The Whiskey Bulletin. Review of new West Cork 7-year Single Malt plus news from Powerscourt, Cork Whiskey Fest,Blackwater Distillery, Killowen

New Whiskey Review

Plus news from Powerscourt, Cork Whiskey Fest,Blackwater Distillery, Killowen

**************

West Cork 7 Year Single Malt 46% ABV

Chalk this down as another good one from the West Cork Distillery in Skibbereen.

This, one of the darker ones, has quite an inviting nose, subtle notes of almond and red berries. It boasts a marvellous palate, really easy to enjoy, packed with agreeable fruit sensations (including citrus and almond), hints too of its years in sherry cask, smooth malt and just a little, if lively, spice. And there’s no let-up, nor let down either, in the long and pleasant finish. An immediate thumbs up for this smooth fruity whiskey from the west which was finished in bourbon casks.

Expect to pay around €60.00 

This is the first aged Pot Still from Ireland's largest independent distillery! West Cork Distillers was formed in 2003 by childhood friends, John O’Connell (left), Ger McCarthy and Denis McCarthy at a time when it made very little economic sense to do so. "The early years were far from glamorous, operating in a room at the back of Denis’s house in Union Hall with two small stills we bought from a schnapps producer in Switzerland. In 2014 we moved to a new distillery in Skibbereen

We currently operate out of a 12.5 acre site on Marsh Road.... With distributors across the globe, our award winning West Cork Irish Whiskey is now sold in almost 70 countries. Case sales have risen considerably every year for the past six years and our staff has grown to over 80 people, with the majority based locally in West Cork.

We want to make Irish whiskey accessible. We will continue to expand our operation but maintain our Irish ownership and stay true to our West Cork heritage. The opening of the new distillery makes us the largest, wholly Irish owned distillery in the country. Meanwhile, more jobs, new products and additional warehouses are being added to meet rising demand."

**************

press releases

And they have other tempting options also.

More info here

**************

press release

Cork Whiskey Fest

BLACKWATER DISTILLERY MASTERCLASS

WHEN: SATURDAY MARCH 25, 2023 @12:00PM WHERE:CORK CITY'S VICTORIAN QUARTER More details here ************** press release Killowen Distillery have nurtured many different expressions of poitín since their first days of distilling, unfortunately these beautiful products are too often in short supply. Thankfully Killowen have now created a core product in larger 70cl bottles, most fitting of the current poitín revival.   ‘Pangur – The White Cat’ is fun, dynamic, colourful and versatile with flavours spanning from sophisticated whiskey aromas to beautiful mescal notes, this poitín is a fitting response to Ireland’s unique, culinary beverage. As whiskey’s mummy, this is a beverage category we should all be very proud of. Pangur draws its inspiration from the fun ancient poem ‘Pangur Ban’ written by a man from here, on a remote German island in the 9th Century about his relationship with his little furry friend - we will let you guys enjoy the fun history search.   Pangur is a 50/50 combination of two spirits, one from either side of Carlingford Lough, the combination offers both potstill spice and notes of mescal creating a beautiful spirit perfectly suited for finishing in some well sourced oak in Killowen Distillery.   The three Pangurs we have include:  Bourbon wood rested offers notes of citrus fruit, and similar to mescal a hint of smoke and light earthiness Stout wood rested offers some of the above but this time with chocolate, creamy and a silky texture PX wood rested dried fruit notes of fig and raisin layered on top of the afore mentioned citrus Just to note: current legislation forbids the mention of the words ‘cask’ or ‘ageing’ in marketing material for our native spirit poitín, something we hope will change in the future. Pangur is currently being released into the wild this week onwards, just ask any quality local off licenses North or South to get a bottle in stock, it will also be available from our online partners. RRP: €48.95 & £39.95 **************

The Whiskey Bulletin. Killowen Pangur Poitín Final. Hip Flask Pressie. Powerscourt's Triple Distilled Celebration.

press releases 

Killowen Pangur Poitín Cocktail Competition Final

Closing off '2022 - The Year of Poitín' - Tomorrow will see the grand final of our Pangur Poitín competition.   The talent within the competition has been phenomenal to this point and our two expert judges Chris Hennessy and Nathan Evans have settled on two finalists

Irish Whiskey Auctions will host the grand final in the beautiful JJ Sheehy’s Bar Dundalk. The show will kick off at 4pm Irish time, where the winner will be crowned, tune in for some entertainment prior to what will be a game changer in the Irish poitín category. The two finalists of course are Ronan Collins, Co Down & Rory McGee, Co Cork.

YouTube Link    Facebook Link    ******** *********

Hip Flask Service

WHAT IS THE BRADLEYS HIP FLASK SERVICE?

The Bradleys Hip Flask Service gives you the chance to taste some new, interesting & exceptional whiskeys without having to purchase a full bottle. To avail of the service, simply purchase one of our bespoke Bradleys Hip Flasks (€20). The flask effectively works as your membership card for the service and allows you to return and purchase refills as often as you wish. For this reason we only fill whiskeys into Bradleys Hip Flasks.

Your flask itself is stainless steel and holds 6 ounces, which is just less than 5 standard pub measures. The cover is faux leather and therefore, vegan friendly.

Each month we pick one whiskey of the month. This will either be a whiskey already available on the service at a special price or it will be a limited whiskey not already on the service which is hard to come by.

Fill prices vary depending on the whiskey chosen. The usual price range is between €13-€50, however, sometimes rare or discontinued whiskeys are added which may fall outside this range.

Between each fill, your flask should be rinsed and dried thoroughly. This will preserve the integrity of each individual whiskey. We recommend filling the flask 3/4 full with warm water and washing up liquid, capping it and giving it a good shake. Empty out and rinse with cold water until it runs clear, before finally leaving it to air dry.

*********

*********

Triple Distilled Celebration for The Powerscourt Distillery At 2022 Icons of Whisky Ireland Awards!

Last Thursday night at the 2022 edition of the Icons of Whisky Ireland Awards, The Powerscourt Distillery team enjoyed a triple celebration by taking home three awards. Paul Corbett was awarded Master Distiller/Master Blender; the Distillery Visitor Centre took home the Visitor Attraction award, while the In-House Food & Beverage Specialist Santina Kennedy was Highly Commended in the Campaign Innovatorcategory. The Awards took place in Dublin’s Iveagh Garden Hotel.

 

This huge personal achievement for Paul Corbett as  Master Distiller/Blender of the Year - Icon of Whisky Ireland means he will now go forward  to London on 30 ^th March,  where he will be included in the ‘World’s Best Icons Competition”.

 

This is the first significant award for the  Visitor Centre – Visitor Attractionand is a key milestone, and down to the wonderful work all of the centre’s team do daily, ensuring visitors get the 5-star treatment at every touchpoint on their visit to Powerscourt Distillery.

 

Finally, Santina Kennedy received a Highly Commended for Campaign Innovator– all down to Santina’s sterling work around the championing and promotion of the Fercullen Whiskey & local Food Pairing concept .

*********

*********

The Irishman The Harvest Single Malt and Single Pot Irish Whiskey. Killowen/Blackwater Poitín Combination. Cork's Cask nets another cocktail award.

There's more than one Irishman! 

*************************

+ below, Killowen/Blackwater Poitín Combination

Cork's Cask nets another national cocktail award.

*************************

The Irishman The Harvest Single Malt and Single Pot Irish Whiskey 40% ABV

Widely available at about €40.00.

Here’s the introduction from producers Walsh Whiskey: The Irishman. Premium Irish Whiskey. Exceptional character. Championing Irish Single Malt. The recreation of age-old recipes to create unrivalled expressions. For a new generation of whiskey enthusiasts.

Teeling Blackpitts Peated Single Malt. A Whiskey Fest in Cork next March. Cocktail Competition from Killowen

Teeling Blackpitts Peated Single Malt. A Whiskey Fest in Cork next March.  Cocktail Competition from Killowen. ********* Teeling Blackpitts Peated Single Malt 46% ABV I stood up quickly. Had just smelled smoke. Where was the source? Looked at the sockets. Though it wasn’t that kind of smoke. Opened the windows. Nothing burning out front. Back door. Nil again. Back in. Saw the empty Liberator bottle. The empty glass. The empty jigger. Smoke source! On my armchair table. So, sometimes, the old nose gets the aromas. The Liberator was the Port 'n Peat. No problem getting the aromas with this Teeling Blackpitts, their first peated whiskey. They are dominated by peat though I’d call it turf (which is a whole lot different to BBQ smoke). You really have to probe well with the proboscis to smell anything else under the blanket of peaty smog. The turf continues impressively on the palate, reinforcing the spice, and there’s a sweetness too, presumably from the Sauternes casks. Yet, the maturation somehow has rounded down the smoke effect and the finish is a good balance between the turf and the casks. That Liberator Storehouse Special Port ’n’  Peat (it's deliberately limited) had the properties to edge me along the old smoky road, but this one makes me pause. Not too sure how far I want to travel beyond that smoke threshold. There may be one particular reason for encouragement and I have seen it mentioned in a few places. It seems the triple distillation process that Teeling employed here (and normally employ) ”reduces some of the medicinal character you would get from a traditional Scottish Peated Single Malt…”. And then I had Take Two where, without the initial smoke-shock of the first tasting, myself and Blackpitts got on much better together! Hope for the future then! The Blackpitts is a non chill filtered, peated, single malt whiskey, aged in a combination of ex-Bourbon and ex-Sauternes wine casks. As you probably know, Sauternes is a highly regarded sweet wine from the Bordeaux region though there is a huge array of prices, ranging from under twenty to many hundred euro per bottle. They don’t say if the casks used here had been filled with the more expensive or the less expensive Sauternes! * I got mine via the Hip Flask Service at Bradleys of Cork. The general retail price per bottle seems to be in the mid to high 50s. ********* Subscribe to www.corkwhiskeyfest.com for ticket & event updates ********* Killowen Pangur Poitín Cocktail Competition

Having declared '2022 - The Year of Poitín' Killowen have decided to run a competition to help promote poitín as a premium spirit for quality cocktails. Pangur Poitín, which you will use for the competition, has been developed with the cocktail makers of today in mind. So, are you a budding mixologist or looking to add to your experienced repertoire of cocktails, and want to win £500 in cash? Then this is the competition for you!

Details for the competition can be found on our website on the following link:   Killowen Pangur Poitín Cocktail Competition Be sure to share this with any budding cocktail makers you know and best of luck to those entering. We can't wait to see what you come up with. *********

The Connacht Batch 1 Whiskey and News from Killowen Distillery

The Connacht Batch 1 Whiskey and News from Killowen Distillery

Connacht Batch 1 Single Malt Whiskey 47% ABV

The Ballina based Connacht Distillery are proud of their Batch 1 as it is the first whiskey to come off their own copper pot stills. “..it has been patiently matured for four years, when our distillers judged it to be ready for appreciation by whiskey lovers.This small batch, double distilled single malt is made from 100% malted irish barley, aged in ex-bourbon casks and finished in Jerez casks.”

Colour is a light gold and the legs last longer than you’d expect from 47% ABV. There is a fleeting hint of the higher alcohol in the aromas, especially if you get too close! Stay a bit further back, and you get notes of resin and honey and a slight touch of almond. The palate is warming, full-bodied. It is spicy, sweet and fruity right through the finish. Add in a wee drop of water and you lose nothing of the character while you gained a touch more smoothness. 

The label tells us this has been crafted with fine Irish barley (from Hook Head), has been matured in  Kentucky Bourbon barrels and finished in Oloroso Sherry barrels.

I’ve been putting this to the test over the past month or two, starting with a visit to the distillery where I bought a bottle. I liked that first time and have been just as satisfied after each raid on the bottle. Consistently happy with the result. Might be slightly biased as my mother grew up in Mayo but it is being added to my list of favourites for 2022.

* Just read, after our July visit to the Moy-side distillery, that Connacht Whiskey has been put up for sale with a price tag of more than €20 million.

List of favourites for 2022

Connacht Batch 1 Single Malt Whiskey 47% ABV

Powers '3 Swallow' Release 40% ABV

Two Stacks Irish Whiskey Dram in a Can 86 proof or 43% ABV, 100ml can

Fercullen 14 year old Single Malt 46% ABV

Killowen Signature Rum & Raisin 6-Year Old Single Malt Whiskey 55% abv, 50ml bottle. Batch #4.

Clonakilty Port Cask Finish 43.6%

Below is a recent news release from Killowen:

Killowen Dark Rum Cask Aged / Solera Method Small Batch 3

Continuing on with Killowen’s Dark Rum Solera releases, and after considerable requests from spirit fans and quality bars, we can now announce batch 3 is being released tomorrow Wed 31st August at 5pm through all our normal retail partners, Irish Malts, KWM Wines and all interested bars and Off licences.

This rum is fully born & bred onsite, fermented from 50% blackstrap molasses and 50% Sugar, with funky 2-4 week open top fermentations. The wash is distilled by Killowen's flame-fed copper pot stills and worm-tubs, the first still uses a copper thumper keg which acts as another half distillation, hence the bottle stating, 2.5 times distilled.  Solera method cask ageing was chosen for this dark rum using a range of casks. The distillate was first laid down in a series of 6 ex-bourbon 50-liter firkins, then a PX Sherry Cask, a peated whiskey cask and finally in heavily charred Cabernet Sauvignon casks.    Like all Killowen spirits, this distillate is a cut above all other quality rums. The focus on pot still distillation and cask aging is evident in a viscous, well-balanced, spicy, heavy, and molasses-led flavor that acknowledges its raw ingredients and cask aging method.    Ireland's first dark rum has just set the standard.

Note: For every bottle sold, Killowen Distillery will donate £1 to The Joint Council for The Welfare of Immigrants' Windrush Justice Fund; paying respect to those who created one of the world's greatest spirits. Recognising Afro-Caribbean people within the Rum industry and acknowledging the dark legacy of slavery that bore its creation.

Tasting Notes: Nose: home baking with vanilla pod kneaded into a fresh almond paste with a healthy drop of treacle and flaked coconut. Followed by a more professional gingerbread baking at with a generous helping of cinnamon.      Palate: A breakfast of honey & treacle on thick buttery toast, while wearing a pair of brand-new, real leather boots. Followed by a trip to the petrol station shop for some ice cream flavoured penny sweets.     Finish: Demerara sugar melted over the same gingerbread we noticed on the nose, creating a dry/sweet balance that leaves you waiting for the next drop.

Release Date 400 Bottles  on Wednesday 31st August 2022 @ 5pm GMT RRP: £54.95

A couple of Irish whiskey gems: Fercullen 14-year old and Killowen 6-year old

A couple of Irish whiskey gems: 

Fercullen 14-year old and Killowen 6-year old

*********

Fercullen 14 year old Single Malt 46% ABV

Carefully selected from rare stocks of aged Irish whiskey, this Irish Single Malt by Fercullen was matured exclusively in ex-Bourbon barrels by Master Distiller Noel Sweeney in his time as Master Distiller at the Powerscourt Distillery.

Note the light gold colour and also the slow slow legs. The nose is quite complex, honey and spice, sweet from the malt. Complex yet smooth and harmonious on the palate, layer after layer of different flavours, silky and sweet, the oak crisp, the whiskey fresh and spicy. And the finish follows much the same pattern: complex, fruity, with that amazing sweet spice. Memorable. The 14 years haven’t been wasted. On the contrary!

“This is a truly remarkable whiskey, smooth, satisfying, perfectly balanced, and easy to drink…” said Noel Sweeney. “Exclusively matured in fresh Bourbon barrels for over 14 years, it has married oak and bourbon with a fruity clean malty spirit to deliver a classic with a maturity beyond its years.”

So smooth, so harmonious on the palate, sweet and silky and fresh from start to finish. Gather up this Single Malt. Keep one for every one you drink now! 

The Powerscourt Distillery was founded in 2018 but the history of the Powerscourt Estate can be traced back to the 9th century to a territory that stretches across fertile plains and rugged mountainous land.

Known in native Gaelic tongue as “FeraCulann” or Fercullen, it is located in the foothills of the Wicklow mountains, close to Dublin. Ownership has been claimed by many over the centuries, from the native Clans of O’Toole and O’Byrne, to the Norman house of LePoer (who built a castle here and from whom the estate takes its name.)

The whiskey is generally priced at €92.95 and is available at Irish Malts and Celtic Whiskey. Mine came via Bradley’s Hip Flask service, a very popular service by the way; a full bottle here is keenly priced at €89.95.

****

Killowen Signature Rum & Raisin 6-Year Old Single Malt Whiskey 55% abv, 50ml bottle. Batch #4.

Colour, as you might expect, is a shade or two darker than the usual. You can’t always judge a whiskey by its colour and here it is the aromas, rounded and rich, that are making the promise, a promise that will be amply fulfilled. And indeed, it is smooth and rich and long, no extremes at all other than being extremely well executed. Waves of flavour, delicious dried fruit notes from the sweet sherry butts melding superbly with Caribbean rum inputs of molasses and vanilla. 

With an ABV of 55%, a drop or two of water is advised. I took my own advice here and that tiny input of H2O makes it even smoother without impacting negatively on any of its other qualities.

To make this single malt Irish whiskey, Newry’s Killowen firstly aged the spirit for 5 years in Bourbon casks and then expertly balanced the PX sherry and dark Rum finishes “for the perfect flavour of the Caribbean with coconut and vanilla, figs, prunes and raisins…. The County Louth malt is the perfect compliment to the marriage”.

Just 995 bottles were produced. My Killowen came via Bradley’s Hip Flask service, a very popular service by the way, and my flask was filled from bottle #140. Full bottles (50cl) are priced at  €64.95 in Celtic Whiskey; €62.95 in Irish Malts (Batch #5). 

Founded by distiller Brendan Carty, Killowen’s team brings together a rogues gallery of whiskey experts and enthusiasts, all driven by one thing; bringing back the character and tradition of real Irish whiskey. Brendan is active and influential in the Irish distilling world, and is obsessed with the revival of forgotten styles of native distilling.

Media release - Killowen's Double Release:

Pic via Killowen Facebook

KILLOWEN BELGROVE OAT & RYE RELEASES
BONDED INTERNATIONAL SERIES
PARTS 1 of 2

OAT ABV: 59.79% - RYE ABV 60.61%

"The two whiskeys we released on Monday July 11th are Independent bottlings of Belgove Rye (239 bottles) & Oat (222 bottles), these are also released in the true Killowen fashion: cask strength, no added colour, integrity bottlings, with full label transparency." 

The reason for celebrating another micro distillery’s spirit is because we love it. It has connections with Irish whiskey’s rich past and with its contemporary future. Most whiskeys need to be old - very, very few don’t, however, just like Killowen, Belgrove put the effort in at spirit production stage instead of relying on prolonged casking, the sacrifice is quantity but who needs quantity when our game plan, above all else is quality.

Killowen has played its part in spreading the Belgrove gospel throughout the Northern Hemisphere. We have a profound respect for Peter Bignell and his liquid. After purchasing some Belgrove from Peter last summer we felt right now is the perfect time in the Killowen journey to release it.

The Rye - 60.61%
239 bottles
Finished in Ex-Malt & Australian Pinot Noir Casks

The Oat - 59.79%
222 bottles
Finished in Ex-Malt & Australian Pinot Noir Casks

RRP: £94.95

For more, see Killowen's social media.

SMOKED SALMON, MATURE CHEDDAR, POTATO and LEEK SOUP

FOOD SHORTS

Kinvara Smoked Salmon:

You’ll never be stuck for food ideas once you have a keyboard and access to social media. Recipes abound here. And we were glad of the service on a recent Saturday night when a planned starter wasn't working out.

Tapped my way to Kinvara Smoked Salmon. I knew they have a smashing little recipe brochure and spotted it on the home page. Clicked my way down and found just what was required:  Kinvara Smoked Salmon Potato Salad.  A beautiful starter indeed.

Killowen Vintage Cheddar

Killowen Vintage Cheddar is a product of Newmarket Creameries and is sold in a distinctive 200 gram box.  It is “typically matured for at least two years”, is creamy and full flavoured and very enjoyable and ideal for people who may find some of the other mature cheddars a bit on the dry side.

FLYNN’S KITCHEN

I usually come across Iain of Riverstick based Flynn’s Kitchen at the Farmers Market in Mahon Point. Less than two weeks back, I picked up his newest soup: Potato, Leek and Thyme Soup. Many potato and leek soups can be bland enough but Iain’s judicious use of Thyme and seasoning has certainly given the old formula a new life and at €3.00 a pot (or two for a fiver) is well worth a try as indeed are all his other soups and good things.