The Riches Of Midleton - Barry Crockett - Irish Whiskey's Superstar

As anyone who has visited a distillery before will tell you whisk(e)y making, wherever it is produced, is not just about the liquid, the processes and the location but also the people behind it.  

Visit any of the picture postcard distilleries on Islay in Scotland and the above is very much on show:  from Iain McArthur at Lagavulin, the cheeky warehouseman, whose guiding influence on the selection of the whisky has been instrumental in making Lagavulin one of the best loved distilleries in Scotland.  Iain recently celebrated his 40th year working in whisky, many of them spent at Lagavulin, every year honing his knowledge and his ability to pick a winning cask.  The same story applies to the Bowmore distillery. Manager Eddie MacAffer began his tenure at the distillery back in July 1966 and is without doubt, the most learned person on the planet when it comes to the whisky produced by this hugely popular distillery.  

In Ireland the story remains the same and last week, we were lucky enough to be part of a very special double celebration at the Midleton distillery in Cork.  For those unfamiliar with the Midleton name, the distillery, which was re-developed on the old Midleton site back in 1975 produces, Jameson Irish whiskey- available in almost every bar in every town in every country around the globe.  Such is the popularity of the brand, alongside the recently revived excellence of Green Spot and Redbreast (the 12 year old sells around 30,000 cases a year), that Irish Distillers who own the vast complex of still rooms and warehouses (to give you some idea of the scale of the brand, we counted nearly 50 aircraft hanger sized facilities, full of maturing casks) have just completed an ambitious expansion plan, taking the capacity of the distillery to somewhere in the region of 60 million litres of whiskey a year.  

Yes, they're really this big...

The Midleton 'Housewarming' was a celebration of just why Irish whiskey is currently the fastest growing dark spirit category in the world and for two days, nearly 1000 writers, journalists, bartenders and whiskey enthusiasts desended on the small town, where the distillery had transformed itself into effectively an Irish whiskey theme park - not only to celebrate the huge expansion, but also to give a fond farewell to Barry Crockett, master distiller for Irish Distillers, who retired at the event, handing the reins over to Brian Nation. 

The Midleton distillery has received a substantial facelift and in addition to the impressive construction  of the Garden Still House (with quite easily the biggest pot stills we have ever seen, with an overall capacity of 80,000 litres, typically running at up to 40k)the distillery is now catering more for consumers, with the addition of a whiskey academy, complete with old school chairs and desks, blackboards and some seriously impressive working glass stills at the back of the room, that brilliantly highlight the potstill distillation process.  The academy is intended to be as detailed or as light on knowledge as needed, for instance catering for groups of bartenders, keen to know more about Irish whiskey and its DNA compared to other whiskies, or simply for visitors to the Midleton site to get a feel for what is to come when they visit the full sized stills on their tour. We like... A lot. 

Barry & his newly named Stillhouse

And as to the whiskeys themselves.  Well, here at Caskstrength we'd heard quite few rumours concerning a brace of new Redbreast releases (steady on, not those sort of rumours) so were keen to see if there was any new liquid on offer during our trip. Alas not, but we hear there is to be some substance to the rumours shortly -  watch this space. What we did get to try again was the range of single potstill whiskeys, which Midleton have been steadily building into a strong category of its own (see our previous feature here for more information) 

Seeing as it was Barry Crockett's final day at the site, a healthy dram of his legacy whiskey seemed the most fitting send off -  and without a doubt, the Crockett, totally rocked it... 

Barry Crocket Legacy -  46% - 70cl

Nose: A sensational balancing act of fresh orchard fruit, vanilla, some tropical notes (mango and passion fruit) whipped cream with a drizzle of honey and del seasoned, spicy oak.  As Irish whiskeys go, this has everything -  depth of character, a spicy backbone, delicate notes and a very fruity personality -  much like the real life Barry Crockett.  Triumphant just about sums this up.

Palate: The tropical fruits of the nose develop further on the palate, with the seasoned oak starting to develop a presence. The taste is full on and zesty initially, but with a little water the calmer vanillas develop alongside soft ripe plums, some peppery notes and a creamy oakiness.  

Finish: Lingering notes of the soft fruit, with a little touch of spicier, dried fruits and a delicious creaminess which fades with time. 

Overall: Whilst it's sad to see Barry Crockett retire, he has passed the tasting glass on to a more than capable distiller in the shape of Brian Nation.  Not only that, but he has left a truly great legacy behind in this wonderful whiskey.  Alongside Redbreast 15 year old, this is easily our favourite Irish whiskey and that is saying something.  Enjoy your spare time, Barry -  and make sure you leave with a few cases of this in your car...

You can learn more about the Midleton distillery by visiting: www.singlepotstill.com

Spotted! A New Irish Whiskey on the Radar

After the onslaught of peated (especially Islay) whiskies consumed by this website in the past few weeks, we felt a bit of subtlety was in order before our collective palates exploded under the volume of smoke we've ingested.  All this led us back to a tasting which occurred a month ago at one of our favourite hotel establishments in London, The Connaught - not the wonderful Coburg Bar, but the equally nice Connaught Bar at the back of the hotel. This is usually the domain of the louche, urbane sophisticat, there to sample many a classic from the bar's extensive menu of cocktails, which includes a Martini trolley, so that the unbridled freshness of citrus, botanical and chilled glass can be presented in perfect harmony.

But today, things were a little different.  I had been at a previous tasting (a sneak preview of a new Ardbeg) and was running a little late, so hot-footed it over to the bar mid-afternoon just as the assembled throng of drinks writers and bloggers were being assembled -  to taste something of a revelation.

Amongst the rabble, who usually just turn up for the free booze were several folks who didn't look familiar and who turned out to be none other than the custodians of Mitchell & Son, purveyor's of one of our very favourite Irish whiskies the wonderful Green Spot.  Now anyone who knows this whiskey will know that it is a very hard act to follow (possibly nailed by Redbreast 15yo) so to return back to the vaults of time and extract one of the other 'spots' from the original range could be somewhat remiss.

However, all is not lost.  The whiskey, as you've guessed is a cracker.  Matured for a full term in three types of cask (American Oak, sherry cask and Malaga wine casks) the marriage is sweeter than anything that could be mustered up by the glossy pages of Hello! magazine and we feel it's a welcome edition to the range.  We imagine that this is the first of several releases from the 'spot' range - Blue Spot (once bottled as a 7 year old) Red Spot (as a 15 year old) and maybe even Black Spot, although we made this one up... is there potential room for a peated expression? Who knows, but until then, we have Yellow Spot to look forward to.   It will be bottled at 46%, released in batches of 500 cases and priced at €65.  The price point made us think this could be a competitor to Redbreast 15 year old, but we'll let you decide whether you feel it's worth switching your Irish allegiance, after the review.

Yellow Spot -  Irish Whiskey - 12 Years Old -  46%

Nose: Initially buttery, with golden syrup and fudge notes, leading into some sweet, fruity wine and a hint of dryness.  With water, the dryness gives way to a perfumed note with ripe banana notes and woody spices.

Palate: Very sweet. Marzipan, some tropical fruit notes, mixed in with Pedro Ximinez sweet/musty rancio richness, with a thicker, darker bonfire toffee note emerging further into the flavour.  A dash of water brings liquorice and cream notes, with a return of the sweet wine from the nose.

Finish: Lingering, with green bananas and a woody spice note. 

Overall:  Very detailed, complex and developed.  It takes a step beyond the Green Spot and adds another dimension to an already great whiskey.  Whether we would prefer this over the magnificent Redbreast 15 year old is debatable, but it certainly has a place in the Irish whiskey canon, which is currently a rising star in the spirits world.

St Practice Day: win some Jameson Irish Whiskey

It is fast approaching that time of year once again when the Irish throw one, huge global party. Forget the pints being thrown back on St Patrick’s Day, for here at Caskstrength HQ we’re all about the whiskey. With the posh new ‘Single Pot Still’ bottlings such as Green Spot, Redbreast and Powers John’s Lane all coming out of the Midleton Distillery in County Cork, Irish whiskey is undergoing somewhat of a revival. Latest figures show Irish whiskey sales flying at an all time high and leading the assault is the cousin of these posh new offerings, the Captain of the team, the flagship for the Emerald Isle... Jameson Irish Whiskey.

Last year we attended their knees-up bash at the Old Jameson Distillery in Dublin on St Patrick’s Day. A fantastic event from start to finish, the whole atmosphere embraced the Irish spirit in more ways than one.

This year will see a similar affair take place in the city, on 16^th March 2012, representing the convivial and community-minded aspect of whiskey, which seems to come so easily to those making Jameson. Being exactly a month away from St Patrick's Day itself, this gives us a wonderful opportunity to do three things on the site:

Firstly, we have very kindly been given FIVE special edition bottles Jameson Irish Whiskey to give away to five of our readers. All you have to do is answer this cheeky little question:

Which leaf used to celebrate Ireland and St Patrick’s Day?

A. Maple leaf / B. Ivy leaf / C. Shamrock / D. Oak leaf

Send your answer in on an email to:

jameson@caskstrength.net

The closing date is 12pm GMT on the 15^th March 2012. The usual T&C’s apply and you MUST be over the legal drinking age in your country to enter. Please also include your name, age and address - them's the rules.

Secondly, we couldn’t offer up a whiskey without writing some tasting notes on it, so you know exactly what you’re in line to potentially win. Here are our thoughts on this market-leading Irish whiskey:

Jameson Blended Irish Whiskey – NAS - 40% abv

Nose: Aromas of toasted marshmallow, light lemon zest and toasted wood underpin some delicate sherry notes all backed with a light-hearted spice top line.

Palate: Slight herbal and mint tones mix well with freshly cracked hazelnuts and some cinnamon, but a smooth vanilla base gives this blend the idea palate for sipping on or partnering with stronger flavours.

Finish: Short and immediate, this dram gets straight to the point of being easy and an all-rounder in the flavour department.

Overall: A great whiskey to get started on in the Jameson range, this liquid is versatile in cocktails too.

Which leads us on to our third and final bag of fun. As mentioned above, Jameson goes well in cocktails, so we’ve been playing in the labs at Caskstrength HQ to come up with a refreshing St Patrick’s Day cocktail that is easy to make at home, especially if you get to practice today- St Practice Day! Our concoction is a simple Mint Julep with an Irish twist.

Mint Julep - Dublin Style.

You’ll need: a handful of fresh mint leaves, sugar syrup (Monin Pure Cane Sugar Syrup is good, or you can easily make your own), Jameson Irish Whiskey, some Green Chartreuse and lots of crushed ice.

To make the drink, pull some of the mint leaves from the bunch, putting them in to a cup with ice on top. Muddle the leaves to release their flavour and aroma. To this, add 40ml of Jameson Irish Whiskey, 10ml of sugar syrup and 5ml of green chartreuse. Add more ice and stir. Garnish with a sprig of mint clapped between the hands to release the aroma and serve in a tin cup from the freezer. Simple and delicious, to-be-sure-to-be-sure-to-be-sure!

The Twelve Drams Of Christmas - Part Eight

Welcome back!

Today's festive dram comes from a brand new group with a rather apt, whisky themed name.

The Staves (Emily, Jessica & Camilla) hail from North London and produce a most harmonious sound indeed; swathes of etherial vocals meet gently plucked acoustic instruments. It's heady and heart warming, full of complexity and intrigue, but incredibly refreshing - rather like the whiskey they have chosen!

So take it away girls...

'This Christmas we, The Staves, will be drinking Green Spot whiskey. We first tried it in Dublin a few months ago. It was a freezing cold, lashing rain, gale-force wind sort of a day and we took refuge in The Stags Head pub where they made us the finest hot whiskies we had e'er tasted.
Once warm and dry again, we were recommended Green Spot by the barman and totally fell for its smooth flavour. Some whiskies can be too peaty and smoky, but this whiskey is really versatile & just seems to go with everything. We will be enjoying it with our mince pies - we're not big on sherry - and look forward to sharing it with friends on those cold evenings!
We stocked up on Green Spot at the airport before flying home, and it was a good job too, as it's quite tricky to find over here. Any donations would be most welcome!'

The Staves - Emily, Jessica & Camilla

Check out The Staves here: http://thestaves.com Sign up to their newsletter and get a free download of two fantastic live tracks!

Hot Pot

The whisk(e)y business is constantly evolving. New bottle shapes seem to be popping up everywhere, new finishing and maturation techniques are being employed and every so often there are even brand new distilleries announced, pumping out spirit with gusto, from tens of millions of litres, to those filling single digit numbers of casks a day.

But it isn't every day that a whole new category is launched.

As we know, the growth of Single Malt Scotch Whisky is not to be ignored, even if the market is still underpinned by huge sales of Blended Whisky, both at home and abroad. In Scotland, the distinction between Single Malts and Blends is guarded in legislation written and passed by the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) and published in their latest 2009 regulations.

As you can see from the diagram above, taken from the 2009 regulations document, it is all fairly straightforward with Scotch. If the word “malt” or "grain" appears on a bottle of Scotch, it refers to the fact that no less than 100% of the ingredients is either Malted Barley or Grain; hence the terms Single Malt or Single Grain whisky.

A short hop over the sea to Ireland and things become very different. In 1682, Ireland was ruled by a British Government who, in trying to keep its grip on the unruly country, introduced a Malt Tax. As a result, many Irish distillers of the day hit back by making their whiskey with a mixture of malted and (non-taxable) un-malted barley, giving whiskey produced in Ireland its own unique flavour profile.

This means that in Ireland there are four different styles of whiskey made; Single Malt (example, Bushmills 10yo), Single Grain (example, Greenore 8yo), Blended (example, Jameson) and Pure Pot Still (example, Red Breast). The expression least familiar to Scotch drinkers would be "Pure Pot Still", a term used to refer to Irish Whiskeys triple distilled only in copper pot stills, from a mash made using mixture of malted and un-malted barley.

Why shouldn't the Irish have a definitive category which draws a real distinction between Blended, Single Malt or Single Grain whisky and that produced only in a Copper Pot Still using both malted and un-malted barley? The middle of the Venn diagram between Single Malt / Single Grain and Blended, if you like. A category that can do for this style of Irish whiskey, what Single Malt has done for Scotch. And so, in April 2011 the term "Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey" was introduced, creating a more definitive, new category of Irish Whiskey and replacing the little used term "Pure Pot Still".

Still with us? If not, click here.

("every time I learn something new, it pushes some old stuff out of my brain")

One does wonder, with the introduction of the "single" moniker by the chaps down at Midleton, if we'll see any of the blends, all made on the one site, labelled "Single Blended Whiskey"...??

As a result of the new term Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey, Irish Distillers, owners of the Midleton Distillery in Cork have decided to expand two new whiskeys into this range and rejuvenate three others which were already in the now renamed Pure Pot Still category.

Getting a make over are the excellent Red Breast 12yo & 15yo as well as Green Spot, a whisky which has been produced exclusively for the Mitchell Family, wine brokers from Dublin, since the 1800's. All three of these whiskeys are at the very top of our list of favoured Irish drams, so it is fantastic to see a greater emphasis put on these releases. It has also been announced by Alex Ricard, CEO of Irish Distillers, that there will be additions to the range within the year-possibly older versions of Red Breast (?) and other extensions to the 'Spot' range. Although yet to be confirmed, the prospect has got us very excited at Caskstrength HQ.

Let's take a look at the Red Breast 12yo and the Green Spot whiskeys:

Red Breast - 12 Years Old - Single Pot Still - 40% ABV

Apparently 27% of the whiskey in this offering is matured in first fill sherry barrels

Nose: Honey, dry wood and oak, sherry tones. Still a little green on the nose, but that is probably because we're so used to the more mature 15 Year Old. The aroma dies down with dark chocolate liquours and a wiff of red flowers in bloom.

Palate: Light spices, some cherry notes, toasted pine nuts, hazelnuts all underpinned by some very light but juicy tropical fruit juices.

Finish: Those light wood spices again, some copper tones, ginger and digestive biscuits.

Overall: An excellent offering from the folk at Midleton. This has always jostled for position with Green Spot for our number two Pot Still Whiskey behind Red Breast 15yo.

Green Spot - NAS - Single Pot Still - 40% abv

traditionally released in very small batches and hard to find, Green Spot has been given a new lease of life with a new bottle and, for the first time, a box as well.

Nose: Freshly cut pine, strong vanilla tones which support orchard fruits.

Palate: Very grainy initially, with licorice chews, stewed soft fruits, a big hit of light curry spices ending with cardamon and fennel.

Finish: Dry oakiness with increased licorice, the same spices as the palate yet also with crushed almonds and hazelnuts.

Overall: A fantastic whiskey, which we wish was more widely available and at a cheaper price - we just bought a bottle for nearly £40. A lot of money for a No Age Statement whiskey.

Onto a brace of brand new releases from the Midleton distillery. Powers is a hugely popular whiskey in Ireland and this release commemorates the original 'spiritual home' of the Powers distillery on John's Lane in Dublin. The whiskey has a high proportion of first fill bourbon cask influence, as well as a a smattering of Oloroso sherry casks thrown in for good measure.

Powers - John's Lane Release - 12yo - 46% abv - NCF

Nose: Very heavy on the nose initially, with all-spice, dark honey, dried apricots and damsons.

Palate: Sweet cereal notes hit the palate first, followed by a very juicy fresh fruit salad (apples, bananas and a hint of tropical fruit, similar to an aged grain whiskey)

Finish: Creamy swathes, which linger on the palate and a return of some of the fruity notes.

Overall: A welcome edition to the Powers range, highlighting the differences in the spirit. This is a very different beast to that of the Red Breast and the Green Spot.

The final whiskey pays homage to an Irish whiskey legend, Barry Crockett, Midleton's Master Distiller responsible for developing the character of Midleton and helping bring it to a wider audience. This bottling includes a selection of first fill bourbon casks hand picked by Mr Crockett and also the inclusion of whiskey matured in unseasoned American oak.

Midleton - Barry Crockett Legacy - First Batch - 46% - limited to around 2500 bottles

Nose: Peppery, with pronounced citrus notes (grapefruit), gooseberries, passion fruit and a hint of wet cardboard.

Palate: More of the passion fruit, with a crisp zesty top note, some sweet cereal notes and a light creaminess. Exceedingly well balanced.

Finish: The sweet fruits linger, with hints of fizzy cherry drops and more of the creamy cereal.

Overall: Brilliantly put together, this whiskey in particular demonstrates how the category of single pot still Irish whiskey can develop into something with a distinct voice of its own.

The Single Pot Still category is set to grow over in the immediate future and, according to Alex Ricard, over the next 22 Years. Big plans indeed. As always with whiskey, consistency will be the key and if the SPS category can feature a range of price and availability, it could well become established as a new dawn in Irish Whiskey.