EP 6: St Paddy’s Day

In this episode MikeD and TI enjoy St. Paddy's Day. We have some homemade corned beef and cabbage while tasting Irish whiskeys.

 

Bushmills Single Malt 10 year:

History:

World's oldest licensed Whiskey Distillery, started in 1608. They are the original ‘Single Malt’ Bushmills is named for the mills that made the barley and the River Bush, which remains the water source to cut their whiskey to proof today. In the 1850s, the Crown imposed a tax on those distilling in Ireland through a tax on barley. That tax, however, forever changed Irish whiskey, as almost every Irish whiskey distillery began substituting corn or other more inferior grains for barley. To this day, the biggest and most infamous Irish blended whiskeys use only corn. But not Bushmills. They paid the tax. Bushmills to this day continues to distill malted barley and is the only Irish distillery still using malted barley in all its whiskeys.

 

Interesting drink option:  Suggested to try it frozen. They call it the perfect ‘summertime whiskey’ poured over 2 ice cubes

 

Tasting profile: Cinnamon, honey, Milk Chocolate, banana, lavender, vanilla spicy

 

Writers Tears:

History:

Having established Walsh Whiskey in 1999, Bernard and Rosemary Walsh are on a life-journey of exploration to create the perfect drop of whiskey imaginable. As their journey and creations evolve, Bernard and Rosemary have built an international following for their portfolio of super-premium, award-winning whiskeys: The Irishman and Writers’ Tears .Build the largest manually operated distillery in Ireland, uniquely distilling all 3 styles of Irish whiskey under one roof. Craft the world’s first distillation of Organic Single Pot Still.

 

Tasting profile: Citrus, floral, lemon, spicy, honey, malted barley, sweet, marmalade, pepper

 

Redbreast 15 year:

History:

Started in 1857 by W & A Gilbey in London importing French wine. Within a couple of years it had branches in Dublin, Belfast, and Edinburgh. By 1874 held stock in bond of 300,000 gallons of whiskey sourced from the most celebrated Dublin Distilleries. Started the brand Gilbey’s Castle Whiskey. By 1875 they were selling 83,000 cases of Irish whiskey. In 1887 formed an alliance with Jameson. The first official reference to the brand Redbreast started in August 1912 as a 12 year old whiskey. The name Redbreast itself refers to the bird Robin Redbreast and is attributed to the then Chairman of Gilbey’s, who was an avid bird-fancier. The last bottling occurred in 1985. Owned by Gilbeys until 1986 when it was sold to Irish Distillers. December of 1991 Redbreast was re-introduced by Irish Distillers Limited after a 10 year absence. 15 year old made from a mash of malted and unmalted barley and then triple distilled in copper pot stills, matured in the finest oak casks for no less than 15 years.

 

Tasting profile: Full, rich, berry fruits aromatic oils, Vanilla, Maple Syrup, berries, Spicy, Oak, apple, malty, cinnamon

 

Cigar: Blacked M81 Corona