskey, and masking them is considered an
improvement.
Dilution releases other flavor compounds
There is another type of micelle "droplet" that forms in whiskey. Ethanol, in high
concentrations in water, forms it's own clusters, as ethanol molecules gather up
with one another. Interestingly, warmer solutions cause more clustering of
ethanol molecules, as do higher concentrations. Like before, these micelles trap
compounds that are more soluble in ethanol than they are in water, volatile flavor
compounds. However, unlike the oil droplets, these flavor compounds are
desirable. Cooling the solution and diluting the solution both serve to "pop" these
ethanol micelles, allowing them to release their trapped compounds for aroma
and flavor.
So cooling and adding water can have the effect of both masking certain flavors
by forcing them out of solution, and enhancing others by promoting their release
back into solution. In the end, the result of the changed flavors is a matter of
taste, which is why some people prefer neat, with water, or on the rocks, but one
cannot deny that real chemical changes are in play.
http://cooking.stackexchange.com/questions/21902/what-happenswhen-you-mix-whiskey-and-water
New perspectives on whisky and water
http://blog.khymos.org/2007/06/03/new-perspectives-on-whisky-andwater/
"With a pot still, you cut off the heads by discarding the first distillate from a
batch distillation, and cut off the tails by discarding the last distillate from a batch
distillation.
"Column stills are continuous, so with a column still, you can cut off the heads by
having a taller column with more plates and taking a certain proportion of
distillate from this point instead of the lower point where the heart comes out.
These extra plates allow more separation between the ethanol and methanol, the
higher parts of the column having a cooler distillate (with more methanol and less
ethanol and water). Similarly, some distillate could be taken out at a lower plate,
where the distillate is hotter and thus has more fusel alcohols and water and less
methanol and ethanol. That said, the distillate out of a column still that only has
two streams out (white dog and leftover mash) is going to have a lot of the tails
left in the mash. It's necessary to cut off the tails with pot distillation, as each
batch needs to be stopped when the still reaches a certain temperature or you
end up boiling all your water/fusels out.
This is a fair bit harder than with a pot still. Furthermore, the advances in yeast
quality, manufacturing quality, and the fact that there's really not enough
methanol to do any harm in the original product all make these steps less
necessary.
"The old fashioned pot still is a giant superannuated tea kettle whose inefficiency
puts out a distillate that has to be separated by the stillman. The heads and tails
go back to be redistilled or discarded while the middle is barreled for aging. The
modern column still (also called a continuous still) is quite efficient and does the
separation job in the process.
Methanol Boiling point: 149°F (65°C)
Ethanol Boiling point: 173.1°F (78.37°C)
"methanol being poisonous and the tails being bitter
"the temperature of the vapors coming over is a very good indication of the
compound that is in the distillate. Here is a list of the major chemicals in
distillation and their boiling points:
Acetone (134F)
Methanol (wood alcohol) (147F)
Ethyl acetate (171F)
Ethanol 78C (172F)
2-Propanol (rubbing alcohol) (180F)
1-Propanol (207F)
Water (212F)
The heads portion of the run is the Acetone to Ethyl Acetate, Hearts is Ethanol as
you know, and the remaining components comprise the tails. There is always
some leaching of the heads into the hearts phase and hearts into tails since few
stills are equipped for 100% separation like some laboratory stills or the stills in
the oil industry. Using the boiling points and temperatures as guides, and then
smelling and tasting you get a pretty good idea of when to cut the heads to the
hearts and then hearts to tails. If you have ever had the opportunity to smell and
taste the heads and tails v. the hearts you can pick it up pretty quickly.
"The old timers had their take on it relative to their job responsibilities, mash men
would say whisky was made in the tub, not the still, still men would say they
made the whisky good, warehouse men would say the others supplied the
ingredients but they were the ones who made the whisky fit to drink.
"Well, not to confuse the process any more, but when ethanol and water mix their
boiling points average out to another boiling point depending on the relative
concentrations of each chemical. It's call an azeotropic mixture (more here if
curious: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azeotrope). If we get a 10-13% alcohol
solution from the fermentation we'll usually see the heads section from about
170F to 180F, hearts from 180 to 192F, and tails from 192- 206F. If we get a 1416% alcohol solution the vapor temperatures will be lower by about 1 degree
because there is more alcohol in the water/alcohol mixture.
There are potentially several other factors to consider when making a cut,
including the proof of the distillate, the rate at which the distillate is being
collected, the type of still and the amount of reflux occurring if applicable. You
can try to quantify the cutting process by accounting for all of the above, but your
sense of smell and taste will ultimately be the deciding factor. After all, if it tastes
bad, you probably wont drink it and certainly wont sell it. Some try to stretch the
hearts by cutting early into the heads and late into the tails to get more
marketable product, but we think that adversely impacts the overall product,
even after aged, so we try not to get many, if at all. Sailor is correct that some
may add complexity if aged properly.
http://www.straightbourbon.com/forums/showthread.php?19545Cutting-those-heads-and-tails
"Whisky Advocate Award Distillery of the Year 2012
Midleton Distillery
http://www.whiskyadvocateblog.com/2012/02/12/whisky-advocateaward-distillery-of-the-year/
"HOW DO YOU TASTE A WHISKY?
The best way to taste whisky is with friends!
There are five indicators when one tastes a whisky and they are as follows:
GLASS
A tulip-shaped 'wine tasting' glass is ideal for this task as it captures the nose in
the bottom of the glass, allowing it to escape only when swirled! Just under a full
tot is required in the glass to taste.
COLOUR
Lift the glass by the base or the stem and hold it up to the light. Note the colour.
Ideas of colour:
* Amber
* Ruby gold
* Champagne
* Rich molasses
* Treacle
* Honey
* Apple juice
* Sunshine
LEGS
Swirl the whisky in the glass and notice the "oily legs" that drip down the inside
of the glass. They are an indicator of age, abv. And the way the whisky was made
- the shape of the still - more or less contact with copper may well indicate
thicker, short or thinner, longer legs.
NOSE
This is THE most important part in any tasting - at the optimum level, one's
olfactory senses can identify up to 32 primary aromas, whilst taste only covers 4!
Place your nose into the glass and sniff LIGHTLY - this whisky is 43% abv. And
should you take a large sniff you may well experience what we know as "nose
burn". A light sniff from side to side will give you a fair indication of the flavour
coming through. Very often, there is pure alcohol on the nose and this is always
encouraging as WATER is the magic ingredient to bring out the real nose.
Add a dash of spring water - a third of what is in the glass or just enough to stop
the prickly sensation on the nose - and when you add the water, notice the oily
chains or aroma-bearing compounds moving in the glass. You are injecting
oxygen into the glass and allowing the flavours to escape.
Now nose.
PALATE
You do not have to suck in air, gargle or shake the whisky around your mouth in
order to get the best palate out of your whisky. Just take a wee sip and swallow.
The areas on your tongue will indicate different characteristics of the whisky:
Tip of your tongue - sweet
Sides of your tongue - spicy or peppery
Back of your tongue - acidity or bitterness or smoke
Centre of your tongue - described as the "oomami" - where the total flavour
comes to rest after swallowing. It may feel like a ping-pong ball in the centre of
your mouth filled with flavour.
FINISH
The finish on any whisky is the overall flavour left in the mouth and the warming
sensation as the whisky leaves your mouth and finds its way to your stomach.
That warmth is a finish.
http://forum.irishwhiskeysociety.com/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=155
"The statement that there are 32 primary aromas is FALSE. None
of the scientists had any idea where such a concept would have come
from.
There are several hundred different types of olfactory receptors,
but they do not correspond on a one-to-one basis with classes of odors.
Another myth is that the primary tastes each have their own little spot on the
tongue:
The tongue map, showing sweet on the tip of the tongue, bitter
on the back and sweet and salty on the sides, long accepted as fact, is a myth.
It’s based on
a mistranslation of a German paper that was written in 1901 by a Harvard
psychologist. If you do any experimenting on yourself you’ll discover it’s not
true.
Sweet, sour, salty and bitter are perceived anywhere there are taste buds.
While there are differences in sensitivity to the four tastes around the tongue,
these differences are small.
Most researchers accept the existence of a fifth taste: umami, a Japanese word
meaning savory or meaty.
Unlike taste
preferences, which are hard-wired from birth, preferences for odors are, for the
most part, learned through experience.
The human tongue contains about 10,000 taste buds located
in four different types of structures, called papillae. It is these papillae,
not the taste buds, which give the tongue its bumpy surface.
There appear to be several receptors for bitter and sweet, tuned to different
molecules.
The "four basic tastes" are an out-dated and language-limited model of what we
perceive.
Some people are born with more taste buds – and as a result may experience
taste,
particularly bitterness, much more intensely.
There are proven differences in the way men and women smell – women
can be more sensitive to strong smells, and more capable of detecting
weak aromas. There is no corresponding research that states men and
women taste things differently. This is important to keep in mind as the industry
attempts to attract more female Scotch drinkers.
The brain is trainable and will get better at picking out subtleties and nuances in
aromas – a developed "palate" is really a developed brain.
The Olfactory Bulb, the Hippocampus, and the Visual Cortex all play a part in
helping to recognize aromas.
http://inebrio.com/thescotchblog/?p=403
"An aroma refers to the smells unique to the grape variety and are most readily
demonstrated in a varietal wine—such as lychees with Gewürztraminer or black
currant with Cabernet Sauvignon. These are smells that are commonly associated
with a young wine. As a wine ages chemical reactions among acids, sugars,
alcohols and phenolic compounds create new smells that are known as a wine's
bouquet. These can include honey in an aged Sauternes or truffles in a Pinot noir.
The term bouquet can also be expanded to include the smells derived from
fermentation and exposure to oak. In Burgundy, the aromas of wines are subdivided into three categories-primary, secondary and tertiary aromas. Primary
aromas are those specific to the grape variety itself. Secondary aromas are those
derived from fermentation and oak aging. Tertiary aromas are those that develop
through bottled aging.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aroma_of_wine
http://www.theperfectcellar.com/blog/wine-tasting-the-aroma-wheel/
Truths about Whisky
http://books.google.ca/books?
id=KixEAAAAYAAJ&pg=PR6#v=onepage&q&f=false
malt tax 1682
1838 Abstinence
1909 Commission on whisky
E
Prohibition
Irish Independence Trade war British Empire
"The Wild Geese brand is owned by Avalon Group Inc. and their Irish whiskey
range joins a line-up of third-party distilled spirits which includes Wild Geese
Rum. Launched in May 2012, the whiskies are made by Ireland's Cooley Distillery
(now owned by Beam Inc.) using what the brand owners describe as a "unique
Extended Double Distillation process". When asked exactly what this was we were
told, "The distillation is over a longer period and a lower heat". We'd guess Cooley
distill their own branded whiskies equally as slowly in which case this would
hardly be unique. Sounds distinctly like marketing puffery.
The brand name is not an ill-conceived attempt to piggyback on Grey Goose. (At
least we hope it's not). In Irish history the term 'Wild Geese' generally refers to
Irish soldiers who have left the Ireland to serve as mercenaries in continental
European armies, particularly during the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. The Wild
Geese Collection of Irish whiskies in particular celebrates the 1691 'Flight of The
Wild Geese' which occurred after the Treaty of Limerick.
During the Williamite War in Ireland (1688-91), Louis XIV gave military and
financial support to the Irish Jacobites, including his sending 6,000 French troops.
In return, in 1690, Louis demanded that the Irish send 6,000 of their troops to
fight in the Nine Years War against the Dutch. Accordingly, five regiments, known
as the 'French Irish Brigade', were sent. The following year, in 1691, the Irish
Jacobites under Patrick Sarsfield surrendered and he signed the Treaty of
Limerick. His troops were permitted to leave Ireland for service in the French
Army in return for their surrender so 14,000 soldiers and 10,000 women and
children left for France. This mass emigration has since become known as the
Flight of the Wild Geese.
Some might say this whiskey brand represents a cynical attempt to market to
patriotic Irish Americans and indeed in the USA we note that this range of
whiskies goes by the longer brand name, "The Wild Geese Irish Soldiers & Heroes
Irish Whiskey Collection." Tellingly the website says, "Wherever you are in the
world, if you are of Irish descent you are part of this story and entitled to call
yourself 'Wild Geese'. (For the record I boast more than a little Irish descent
-thanks mum.)
Wild Geese Rare Irish
43% alc./vol.
Producer: Cooley Distillery, Ireland info on Cooley Distillery
A blend of Irish malt and grain whiskey made by Cooley Distillery and mainly
aged in first-fill ex-bourbon barrels with some second-fill also used. How long this
whiskey is matured for is not disclosed.
Appearance: Transparent with small partials in suspension, mid golden.
Aroma: Butterscotch, slightly burnt crème brûlée, vanilla and lemon zest.
Taste: Burnt notes continue through to the slightly honey sweet and buttery
toffee malty palate with pleasing toasty notes, cleansing citrus zest and a mild
spicy oak garnish.
Aftertaste: Butterscotch and light cinnamon spice. Easy but perhaps lacking real
depth of flavour and with filtration issues.
diffordsguide rating: 3.5/5
http://www.diffordsguide.com/class-magazine/read-online/en/201208-21/page-1/spirited-reviews
"Cooley Distillery
Status:
Operational
Established:
1988
Owner:
Beam Global Spirits & Wine (Beam Inc.)
Capacity: Not supplied
Visitor Policy:
Not generally accessible
Tel: Not supplied
Address:
Riverstown
Cooley
Co. Louth
Ireland (Eire)
There are those who’d have you believe that Irish whiskey is always triple distilled
and never peated. That was the case until Ireland’s second whiskey distilling
company, Cooley was established in 1988.
History
The heady days of Irish whiskey were at the beginning of the 19th century, when
there were some 2,000 whiskey distilleries operating in Ireland. From then on the
industry has been plagued with bad luck including the Total Abstinence
Movement, partition, civil war, a British trade embargo and US Prohibition. By the
early 1970’s only four distilleries had survived 150 years of bad karma. Feeling
somewhat beleaguered they merged to form the Irish distillers group with two
distilleries, Middleton in the south and Bushmills in the North. The whiskies made
by this now French owned group are triple distilled and aren’t peated.
Ask a Scot about the merits of triple distillation and he’s likely to tell you that
Scottish distillers manage to get it right in two attempts. As for peat free, he’ll
probably take the view that even his fellow countrymen are not so tight as not to
invest in some added natural flavours.
Well back in those heady days of Irish whiskey distillation there was more than
the odd Irishman that held the same opinions. Back then there was more
diversity in the Irish whiskey category. Some Irish whiskey brands were double
distilled and some were even peated. Cooley was established by a bunch of
whiskey loving Irishmen who sought to reincarnate forgotten old Irish whiskey
brands such as Tyrconnell, Lock’s (est. 1757), Millars (est. 1843) and Kilbeggan
(est. 1757) and make them the way they were once made with a range of styles
and flavours.
Our hero’s overcome the challenges and costs of converting a forma government
potato spirit distillery and then waiting up to eight years for the whiskey to reach
sufficient maturity to be sold. Their financial plight was such that in 1994 they
were too broke to distil and were only saved by a $1.6 million deal with Kentucky
distillers Heaven Hill who invested in stocks to sell in the US market. How they
must laugh now. In 2012 after selling to Beam these whiskey loving
entrepreneurs are laughing all the way to the bar to order another one of their
highly regarded whiskies.
Cooley Distillery lies in a beautiful corner of Southern Ireland close to the
northern boarder. Formally a government owned distillery, turning potatoes into
industrial alcohol, it was designed by Czech architects and resembles a beached
battle ship.
When southern Ireland split and went it’s own way, us Brits attempted to squeeze
the new republic by enforcing a trade embargo. This not only hit Irish whiskey
distillers, but also farmers of the countries most important crop, potatoes. So the
Irish government built five identical distilleries to buy potatoes and turn them into
internationally marketable industrial alcohol. Due to the British embargo they had
to turn to Eastern Europe for expertise and equipment. The armour platted
Cooley distillery was one of the five identical distilleries built for this purpose. It is
the last to survive, probably because it was the closest to Dublin where the civil
servants that ran them were based.
Production
Cooley’s do not have their own malting facility but buy from a specialist maltster.
Cooley's main plant at Dundalk is a column still facility while their newer second
distillery at Kilbeggan only has pot stills.
http://www.diffordsguide.com/beer-wine-spirits/distillery/558/cooleydistillery%3Cbr%20/%3Etarget=
"The Flight of the Wild Geese refers to the departure of an Irish Jacobite army
under the command of Patrick Sarsfield from Ireland to France, as agreed in the
Treaty of Limerick on October 3, 1691, following the end of the Williamite War in
Ireland. More broadly, the term "Wild Geese" is used in Irish history to refer to
Irish soldiers who left to serve as mercenaries in continental European armies in
the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries.
The crucial turning point came during the Williamite War in Ireland (1688–91),
when Louis XIV gave military and financial aid to the Irish Jacobites. In 1690, in
return for 6,000 French troops that were shipped to Ireland, Louis demanded
6,000 Irish recruits for use in the Nine Years War against the Dutch. Five
regiments, led by Justin McCarthy, Viscount Mountcashel formed the nucleus of
the French Irish Brigade. A year later, after the Irish Jacobites under Patrick
Sarsfield surrendered at the Treaty of Limerick in 1691, they were allowed to
leave Ireland for service in the French Army. Sarsfield's "exodus" included 14,000
soldiers and 10,000 women and children. This is popularly known in Ireland as
the Flight of the Wild Geese.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_of_the_Wild_Geese
"Under the terms of the Treaty of Limerick in 1691, which ended the war between
King James II and VII and King William III in Ireland, a separate force of 12,000
Jacobites had arrived in France in an event known as Flight of the Wild Geese.
These were kept separate from the Irish Brigade and were formed into King
James's own army in exile, albeit in the pay of France.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_Brigade_%28France%29
"In 1691 as many as 20,000 Irishmen transferred to fight with the King of France.
They left Limerick on French ships that had arrived, alas too late, to relieve the
siege of the city. They became known as the "Wild Geese" "For in far foreign
fields, from Dunkirk to Belgrade, Lie the soldiers and chiefs of the Irish Brigade"
By Thomas Davis 'Remember Fontenoy!' The role of the Irish Brigade at the Battle
of Fontenoy, 30 April 1745, where the French army won a notable victory over the
British and Dutch, has been regarded as the greatest of Irish battle honours. In
1792, the Comte de Provence (future King Louis XVIII) presented the Irish
Brigade (Berwick, Dillon, and Walsh regiments) upon its disbandment with a
Standard of Honour (drapeau d'adieu) embroidered with an Irish Harp, Shamrock
and Fleur de Lys, and the motto "1692-1792, Semper et Ubique Fidelis", in
recognition of one hundred years' service to the kings of France.
http://www.armchairgeneral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=96972
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Irish_Brigade_%28France
%29.png
"Irish Farewell Banner - Drapeau d' Adieu. Information about the flag can be
found here. Presented by the comte de Provence, brother of Louis XVI, in 1792 to
those officers of the Irish Brigade that had followed the Bourbon princes into
exile. Replica of the drapeau was presented by the Benedictine nuns of Ypres to
the 16th Irish Division some time in 1914. The replica was later given by MajorGeneral Sir William Hickie, the GOC of the division, to his nephew Captain Rickard
Deasy (late Artillery Corps, Irish Army) who presented it to the Artillery School,
Curragh Camp, Co. Kildare, where it is now. The whereabouts of the replica
Farewell Banner had been forgotten until Swiss Historian Thomas Raymann
researched different leads for two years and was able to reestablish it's location in
2001.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Irish_Farewell_Banner_
%28Drapeau_d%27_Adieu%29.png
"Truth be told, I believe that the overwhelming majority of the so called "Wild
Geese" were these Irish exiles, including their immediate off-spring that were
born outside of Ireland. Also, I believe that a post such as this one is long
overdue! Kudos to Highwayman!
Though to back up Jeroen, I did read some time ago that there was this small
minority of Scottish & English troops that served within several of those famous &
far-flung Celtic brigades, & who fought while serving under the flags of either
France or Spain. Though by far & away the vast majority of those mercenary
troops known as the Wild Geese were Irish born, or of mostly Irish descent.
Also, the Highland Jacobites fleeing Scotland back during the first half of the 18th
century may have been referred to as "Wild Geese," though I've never read any
sources that would indicate as much. For such a possibility must be based on
mere assumption.
Here's this excerpt taken from this prior post of mine that should help shed some
further light upon this very fascinating & compelling subject--""As for the famed, venerated and fearsome mercenary "Wild Geese" (the best
fighters in Europe, along with the Swiss, for over 200 years!!!), they were this
often conspiculous element upon the battlefields of Europe until the demise of
Napoleon and his huge well-trained Army in 1815---(upon the revered and
hallowed fields of Waterloo!).
Though those Irish super fighters did not languish for long as they soon went
global and sought employment in South America where there were several
revolutions taking place against the Spanish and Portugese
overlords/rulers/colonizers.
Needless to say the Irish once again made this great and long-lasting name for
themselves as some of the fiercest, most experienced and most proficient fighting
men that this planet has ever seen!!! Though let's go back to their inception!
Initially recruited by the French in the mid 1690's---(after the fall of Limerick and
defeat in their own country!)---the all-Irish Wild Geese would go on to see much
action in the Low Countries, in Northern Italy, Spain and in Bavaria.
King Louis XIV of France was so impressed with their bravery, amazing ferocity
and skill at combat, especially in the Austrian campaign of 1701-1702---(the
famous Irish victory at the Battle of Cremona back in 1702 comes to mind,
where, after retaking the entire town, they ferociously repelled and entirely
routed at the gates the very finest of Prince Eugene's toughest Austrian and
German troops, who, it must be stated, out-numbered the besieged yet victorious
Irish soldiers that were fighting for the French!!!)---that he "raised the pay of the
new regiments to that of the veteran Irish Brigade."
It was the great French commander Vendosme who, at the siege of Barcelona in
1697, referred to the Irish fighting under him as the "butchers of the army!" Also,
he "had a particular esteem for this warlike nation, at whose head he had
delivered so many combats, and gained so many victories, confessed that he was
surprised at the terrible enterprises which those 'butchers of the army!' achieved
in his presence."
For the next 50 years or so the Irish Brigade would go on to serve the French
with great distinction and ferocity, though it was at the Battle of Fontenoy on May
10th, 1745, in what is now Belgium, that those famed Irish exiles fought in what
has been deemed their finest hour.
For to make a long story short the French were once again fighting the English,
and the English Army was on the verge of total victory, though they didn't count
on facing the wrath and fury of the Irish regiments which were unleashed at the
very end of the Battle.
That's when the British commander Cumberland decided to "launch this frontal
attack on the main body of the French troops" and drive them from the field.
Right after Cumberland gave the order to advance over 16,000 British troops, the
best in his Army, began moving up this slope toward Fontenoy where, despite
being "raked by a murderous fire from the French redoubts," they continued to
drive forward with great determination.
To check the British advance the French commander-in-chief Maurice de Saxe
ordered the Irish Brigade, 3800 strong, to launch themselves with fixed bayonets
at their very formidable, numerically superior English foes, who, for the first time
in over 50 years, were facing the Irish on the battlefield!
Their chief task was to smash right through the right flank of Cumberland's tough
Army, running down that main slope shoulder to shoulder and well ahead of all
the other French regiments, and, with their fearsome bayonets levelled towards
those of the English, screaming their terrible and utterly ferocious battle cry of
"REMEMBER LIMERICK!!!"
The Irish eventually smashed and slammed into the advancing British, and this
savage, visceral and emotional hand-to-hand struggle ensued, featuring jabbing,
slashing bayonets, musket butts being slammed into faces, furious fists flying and
stabbing knives!
After this very confused and ferocious melee' the Irish, while terribly outnumbered, had repelled the English and sent them reeling back in much disorder
and panic!
They had achieved their ultimate ambition as they entirely routed their hated
English enemies on this open battlefield while face-to-face and hand-to-hand,
fighting with the utmost viciousness and determination while displaying this
awesome combat prowess that was unmatched anywhere in the World! Fontenoy
was their finest hour, and upon those bloody fields the Wild Geese reached the
apex of their success!
Though "after nearly a century of faithful service to the crown, they (the Wild
Geese) were finally disbanded when the French successfully concluded their own
revolution in 1792."
The name those renowned Irish exiles had earned for themselves while fighting
far and wide for the French would be forever steeped in glory, fame & unmatched
honor!!!""
Well, that's all I have to say for now concerning those supremely brave &
thoroughly dedicated Irish exiles---"The Wild Geese!"
http://www.armchairgeneral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=96972
"Zorro
But the secret of the dashing Hispanic swordsman was that he was an Irish
gentleman of noble birth named William Lamport, born in 1615 in County
Wexford. William hailed from a Catholic family, and left Ireland during the
confederate conflict as a result of oppressive English rule. He worked for a while
as a privateer, attacking Englishmen merchantmen of Cromwell’s Commonwealth.
In 1643 he enlisted in one of the three Irish regiments in Spanish service (O’Neill,
O’Donnell and Fitzgerald) to fight against the French forces in Spanish Flanders.
He was commended for bravery and entered Spanish Royal service.
Assuming the name “Guillen Lombardo” he went to the then-Spanish colony of
Mexico. Once in Mexico he developed a sympathy for the poor and native Indians.
He lived amongst them studying astrology and their healing skills. For this he
came to the notice of the Spanish Inquisition, which under the guise of religious
“correctness” hunted out enemies of the King of Spain. William became the leader
of the fledgling Mexican independence movement. His name occurs time and time
again in reports of Inquisitors gathering information by torture of suspected
rebels. William was noted for a series of steamy affairs with Spanish noblewomen,
both married and unmarried. He became engaged to Antonia Turcious, a member
of the nobility, but before he could marry he was arrested by the Inquisition and
accused of conspiracy against Spain and its Most Catholic Majesty. He was jailed
for 10 years, but escaped from his dungeon and emerged only at night to daub
the walls of Mexico City with his name and anti-Spanish graffiti.
William was arrested in 1652 when found in the bed of the wife of the Spanish
Viceroy of Mexico, Marquis Lope Diez de Caderyta. He was sentenced to 7 years
imprisonment, at the end of which he was turned over to the Inquisition to be
burnt at the stake as a heretic. In 1659 He was tied to the stake in Mexico City,
but as the bundles of brush and wood were lit, he undid the ropes that bound him
and strangled himself before the flames could reach him.
http://www.armchairgeneral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=96972
"A bit more on the Regiments of the Brigade des Irlandois
The first three Jacobite Irish regiments taken into French service were those
formed from Mountcashel’s Brigade, sent to France in 1690. These regiments, and
those raised thereafter for the French service, took the name of their titular
Colonel, or Mestre-de-Camp Propriétaire, who effectively “owned” the regiment.
This officer might in practice hold a far higher rank and did not necessarily serve
with his regiment. If he were not present in person, command would be invested
in a Colonel-Commandant. In order of seniority, the regiments of Mountcashel’s
Brigade comprised:
Régiment de Mountcashel, taken into French service in 1690 but tracing its
ancestry to an Irish regiment embodied by Charles II in 1683 from Irish garrison
troops previously stationed in Tangier. Became in 1694 the Régiment de Lee, and
in 1734 the Régiment de Bulkeley. Amalgamated with the Régiment de Dillon in
1775.
Régiment O’Brien, taken into French service in 1690 but raised the previous year
for James II. Became Régiment de Clare in 1691 upon its Colonel becoming 4th
Viscount Clare, and then the Régiment de Lee in 1693 after Clare’s death. Andrew
Lee transferring the following year to the former Régiment de Mountcashel, it
became the Régiment de Talbot, and on Talbot being disgraced in 1696 and
stripped of his commands it passed to the brother of its original Colonel and, he
now being 5th Viscount, become again the Régiment de Clare. From 1706 to
1720 again the Régiment O’Brien, the colonelcy passing to a junior branch of the
family, until the 6th Viscount Clare came of age and assumed the colonelcy in the
latter year. The regiment then continued as the Régiment de Clare, under
successive Viscounts, until 1775 when it was amalgamated with the Régiment de
Berwick.
Régiment de Dillon, taken into French service in 1690 having recently been raised
for James II. Amalgamated with the Régiment de Bulkeley in 1775, the combined
unit retaining the title of Régiment de Dillon. The name remained the same
throughout its service until abolished by the decree of July 21st 1791, when it
became the 87eme Régiment d’Infanterie.
After the Treaty of Limerick, James II organised an army-in-exile largely paid for
by France. It fought under French command during the later battles of the War of
the League of Augsburg and was disbanded at the close of that conflict under the
terms of the Treaty of Ryswick. It comprised:
Irish Horse Guards
The King’s Regiment of Horse
The Queen’s Regiment of Horse
The King’s Royal Irish Regiment of Foot Guards
The Queen’s Regiment of Foot
The Marine Regiment
Regiment of Foot of Limerick
Regiment of Foot of Charlemont
Regiment of Foot of Dublin
Regiment of Foot of Athlone
Regiment of Foot of Clancarty
King’s Regiment of Dismounted Dragoons
Queen’s Regiment of Dismounted Dragoons
Three Independent Companies of Foot
Largely from the remnants of this force, more Irish Regiments were later raised
for the French service.
Régiment de Dorrington. Taken into the French service in February 1698, but
tracing its ancestry back, through James II’s Royal Irish Regiment of Foot Guards,
to the Royal Irish Regiment formed by Charles II in 1662. From 1718 Régiment
de Roth, from 1766 Régiment de Rosscommon, and then from 1770 Régiment de
Walsh-Serrant until regimental titles abolished by the decree of July 21st 1791
when it became the 92eme Régiment d’Infanterie. The 9th Earl of Rosscommon,
Colonel from 1766 to 1770, was born Robert Dillon, and was a distant relation of
the colonels of the Régiment de Dillon.
Régiment de Berwick. Raised 1698 for the French service out of the Regiment of
Foot of Athlone, King’s Regiment of Dismounted Dragoons, and Independent
Companies of Foot. Its first Colonel was James Fitzjames, Duke of Berwick,
illegitimate son of James II by Arabella Churchill (and therefore nephew of the 1st
Duke of Marlborough). Amalgamated with the Régiment de Clare in 1775, the
combined unit retaining the title of Régiment de Berwick. The Colonelcy remained
with house of Berwick throughout the unit’s existence, until the abolition of
regimental titles by the decree of July 21st 1791 when it became the 88eme
Régiment d’Infanterie.
Régiment de Galmoy. Raised 1698 for the French service out of the Regiment of
Foot of Charlemont and Queen’s Regiment of Dismounted Dragoons. Dissolved
January 30th 1715 and the remaining troops incorporated into the Régiment de
Dillon.
Régiment de Bourke. Raised 1699 for the French service. Became Régiment de
Wauchop in 1715, and passed the same year into the Spanish service, having
served for most of its existence in that country. Became Regimento Connacia (ie
Connaught) but in 1733 transferred to the service of Naples. Eventually
incorporated in the Foreign Brigade in Neapolitan service, losing its Irish
character.
Régiment de Lally. Raised 1744 out of surplus manpower left over from the
reduction of the established strength of the five Irish infantry regiments then in
existence. Disbanded 1762 after being taken prisoner in India, and the survivors
incorporated into the Régiment de Dillon.
There was also a single regiment of Irish cavalry:
Régiment de Sheldon. Raised 1698 for the French service out of the cavalry of
James II’s army-in-exile. From 1706 Régiment de Nugent, and from 1733
Régiment de Fitzjames. Disbanded 1762 after being near annihilated in the
fighting at Graebenstein on June 24th of that year.
Source: The Irish Monthly Vol 59, published by the Irish Jesuit Province
http://images.nypl.org/index.php?id=1236390&t=w
http://images.nypl.org/index.php?id=1236391&t=w
http://images.nypl.org/index.php?id=1236392&t=w
http://images.nypl.org/index.php?id=1236393&t=w
http://images.nypl.org/index.php?id=1236394&t=w
http://images.nypl.org/index.php?id=1236422&t=w
"PROTEGE INTERNATIONAL SALES, MARKETING AND DESIGN AGENCY
http://www.protege-international.com/welcome/
The Wild Geese Irish Whiskey
The Wild Geese Rum
Route 66 Beer
High Roller Cigarettes
Five and Dime Cigarettes
After Hours Silhouettes
After Hours Cigarettes
After Dark Cigarettes
Protégé International Limited was formed in 2000 to provide an exclusive
worldwide marketing service to its clients. To date Protégé has played a pivotal
role in the design and creation of iconic and evocative products for the
international market, including a range of cigarette brands, a premium cigar, an
American beer, the first super-premium Irish Whiskey Collection and now a Rum.
Protégé International’s objective is delivering a brand to market: to communicate
its essence, to produce a product of quality and integrity, to ensure that the
product is memorable for the consumer.
Products are formulated to have a bold strong presence on the shelf, creating
unique next generation brands ranging from the classically distinctive, using
striking materials, to dazzling multi-faceted portrayals, which explore the
aspirations and modern values of today.
Each brand developed by Protégé comes with its own narrative giving it credibility
and longevity. At each stage of the marketing process another chapter is written
in an exciting story.
http://www.protege-international.com/about-us/
THE FLIGHT OF THE WILD GEESE
Dora Sigerson
WRAPT in the darkness of the night,
Gathering in silence on the shore,
Wild Geese flown from hiding on the hills.
(Hark ! the wolf-hound ; thrice he howled before),
Wild geese with forest leaves tangled in their hair.
Is that blood on the heaving breasts of some,
Or dull red clay from fox-deserted lair ?
Why thus so stealthy do they come ?
Wild geese, women's arms round you in the darkness ;
Women's hearts forbid to cry though they break ;
Little children must not sob in their kissing,
"Brother, for ever? Oh hush thee, for God's sake ! "
Wild geese with fierce eyes, deathless hope in your hearts,
Stretching your strong white wings eager for your flight,
These women's eyes will watch your swift returning.
(Thrice the banshee cried in the stormy night.)
Flinging the salt from their wings and despair from their hearts,
They arise on the breast of the storm with a cry and are gone.
When will you come home, wild geese, with your thousand strong ?
(The wolf-dog loud in the silence of night howls on.)
Not the fierce wind can stay your return nor tumultuous sea —
Nor the freedom France gives to your feet on her luxuriant shore.
No smiles for your love like the tears of your sorrowing land.
Only Death in his reaping could make you return no more.
White birds, white birds, I dream of that glad home-coming ;
Though human eyes could not mark your silent flight,
Women lie face down with clenched hands in the sea.
(Thrice the banshee cries in the stormy night.)
++++++++++++++++
Aubrey De Vere (1814-1902)
A Ballad of Sarsfield; or, the Bursting of the Guns
[This intercepting of De Ginkle’s siege train on its way to Limerick is one of the
most famous episodes in the career of the gallant Patrick Sarsfield.]
Sarsfield rode out, the Dutch to rout,
And to take and break their cannon;
To Mass went he at half-past three,
And at four he crossed the Shannon.
Tyrconnel slept. In dream his thoughts
Old fields of victory ran on;
And the chieftains of Thomond in Limerick’s towers
Slept well by the banks of the Shannon.
He rode ten miles and he crossed the ford
And couch’d in the wood and waited;
Till, left and right on march’d in sight
That host which the true men hated.
“Charge!” Sarsfield cried; and the green hillside
As they charged replied in thunder;
They rode o’er the plain, and they rode o’er the slain,
And the rebel rout lay under!
He burn’d the gear the knaves held dear—
For his King he fought, not plunder;
With powder they cramm’d the guns, and ramm’d
Their mouths the red soil under
The spark flash’d out—like a nation’s shout
The sound into heaven ascended;
The hosts of the sky made to earth reply,
And the thunders twain were blended!
Sarsfield rode out the Dutch to rout,
And to take and break their cannon;
A century after, Sarsfield’s laughter
Was echoed from Dungannon.
(From The Book of Irish Poetry. Ed. with an Introduction by Alfred Perceval
Graves. Dublin: The Talbot Press, n. d.)
++++++++++
David Quinn, science guy does quality assurance
Barry Crockett (Master Distiller since 1981. His dad, Max was MD before and
Brian Nation is after), Billy Leighton (Master Blender), David Quinn (Master of
Science), and Brendan Monks (Master of Maturation)
3rd distillation removes Fusel oils congers and heavy flavors and smells
unmalted barley adds mouthfeel and texture (warm and smooth)
take cuts in 2nd and 3rd distillation
different combos of feints [Also known as tails, or after-shots. The final spirit from
the Spirit still at the end of Distillation The Feints are low in alcohol, and are redistilled.]
age individually
change character of the stills
distillation rates impacting the reflux
similar to American distillers
different types of grain whiskies
Production program
seasoned oak unseasoned oak
2007 Vintage. Port Casks for 23 years, American white oak for 20+ years
Port, Madeira, Sherry, Marsala, Malaga, used to mature Irish whiskey 1800s
From Whisky Cast 135
Marketing to increase sales of 18 year-old as it is no longer seen as "expensive."
"Approximately 100 kg grain will make 600-liter mash. The expected end result is
32-35 liter pure (theoretically 100%) alcohol, from which we can make about 80
to 87 liter whiskey that has the strength of 80 proof.
http://www.probrewer.com/resources/distilling/whiskey.php
if the distiller includes too many fusels in the collected distillate then the result
will be a spirit that will taste unclean and would, if drunk, induce quite a
hangover. Remove them all, however, and the remaining congeners will not hold
together properly. Controlling the distillation, in order to separate these
congeners, and enable decisions about what to keep and what not to keep, is not
easy. Then one considers that all the congeners have different boiling points and
as the vapours rise they are condensed and collected at different moments one
can begin to appreciate the art involved. When producing spirits for consumption,
some of the vapours are undesirable and will be rejected ; depending on the end
product the distiller will take great care to collect only the required elements from
the condensed vapours to make spirit.
The most important factors are : raw ingredients—Size & shape of distilling
apparatus—resultant distillate’s alcoholic strength
Alcoholic distillation is the process of separating and concentrating the ethyl
alcohol from a fermented liquid. It works on the basis that ethyl alcohol, with a
boiling point of 78.3°C, is more volatile than water and thus when a fermented
wash is heated, the alcohol vapourises before the water. These alcoholic vapours
are collected through condensation and the other vapours and solids are rejected.
The collected alcohol is mostly made up of Ethyl alcohol
Also known as ethanol ; it is the intoxicating ingredient, is produced during
fermentation and concentrated during distillation.
Methyl alcohol
Also known as methanol ; the lightest of alcohols, volatile, poisonous and
discarded to a great extent with the heads. Extremely small amounts of other
alcohols including :
Fusels Organic compounds produced when carbon and hydrogen atoms are
rearranged during fermentation and distillation; a source of amyl, butyl and
propyl alcohols they have a characteristic rank odour.
Aldehydes Highly reactive organic compounds produced during the
dehydrogenation of alcohol whence their name ; giving a pleasant character on
the nose and developing more complexity with age.
Ketones Similar to aldehydes ; sweetish on the nose.
Esters
Organic compounds that react with water to produce acids ; they have pleasant
odours giving fragrance and flavour.
Phenols
Similar to, but with a higher boiling point than alcohols ; acidic in nature they are
sharp and spicy on the nose. These latter compounds, known as congeners,
provide the spirit with its identity, its nose and its palate. If one is aiming at a
neutral distillation, there would be less than 1 % of higher alcohols, fusels and
congeners in the resulting distillate.
http://www.distillnation.com/process-of-rum.php
Redbreast is the first ongoing pure pot still whiskey in about 80 years.
1,000 barrels/day
30 million litres of pure alcohol
36 – 40 million bottles
first two are wash stills get it from 10% to 20% - 40% low wine, then done in
feint still, head and tail cut. Spirit still is #3, cut again.
Whiskey Cast 279
"The recipe for Bushmill's Black Bush whiskey: Mash a grain mix of equal parts
(by weight) of malted and unmalted barley. Shoot for an alcohol level of 8%.
Triple distillation in a pot still is the method they use but anything you can do to
get it to 80% should work. Dilute down to 63% and age in Oloroso sherry casks
for about ten years (keep in mind the Irish climate is a cool, mild one), then mix
it with aged corn whiskey of the same strength then reduce to 40% and bottle.
(20% corn whiskey, 80% of the malt whiskey). The strain of barley they use is
Golden Promise. An ale yeast should be used for the ferment.
http://homedistiller.org/grain/wash-grain2/bushmills
"Irish Whiskey - 10 parts malted Barley, 7 parts fresh barley grain, 1 part fresh
Oats, 1 part fresh Rye, 1 part fresh Wheat. Grist & proceed.
http://homedistiller.org/grain/wash-grain/recipes
1494 "Given that early Irish history is largely an oral tradition, the first written
and unambiguous reference to aqua vitae being distilled from cereal actually
appears in Scotland. Nevertheless, historians are largely at one in concluding that
due to the close ties at that time between Ireland and Scotland, the likelihood is
that whiskey distilling from local grains occurred in both countries at about the
same time.
1601 "
Flight of the Earls
Up to this period, Ireland was largely ruled by Irish chieftains who operated under
the ancient Celtic tradition of Brehon Law. The English tried unsuccessfully to
introduce licensing and tax systems but given that their control extended only as
far as the Pale, a district around modern day county Dublin, distilling went
unencumbered from English law. Distilling was a cottage industry with hundreds
of home based distilleries throughout the country. Distilling whiskey was as much
a part of ever day country life as butter-making or meat curing. This all changed
in 1601 with the ill-fated Spanish invasion at the Battle of Kinsale (Co. Cork), the
subsequent Flight of the Earls and the collapse of the old Gaelic order. The English
conquest of Ireland could continue unfettered and the implementation of an
English taxation system could be implemented. By 1608 the first distillery licence
was granted to Charles Waterhouse in Munster.
1617 "
A supreme present
Richard Boyle, the 1st Earl of Cork and, friend of Sir Walter Raleigh, notes in his
diary for 20th March, 1617 what is in all probability the first recorded export of
whiskey to America (not just any whiskey but ‘Choice Aquavite’). The entry
occurs in a sequence of entries which show that he was in Youghal, East Cork, at
the time.
"Sent by fforest servant to Mr. Nicholas Galwaye, 32 gallons of choice Aquavite, to
my cozen Barsie of Plymouth, to be presented to Sir Walter Raleigh for his Guiana
voyadge."
(The entry occurs in a sequence of entries which show that he was in Youghal at
the time which also means that the whiskey was from Youghal where the vast
bulk of his various business interests were concentrated. Boyle was noted to
always record gifts particularly to Sir Walter Raleigh from whom he had bought
his Youghal Estates.)
In 1682, Peter the Great of Russia declared “...of all wines, the Irish wine is best”.
In 1755, Samuel Johnson, in his Dictionary of that year, wrote an entry for Uisce
Beatha; “....the Irish sort is particularly distinguished for its pleasant and mild
flavour. In Scotland it is somewhat hotter”.
1792 "
The Origins of Pot Still Irish Whiskey
No one really knows when the practice by Irish distillers of adding unmalted
barley to the mashbill originated, but the imposition of a series of malt taxes by
the English throughout the 18th century certainly would suggest that inventive
Irish distillers sought ways to avoid paying tax on malt – enter Pot Still Irish
Whiskey. Surprisingly and somewhat by accident, the Irish distillers discovered
that the addition of ‘green’ barley resulted in a particularly pleasant tasting
whiskey – full of flavour and with a distinctively creamy mouthfeel.
1800 "
Industrial revolution
By the late 1700s, the industrial revolution arrived to the main cities of Ireland
and the Irish whiskey distilling industry embraced all of the advantages which it
presented. Many of the large Irish whiskey houses came to the fore during this
period – the Jamesons, Powers and Murphy families. Excise laws were also
changed so that tax was paid based on the number of times a whiskey pot still
was 'charged' rather than the volume of liquid it contained. By 1835, the number
of distilleries in Ireland had mushroomed to 93 and the largest pot-still in the
world was in operation at Midleton Distillery, Cork.Pot Still Irish Whiskey was in
great demand throughout the globe and by the turn of the century, Irish whiskey
was in its first golden age.
1830 "
Continuous distillation
In 1830, the former Inspector General of Excise in Ireland, Aeneas Coffey, filed a
patent for a new invention for what was to revolutionise the distilling industry
worldwide and initiate the demise of the Irish whiskey distilling tradition. Coffey
had invented a new continuous distillation process which would, as a
contemporary government publication described, lead to ‘the speediest and most
economical device for preparing a highly concentrated spirit in a single operation’.
These new ‘patent’ or ‘coffey’ stills were shunned by the Irish distillers who
decried the 'silent spirit' which this new apparatus produced. Finding no buyers
for his invention in Ireland, Coffey packed his bags and moved to Scotland where
he was welcomed by a nascent Scotch whisky industry who were only too happy
to put this new invention to use. At this time, Scottish whisky was largely
comprised of rather inconsistent and powerful highland malt whisky. The lighter
and more palatable whiskey which came from the Coffey stills was ideal for the
purpose of blending with their malt whiskys giving rise to a whole new and
revolutionary style of whiskey, Blended Scotch whisky.
1838 "
Total abstinence
Whilst the introduction of the Coffey still was to ultimately precipitate the downfall
of the dominant Irish whiskey industry, a number of other events led to more
rapid and dramatic consequences. At a time when whiskey sales were soaring,
the country was gripped by poverty, with many losing themselves in alcohol. In
1838, a capuchin friar from Co. Cork, Fr. Theobald Matthew, started his “total
abstinence” campaign. In just 5 short years over 5 million of a population of 8
million Irish citizens had taken “the pledge”. That same year, 20 distilleries closed.
"1847
Home
The Great Famine
Following a succession of failed potato crops, on which the vast majority of the
Irish population subsisted, the Great Famine of the 1840s ensued. In the space of
five years, over 1 million Irish citizens perished and another million emigrated,
many to the United States of America. The Irish market for Irish whiskey was
dealt another blow.
1850
Home
Rise of the Blenders
In the 1850s another landmark change in legislation brought about the next
major milestone in the industry. The tax laws were changed whereby tax would
be paid on shipment rather than on production of whiskey spirit. This meant that
whiskey could be purchased and put in ‘bond’ with no up-front taxation charges.
This, in conjunction with the Scottish uptake of the Coffey still, gave rise to a
major commercial advantage for the Scottish blenders. Merchants with names
such as Walker, Bell and Dewar, having begun as grocers and tea importers,
brought their business acumen to bear on the whiskey business. They purchased
robust highland malt and lighter grain whiskey in bond and without the excise
burden of holding stocks of new make whiskey, set about creating a new blended
whiskey which would have a consistent, lighter taste and which could be produced
relatively cheaply and in large quantities.
1879
Home
The Truth About Whiskey
So exasperated were the Irish pot still distillers with the new invention and the
tasteless spirit that it produced, that in 1879, the four leading Dublin distillers
joined forces to publish a book entitled ‘Truths About Whiskey’. The book called
for the banning of the apparatus and claimed that this ‘nefarious’ and ‘silent’ spirit
should not be allowed to describe itself as whiskey.
1890
Home
Irish whiskey dominates
Regardless, the Irish whiskey industry forged ahead in their belief that the quality
of their pot still whiskey rendered them untouchable. Output was increasing in
line with global demand and Irish pot still whiskey continued to prosper. Indeed
as the Scottish distillers and blenders were honing their trade, the Irish industry
got an unlikely boost. The Phylloxera louse struck France and wiped out the
vineyards of the Cognac region resulting in the Irish whiskey’s main competitor,
French brandy, being taken out of the market. Between 1823 and 1900, the
output of Ireland’s distilleries quadrupled. Dublin whiskey, with its six powerhouse
distilleries, dominated the Irish and world stage. Distilleries such as Jameson,
George Roe and Powers employed hundreds of workers with their own
cooperages, stables, blacksmiths and carpenter shops and they exported right
around the globe. Indeed it was about this time that the Dublin distilleries, intent
on forging their uniqueness amongst other whiskies from Scotland and provincial
Ireland, introduced the idea of spelling their whiskey with an e. This phase of
history is regarded as the second golden era of Irish whiskey.
1900
Home
Pot Still Scotch whiskey?
Even as Scottish blended whisky continued to gain momentum, certain Scotch
distilleries nevertheless hedged their bets and began the process of distilling Irish
style pot-still whiskey by adding unmalted barley to their mash. Scotland’s largest
whiskey distilling enterprise, DCL, went one step further in 1900 when it opened
its own Irish distillery at the Phoenix Park in Dublin city. “There is no Patent Still
on the Premises” exclaimed a trade publication of the time and continued to claim
that “It is the determination of this company to make the finest Dublin whisky”.
1909
Home
The Royal Commission
Following a series of legal challenges regarding what could and could not be
called 'whiskey', the ‘Royal Commission on Whisky and other Potable Spirits’ was
set up. Following a year and a half of submissions from the Irish and Scottish
distillers and lobbying from the large whiskey merchants, the Commission found
that grain whisk(e)y from patent stills was indeed whiskey. The Irish distillers had
lost their argument and the die was cast. This was the single biggest blow to the
Irish whiskey industry as the Scottish industry had already made considerable
advances in the area of blended whiskey from which the Irish were neither willing
nor able to recover.
1916
Home
Economic and social turmoil
Just as Irish whiskey was riding a wave, the beginning of the end was just around
the corner. Over the preceding years, the Scottish distillers had been radically
increasing output of whiskey from Coffey stills giving rise to an enormous surplus
of whiskey and the collapse of whiskey prices. Combined with recession and the
onslaught of the World War I, the Irish whiskey industry found itself in the eye of
a storm. 1916 brought the Easter Rising and the economic turmoil which
accompanied it. In 1917 all distilling in Ireland ceased as all barley was required
for the war effort.
1920
Home
Loss of the main market
Up to this time, the largest whiskey market in the world was the USA, which also
happened to be the largest export market for pot still Irish whiskey. In 1919, the
Volstead Act was passed and Prohibition was enacted and overnight the single
most important market for pot still Irish whiskey was shut down. The lifeline for
the Irish industry was cut.
1921
Home
Irish War of Independence
The Irish War of Independence in 1921 was followed by the Irish Civil War from
1922 to 1923. While the Irish were embroiled in civil strife, Scottish
entrepreneurs like Walker, Buchanan and Dewar had come to grips with the
modern concept of whisky brands and were building their brands around the
world. Meanwhile in Ireland, the whiskey industry continued to implode and as
the 1930s came to a close, the Irish whiskey industry had been decimated.
As if to add insult to injury, there was plenty of bootleggers during Prohibition era
USA, seeking to cash in on the Irish whiskey reputation. Much of this whiskey was
of such an extraordinarily poor standard that it caused every right minded drinker
to treat with extreme caution anything which purported to be Irish whiskey.
1933
Home
Good news then bad news
By the time Prohibition had ended in 1933, the Irish whiskey industry was reeling
and was in no shape to cash in on the pent-up demand that the US market now
represented. The Irish distillers had reduced their stocks of maturing pot-still
whiskey, the reputation of which had been irrevocably damaged by the
bootleggers, while the Scots were ready to expand with their stocks of ready
available blended whiskey.
To compound matters, in 1932 the recently emancipated Irish government
entered into a Trade War with its former landlord and largest trading partner,
Great Britain, culminating in exclusion to 25% of world markets. This meant that
the remaining exports for Irish whiskey disappeared behind a wall of duties and
levies.
1945
Home
Exposure to Scotch
American soldiers, having been based in the UK during World War II, return home
with a newly acquired tasted for Scotch whiskey. This creates an instant demand
for Scotch whisky throughout the USA.
1960
Home
Scotch rules
Scotch whisky was the drink-du-jour of the 1960s and the name Scotch became
the byword for whiskey.
1966
Home
Revival for Irish whiskey
By 1948, there were only 3 distilleries left in the Republic of Ireland and three in
Northern Ireland. By 1953, only 5 survived on the island, mainly based on
domestic demand. These were the Jameson and Powers distilleries of Dublin, Cork
Distilleries Company (CDC) of Cork and the Bushmills and Coleraine distilleries in
Northern Ireland. Sensing that the writing was on the wall versus the might of the
Scottish distilleries, Jameson, Powers and CDC merged in 1966 to form Irish
Distillers Ltd. This date marked the start of the revival for Irish whiskey.
1970
Home
Jameson leads the revival
Recognising that the way forward was through exports and accepting that their
whiskey styles had to be reinvented, a whole new range of lighter, blended
whiskeys was created and the world’s love affair with Irish whiskey was reignited. Additionally, by merging, Irish Distillers were able to pool their marketing
efforts in order to invest in their flagship brand, Jameson, which became the main
vehicle through which whiskey drinkers around the world would be reacquainted
with Irish whiskey.
1975
Home
New state-of-the art distillery
Recognising the early signs of interest and demand for Irish whiskey, Irish
Distillers Ltd. took the momentous step of closing its land-locked distilleries in
Dublin and in 1975 opened a new state-of-the art distillery at the home of the
Cork Distilleries Co. in Midleton, Co. Cork. This distillery was, and is to this day,
one of the most advanced in the world. In fact, there are two distilleries in
Midleton, a pot-still and column still distillery which means that the various
brands of whiskey can be made in the one facility.
This date also marked a momentous decision by Irish Distillers. While the world
seemed hell bent on malt whiskey - either in a blend or as a Single Malt - Irish
Distillers Ltd. still believed that pot still whiskey defined the traditional flavour
character of Irish whiskey and that its new blended whiskeys should still bear the
hallmark influence of pot still whiskey. Thus, the new copper pot-stills and
brewing equipment were commissioned to be able to replicate the distinct pot still
flavour characteristics of the founding families and the future of the pot still
whiskey tradition was safeguarded. Had this faith and belief not existed, the world
might have been a poorer place.
1988
Home
Irish Distillers Ltd. joins Group Pernod Ricard
Irish Distillers Ltd. (IDL) become a member of Group Pernod Ricard. Previously, a
hostile take-over bid had been launched by a joint venture of Grand Met, Allied
Lyons & Guinness. This bid was resisted on the basis that a break-up of the
company would ensue. The 'White Knight' in the guise of French owned Pernod
Ricard, arrived on the scene and led a friendly takeover. The French owned
company, which was a rising player in the international spirits industry, saw the
future potential for Irish whiskey. Crucially, not only did the new owners promise
to keep the company intact but the French multi-national would provide
distribution opportunities for Jameson, and the other IDL Irish whiskey brands,
through its well established global sales network.
2011
Home
Demand for pot-still
The appeal and interest in Irish whiskey, forged mainly by the global success of
Jameson, has meant that there is a groundswell of new demand for different
types of whiskeys, particularly the traditional pot-still whiskeys which once wowed
the world. On the 5th of May, two new Single Pot Still whiskeys were launched,
namely Powers John's Lane Release and Midleton Barry Crockett Legacy, joining
the two existing Single Pot Still brands of Redbreast and Green Spot.
http://www.singlepotstill.com/spshistory.do?
menuId=2&url=sps_history_landing_page
"
FULL BODIED
Raisins, prunes, figs, nutty, malt extract, oily, leather, pipe tobacco, ground
coffee.
SPICY
Black pepper, cedarwood, cinnamon, barley, toasted oak, bitter almond, dark
chocolate, tea.
SWEET
Liquorice, sherry, plums, apricot, golden syrup, marshmallow, vanilla, toffee,
butterscotch.
DELICATE
Melon, pear, pine, perfume, floral, grassy, green apple, citrus, blackcurrant,
banana.
http://www.singlepotstill.com/spswhiskeys.do?
menuId=3&url=sps_whiskeys_landing_page
"Full to the rafters with aroma and flavour. A strong contribution from distillates
which have matured in Oloroso sherry casks give Redbreast its trademark
Christmas cake character.
"NOSE A complex spicy and fruity aroma with toasted wood notes evident.
TASTE Full flavoured and complex; a harmonious balance of spicy, creamy, fruity,
sherry and toasted notes.
FINISH Satisfyingly long, the complex flavours linger on the palate.
http://www.singlepotstill.com/redwhiskeysloader.do?
menuId=7&menuItemId=20&url=redbreast_whiskey_redbreast12_page
"Jameson then is a curious blend. Taste an old bottling and you'll see how it has
changed over the years. It used to taste a bit like modern Power's, but as Power's
has character this had to stop.
http://homepage.eircom.net/~whiskey/pajos/blends.htm
"Long has Irish Whiskey suffered from a certain perceived but possibly self
imposed identity. However this identity in a sense cannot be denied and is one of
the reasons that it survived at all. In the late 60's early 70's the Irish Whiskey
Industry was on it's knees and drastic action was required to save it. This lead to
the amalgamation of Jameson, Paddy & Powers and eventually Bushmills, the
only surviving Irish Distilleries at the time, to create the monopoly that was Irish
Distillers. Savings had to be made and the Blend became the main stay of Irish
Whiskey. A concerted effort was made to promote Irish whiskey initially in Ireland
then the rest of the world in a certain way. The mantra became triple distilled for
smoothness as opposed to the harsher double distilled scotch. All very general
and nice and neat for easy marketing. However in the past 2 decades Irish
Whiskey has been transformed and it is now as diverse and colourful as the 4
provinces of Ireland and harks back to the way it once used to be.
Irish Whiskey now boasts a diversity of whiskey styles that possibly even
Scotland cannot match. We have triple distilled pure pot still and pure pot still &
grain blends, we have triple distilled malts and malt & grain blends and even a
mixture of all of the above. All these fit with what people think of as traditional
Irish Whiskey. However we also have double distilled malts and malt blends which
are peated and unpeated and even a successfully marketed single grain
whiskey.This is the new face of Irish whiskey which in tradition goes further back
in time than the one that has been created in the 20th Century. Ireland was all
things to whiskey back in the 18th & 19th centuries when it dominated the
Whiskey industry like Scotland dominates today. Therefore it is only fair to give
Irish whiskey a second closer look and the attention it deserves.
"Cooley Distillery, Co Louth 1987-Present
Established in 1987 by Entrepreneur John Teeling. Which at the time broke the
monopoly of Irish whiskey production in Ireland as Irish Distillers owned
Bushmills and Midleton which single handed produced the majority of Ireland's
Brands. Cooley converted an ex governmental spirit distillery into a successfully
functioning whiskey distillery and now can out match Midleton in the brand stakes
if not volume. Brands consist of Connemara, Greenore, Kilbeggan, Lockes &
Tyrconnell. They also supply numerous independent sellers and supermarket
chains. If a supermarket is selling it’s own branded Irish Whiskey chances are it’s
Cooley.
Current Annual Output: Circa 2.25million litres (malt) & 2.25 million litres (grain)
2008.
Owner: Cooley 100% Irish Independent Limited Company
Midleton Distillery 1975-Present
Established in 1975 when IDG amalgamates CDC, Jameson & Powers shut up
their perspective shops and moved their combined production literally lock, stock
& barrel to a single operation at the new Midleton Distillery. The distillery boasts a
combination of 13 75,000 interconnected stills creating by and far the most
technically complex and modern distillery of its day. A title they may well still hold
to this day. This modern marvel of whiskey distilling is now turning over 2.6
million cases of Jameson alone.
Current Annual Output: 15 MLA (Grain) 19 MLA ((combined) Unconfirmed)
Owner: Pernod-Ricard
Stills: 4 x 28,500L (2 Wash, 1 Feints, 1 Spirit)
Old Midleton Distillery, Co Cork 1825-1975
Established in 1825, closed 1975, but restored to house the Jameson Heritage
Centre. Home to the world’s biggest pot still with a capacity of circa 143875 litres
(31,648 gallons), this used to be the strong hold of Cork Distillers Company Ltd
(CDC). In the mid sixties however CDC, John Jameson & John Power distilleries
amalgamated to form Irish Distillers Group (IDG). The Old Midleton distillery
closed it doors in July 1975 only to be reincarnate in the New Midleton Distillery.
Current Annual Output: N/A (Silent)
Past Output: Circa 4.5 Million Liters (Bernard 1885)
Owner: Pernod-Ricard
http://irishwhiskeychaser.webs.com/irishwhiskeyinbrief.htm
"The legendary Redbreast up to recently was only ever available in a 12yo
version. Redbreast is a fantastic Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey and a slightly more
modern version of what made Irish whiskey famous in the 18th Century. The
15yo version from 2005 could possibly be one of the best Irish whiskies produced
in the last 10-20 years. Unfortunately only one large batch was produced in 2005
for La Masion Du Whisky's anniversary. If you are lucky you may find a few
German or Dutch suppliers stocking it but it is very scarce and has been elevated
to the collectors market.
There was also a blend version of this which did not make any impact on the Irish
market and was quickly shelved, little or no information available on it's creation
though.
The Brand was relaunched in 2011 and IDL are firmly committed to growing it as
a Brand. The current line up is 12yo, 12yo Cask strength and 15yo.
From Irish Whiskey Chaser
" A visit to the Irish Distillers bottling plant
About 18 months ago, I toured the Midleton distillery in Cork where Jameson,
Powers and other whiskeys are distilled and matured. The story ended slightly
prematurely on that occasion because no whiskey is bottled at the distillery.
Instead, it is tankered away to various corners of Ireland to be wrapped in glass
and christened with fancy labels.
Last week, the Irish Whiskey Society was invited to peek inside Irish Distillers'
main bottling plant. This industrial facility is known, rather charmingly, as "Fox &
Geese", which is the name of the surrounding Dublin townland. We weren't able
to take photos inside (it's a safety restriction that prefers to keep electronic
equipment away from alcohol vapour) which is a pity because it is really worth
seeing.
I didn't know until very recently that Fox & Geese was a maturation site for John
Power & Son back in the 1950s. The original buildings are still there, low and
windowless, and not entirely suited for the uses they are put to today. It got its
current role as a bottling plant in 1965, at about the same time that Irish
Distillers (IDL) was formed from the Powers, Jameson and Cork Distillery
companies.
All the big IDL brands - Jameson, Powers, Paddy - are bottled at Fox & Geese
today, along with Dunphy's, Crested Ten and Coleraine. Coleraine was a surprise
to many of us since it has a strong association with Bushmills. It used to say on
the label that it was distilled, blended and bottled by Bushmills. When Bushmills
left IDL in 2005, the Coleraine brand stayed behind. I suspect its malt component
still comes from Bushmills though.
The Bushmills connection remains in another respect too: Jameson still rolls off
the Antrim distillery's bottling line. It's a contingency in case something goes
awry at Fox & Geese.
IDL puts gin and vodka through Fox & Geese too (Cork Dry Gin, Huzzar, Nordoff).
And, in another surprising revelation at how friendly the whiskey business is, Fox
& Geese produces Southern Comfort for all of Europe. That's a Brown-Forman
brand, ie the company that owns Jack Daniel's. The arrangement is known as the
Clintock contract and it has been in place since 1982. (Clintock is an Irish
subsidiary of Brown-Forman.)
In the 1990s, IDL repatriated all of the bottling for the US market. Up to then,
whiskey was shipped in bulk across the Atlantic. Transporting in bulk sounds quite
economical to me but IDL prefers to have absolute control over the whole
process, even if it means shipping a lot of glass. The Pernod Ricard philosophy is
to leave the local organisations in absolute control over their own production and
marketing so bottling happens in Ireland, where they can keep an eye on it and
tweak it.
There are six bottling lines at Fox & Geese that can cope with bottles from 50ml
up to 1,750ml. With all of the brands and country variations, they handle about
200 different SKUs (stock keeping units - essentially anything with a unique label)
on the IDL side, and a fruther 75 SKUs on the Clintock side.
The plant also ships out whiskey in bulk volumes between 25l and 25,000l for
food manufacturers and independent bottlers (Hot Irishman, for example).
The Vathouse
Five or six tankers a day roll up from Midleton and disgorge their contents into
the many vats in the vathouse. The grain and pot still whiskey components arrive
separately, at cask strength. Some blending is done at Midleton so the
sherry/bourbon or first-fill/second-fill cask balance will have been sorted out
already.
The largest vat I spotted holds 19,860 gallons (about 90,000l). What is
remarkable is that these receiving vats are made from oak. The nicest surprise of
the day was discovering that the oldest vat dates back to 1833 and came from
the original Dublin Jameson distillery. Even the "new" oak vats here date from
1971.
There is no advantage to using oak over stainless steel. It has no effect on the
whiskey and you can see the staining on the outside where the wooden vats have
"wept" whiskey. But it's tangible evidence of centuries of the distilling craft and
the company's heritage. They can even tell you the name of the cooper who
made that 1833 vat.
I think these vats are where they add spirit caramel (for consistency of colour
between batches). We passed the tubs of caramel on the way into the vat room.
It was emphasised to us again that only very small amounts are used and that it
has no effect on taste.
Water
The whiskey is watered down to bottling strength at Fox & Geese. This water is
from the public town supply, which was a bit of a thrill, since my home is on the
same pipe. Here it's first put through a sand filter, then an expensive reverse
osmosis filter to remove the chlorine, fluorine, calcium, magnesium, iron, etc. The
result is pure, deionised water and that's what goes into the whiskey.
Chill-filtration
This was a fairly abstract concept for me before the visit. I knew it stripped some
not-quite-dissolved components from the whiskey so the product would never go
cloudy, even if stored at a low temperature. But I hadn't seen even a photo of a
chill filter so couldn't guess how elaborate the process might be.
We saw one of the two chill-filtration units at Fox & Geese. It turns out it's a very
simple device that first chills the liquid to about 0° in a heat exchanger then
forces it through a filter made from cellulose plant material. About 160,000l can
pass through the filter before it needs to be changed.
We were assured that blind tasting has proved that the filtered and unfiltered
whiskeys are indistinguishable in flavour. We also sniffed a spent filter. It's not all
that strong-smelling, which lends support to the claim it's not removing anything
important. It is stained, though, and there is a discernible colour difference in the
liquid after the process.
Bottling
After blending, watering and filtering it's time to empty the vats into handy
containers suitable for private consumption. There is some noisy theatre as the
bottles clink along the line to be grabbed individually, swung upsidedown, rinsed
out with whiskey, filled, checked, capped and labelled. All automatically, at a
speed of about 180 bottles per minute on one line alone.
The glass comes almost entirely from Irish and UK suppliers - Quinn, Ardagh and
Allied Glass. If you want the best bottles though, you have to go to the French,
who have developed some tricks catering to the Cognac industry. So some
premium glass comes from France.
Labels are printed in Italy and Scotland. The cardboard cartons come from
Smurfit.
In one year, they are currently bottling in Fox & Geese 3,664,000 9-litre case
equivalents for IDL brands and a further 510,000 for Clintock. (Recall that there is
a backup line at Bushmills that pushes out another 0.5m case equivalents per
year.) They foresee Jameson becoming one of the top ten global spirit brands by
2020 which would require at least a doubling of volume sales. It's still a singleshift operation at Fox & Geese (though the warehouse guys seem to have two
shifts) so there is plenty of latent capacity.
Warehousing
They try to keep inventory to a minimum on site, but there is still warehousing to
hold stock for a week or two until a load is ready to be trucked to Dublin port.
The warehouse we saw was quite spectacular. It's eight storage levels high, with
narrow bays. The shelves are stacked by humans in mechanised exoskeletons.
Think of the AMP suits from Avatar. OK, not quite, but the reality is only slightly
less awesome and lethal. The operator sits within what I'm going to call a "highreach turret truck" (I don't know what they are called, just that I want one).
Thanks to underfloor guide wires, the truck can zoom backwards down a bay,
then lift both load and operator high into the air in a trice. See for yourself on
YouTube.
Wild, eh? To drive one of those things you have to be certified in abseiling, just so
you can get yourself down in an emergency. No kidding.
Customs & Excise
There is an old Customs & Excise office nestling still between the vats, and some
of the caging that used to ensure that spirit couldn't be moved from one part of a
warehouse to another without going past a customs officer. The taxman is no
longer on site but he is still keeping a beady eye on proceedings, hooked into the
plant's SAP control software. If someone makes a correction on the computer
they can expect a phone call looking for an explanation.
Quality Control
The bulk whiskey that leaves Midleton is approved by a tasting panel before it's
allowed off to Dublin. When it gets to Fox & Geese it is sampled again before the
tanker is pumped out. As the whiskey wends its way through the various vats and
pipes it is tasted 18 times against reference samples to make sure all is well.
Samples will also be sent back down to Midleton for further analysis.
It is hard to imagine that any bad whiskey hits the shelves with all of this
obsessive testing but, if it ever does, each bottle has a code so it can be traced
back to the precise batch it came from. The cardboard cartons are similarly
marked.
Lean
Many years ago, I made the pilgrimage by bullet train, local train and bus to visit
the Toyota factory complex in Japan. The Toyota Production System became
famous for constantly accumulating small efficiencies until there wasn't a
production line in the world that could match it. The process of continuous
improvement combined with various other practices became known as Lean
Manufacturing and has since permeated medicine, software and many other
industries that have nothing to do with metal-bashing.
I'm quite the fan of Lean (for a quick taste, read about the 7 kinds of waste on
Wikipedia; it will change your life!) so I was excited to hear it and Toyota namechecked on my visit to Fox & Geese. They are, for example, tracking the Overall
Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) metric, and aiming to nudge that above 80%. Of
course they benchmark themselves against other Pernod Ricard facilities. They
are not the best yet but they mean to be.
Holding inventory is one of the classic signs of waste in Lean. It's just
depreciating, tied up capital. They say at Fox & Geese that they turn over their
warehouse contents 29 times a year. Good as that is, they see themselves
moving away from warehousing towards a more temporary staging of product. In
other words, they want to assemble truck loads directly from the bottling line
without putting the goods through the warehouse.
Empty bottles are particularly bulky. Hewing closely to the Lean philosophy, they
hold only a 6-hour supply of glass at Fox & Geese. Such a tight supply chain can
only be implemented by working closely with suppliers. You would typically
involve them when designing your production processes and give them real-time
access to production data. It's a partnership. We were told that suppliers, like
Smurfit and Quinn, are regularly on-site.
From Ireland to the World
Both Midleton and Fox & Geese have the same sense of calm efficiency I observed
at Toyota. I can imagine the complex choreography of producing so many
different products off the one line. I know that millions of units are being
produced. I can even see it right in front of me. But the machine is so well-oiled,
the workers so relaxed and in control, that it's still like magic.
Thanks to this operation, people all over the world can enjoy Irish whiskey and
know something important about Ireland. Seeing the industrial-scale processes
behind this just makes me appreciate the business, and the whiskey, all the
more.
I would like to thank Michael Tracey, Head of Bottling Operations, and the rest of
the team at Fox & Geese for generously sharing what they do with us. Thank you
also to David Byrne and Liam Donegan of Irish Distillers for arranging the visit,
accompanying us around the plant and, not least, bringing us for a wonderful
dinner and whiskey tasting at the Old Jameson Distillery afterwards. We were
truly spoiled.
http://www.liquidirish.com/2012/04/irish-distillers-bottling-plant.html
" they export their bottles of Jameson wrapped so tightly together that there is no
need for padding between the bottles.
http://www.liquidirish.com/2011/01/bulk-or-bottled.html
" Jameson 18 Years old Master Selection
Picture used with kind permission of Irisch Lifestyle GmbHFor this blend, Irish
Distillers' Master Blender Dr. Barry Walsh handpicked 3 different types of very old
Whiskeys which had laid down for 18 to 23 years in Ex-Oloroso Sherry casks in
Midleton's Warehouses.
The selection included Hogsheads (250 litres) of smooth medium Pot Still, large
Butts (500 litres) of rich, full-bodied Pot Still, as well as Hogsheads of rare lighter
whiskey.
These selected casks were brought together, and the whiskey was then left to
'marry' and settle in American bourbon barrels, thus imparting additional maturity
and complexity.
Only 8,000 bottles have been produced.
http://www.potstill.de/jameson4.htm
" Jameson was first bottled in 1968 when Bow Street Distillery was already part of
the Irish Distillers Group.
A Pure Pot Still Whiskey in the beginning, this is now a blend of equal shares of
Pot Still and Grain Whiskeys distilled in Midleton. Around 10 per cent of the casks
used for this Whiskey are Ex-Sherry.
After they had taken over IDG in 1988, Groupe Pernod-Ricard decided to put all
their marketing efforts into Jameson and Bushmills. As a result, Jameson now
accounts for nearly 75 per cent of all Irish Whiskey sales.
http://www.potstill.de/jameson1.htm
"Redbreast first saw the light of day in 1939, when it was introduced by Gilbey
Vintners of Ireland. Gilbey used Pot Still Whiskey from Bow Street Distillery, and
the receipe was ⅔ Ex-Sherry, and ⅓ Ex-Bourbon Casks.
Redbreast was almost exclusively sold in Ireland.
Bow Street Distillery closed in 1971, and the Gilbey stock ran out in 1985.
The famous brand was later relaunched by Irish Distillers Group as their only
Single "Pure Pot Still Whiskey" aged 12 years.
The present Redbreast is produced in Midleton, Co. Cork, and comes mostly from
Ex-Bourbon Casks and a few Ex-Sherry.
Redbreast is described by Jim Murray as a marvellous, perfect After-Dinner
Whiskey.
http://www.potstill.de/redbreast1.htm
"JQ-058548 that appear on every bottle of Jameson?
At the IWS Tullamore Dew tasting last year, John Quinn, then IDL employee, now
Tullamore Dew "brand ambassador", intimated (he may even have said) that JQ
came from his initials. I can't remember the exact circumstances, it may have
been the initial of the employee checking the batch.
http://forum.irishwhiskeysociety.com/viewtopic.php?
f=22&t=1420&p=13895&hilit=bottle+numbers
http://youtu.be/qQf-TvRK6Pk