For me, March is the month to drink whiskey. It's cold, still dark, and often you're just hoping for the lamb to tame the lion. Given the St. Patrick's Day celebrations around town, it's hard not to mix it up with an Irish whiskey. For those of you who have spoken to us about our spirits selection, it's fair to say that we at Heights Chateau appreciate most good whisk(e)ys, with or without an "e". For those of you who love Irish whiskey, the last couple of years have brought many new expressions to New York, including many from the recently sold Cooley Distillery.
+/- The Ides of March Meet the Irish Dram
A) Irish whiskey has to be distilled and aged in only a country with “Ireland” in the name. This means the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
B) The spirit must be distilled to an ABV 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 a way that the distillate has an aroma and flavour derived from the materials used.
C) The product must be aged for at least three years in wooden casks. There are no further requirements for the casks used.
D) If the spirits comprise a blend of two or more such distillates, the product is referred to as a "blended" Irish whiskey.
What about drinking Irish-owned? Although none of the distilleries in Ireland are currently (since December) Irish-owned, there still are a number of independent blended Irish whiskey brands, including Tullamore Dew. We are anxiously awaiting the cask strength of Red Breast 12 YR. Also, Tullamore Dew will be releasing a higher-end expression in the United States, but unfortunately not in time for your St. Patrick’s Day festivities.
Whether you’re toasting to Paddy, Caesar, or rites of Spring, stop by Heights Chateau to try Tara’s Top Five Irish Drams (in no particular order):
Knappogue Castle (pronounced nah-POGUE) is a small Irish whiskey named for a 15th-century castle in County Clare. Knappogue has created a new 17-year-old expression, aged in Bourbon barrels for 15 years, plus another 21 months in Oloroso Sherry casks, for a total of 17 years in “twin” wood. Soft, fruity with hints of Christmas spice, oranges and nutmeg. Like most Irish whiskeys, it is triple-distilled, not artificially colored and only slightly chill-filtered (Chill-filtering is a process by which whiskey is refrigerated to isolate certain fatty compounds, which are then strained out. It is a cosmetic process to prevent clouding during shipping.) 4,500 bottles produced. 80 Proof. Please Note: I believe chill-filtration does change the flavor of whisk(e)ys that use this technique. - Tara
Paddy Irish Whiskey | 1L | $35.99 |
Finally available in the States, Paddy is a light and balanced Irish Whiskey. Paddy Whiskey was first produced by the Cork Distilleries Company in 1779 and was originally known as Cork Distillery Company Old Irish Whiskey. Made at the Jameson distillery in Midleton, Paddy whiskey is distilled three times and matured in oak casks for up to seven years.It has a high malt content in its blend compared to other Irish whiskeys. 80 Proof. It is Matthew’s favorite Irish Whiskey.
Greenore Single Grain 15YR Irish Whiskey | 750 ml | $105.99 |
Produced at the Cooley Distillery (recently purchased by Beam), Greenore is a single-grain Irish whiskey aged 15 years in Bourbon casks. Greenore is made with only corn, and then aged in first-fill Bourbon casks. Greenore is found with several age statements and the 15 YR release is relatively rare (5,000 bottles made.)
Bushmills Malt 16YR | 750 ml | $72.99 |
Bushmills 16 YR is one of the most interesting mainstream Irish whiskeys currently available. It's matured in three different types of casks, first in traditional Bourbon barrels, then in Sherry butts and finally in Port pipes. It is amber to brown in color with a lovely nose of fruits, apple, orange and some vanilla. On the palate there is cocoa, fruit, and some spiciness. YUM. 80 Proof.