LET’S RAISE A GLASS...
Hannah Jane Thompson gets into the spirit of things for St Patrick’s Day to sample the Emerald Isle’s golden selection
Irish folk band The Dubliners famously sang about having whiskey in their jar, and you’ll fast be wanting to join them (on the whiskey, anyway) with this excellent selection. In fact, Ireland can even claim to have named the drink itself; the Irish “uisce beatha” means “water of life” and it’s easy to see why.
Yet, Irish whiskey – spelt with that all-important “e” – sadly suffered something of a decline in the 19th century, with distilleries dwindling as fast as you can say “sláinte”. Happily, it’s now undergoing a major revival and if you want to be a part of that, we’ve got just the bottles for you to try.
From just two distilleries in 1966, the Irish Whiskey Association said 25 were open as of December 2019, with a further 24 in planning, and more opening all the time. That’s a heck of a lot of taoscáns (the Irish word often used like the Scottish term “dram”).
And while Irish whiskey is known as one of the oldest categories of drinks, and sometimes thought to begin and end with Jameson’s, it is heartening indeed to contemplate the sheer variety, creativity and modern innovation coming out of the Emerald Isle today.
How we tested
Of course, the taste was paramount, and we made sure we gave the liquid time to reveal its true aromas and flavours beyond the initial, inevitable hit of alcohol. We diluted with a few drops of water to allow this. We gave bonus points for particularly distinctive, descriptive or intriguing packaging, especially as Irish whiskey presents more of an interesting variety than some (*cough* Japan *cough*).
We also considered whether the whiskey would be drunk neat (or with some water), or whether it would be extra well-suited to a mixer. Lastly, we gave extra marks for varieties with especially absorbing stories or heritage that we felt added to the rich history of Irish distilling, or which deserved a mention for their notable creativity. Affordability and good value for money were also factors. Here are our favourites...
Kinahan’s the kasc project Irish whiskey £34.95, Masterofmalt.com
As its name suggests, this whiskey is a riot of casks, with not three, not four, but five casks used in what is termed the “hybrid cask method”. This original “experiment” process includes American, French, Portuguese and Hungarian Oak, plus Chestnut – all of which produce a deep, reddish hue reminiscent of treacle on pudding.
The result is a complex taste with far more punch than some others we tried. There are layers of everything here, from dark chocolate and raisins to orange and mango (no, seriously), and a whiff of smoke more commonly found in Scottish, peaty drams. Robust yet comforting, and a real celebration of new, creative, sometimes even controversial ideas coming out of Irish distilleries today.
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Mitchell & Son green spot single pot still Irish whiskey £57.50, Fortnumandmason.com
With a distinctive bottle that puts this whiskey’s history front and centre, the Green Spot makes its mark with gusto. From the deep bourbon and sherry colour – courtesy of its maturation casks – to the peppery, barley-rich taste it leaves lingering on the tongue, this is a robust variety with a hint of just-sweetenough fruit. With a name that comes from the Mitchell & Son practice of daubing their whiskey with paint to denote their age, this triple-distilled option is a seriously satisfying choice.
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The Sexton single malt £30.99, Mastermalt.com
This variety gets serious points for its distinctive, six-sided, squat bottle; but also for its master blender Alex Thomas, who is one of the only women working in the still-male-dominated Irish whiskey industry. Triple distilled in copper stills and finished in Spanish oloroso sherry casks, this variety has the characteristic banana scent of many Irish whiskeys, but offers a spicier hit of pepper and pear than any others we tested, with more than a lingering suggestion of honeycomb.
Punchy enough to stand alone, Sexton nevertheless recommends it in a “Midnight Highball”, mixed with ginger soda, lemon juice, dry cider and cherries, and we imagine it creates an indulgent, syrupy-yet-super-smooth treat.
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Bushmills 16-year-old single malt Irish whiskey £82.49, Masterofmalt.com
As with many of the best Irish whiskeys, this Bushmills malt is matured in multiple casks; sherry, bourbon and port, lending it a woody, polished richness. With the year “1608” stamped solidly across its packaging, there’s no mistaking its impressive history. Bushmills, on the Irish north coast, claims to be the world’s oldest whiskey distillery, giving a sense of occasion to this variety. Strong flavours of almond mix with deep berry and treacly molasses for an imposing, grown-up glass.
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Knappogue Castle 14-year-old twin wood £63.95, Thewhiskyexchange.com
As the second-most-expensive choice we tried, we expected big things from this grandly-named bottle, and we weren’t disappointed. The “twin woods” of bourbon and oloroso sherry casks lend a glorious, strawlike tone to the liquid; and the flavour offers a buttery, caramel, fruity experience, not unlike a homemade apple pie baked with love – as the Gaelic translation of Knappogue, “hill of the kiss”, romantically suggests. The golden signature of distiller Mark Andrews III (son of the original Mark Edwin Andrews who bought the eponymous Irish castle in 1966), the bottle adds an extra, familial touch.
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