Irish whiskey recommendations

[dancing kali]

My boss is retiring at the end of the month. I was planning on getting him a good single malt scotch (the drink of choice for the theatre techs around here) but one of the other techs has already bought him one. Now, in passing, my boss mentioned that he's been drinking Irish whiskey (someone gave him a bottle of Jameson for Christmas). I used to drink Jameson but now I stick to good wine. I remember liking it at the time, but that was in the age of the dinosaurs when I was still at university. Is there a better one out there? I'm looking for something equivalent to a high end single malt scotch. Can anyone help my quest?

[TK421]

1. Jameson is great, but I like Tullymore Dew myself

stuff goes down like milk

[many a good man]

8. I'm partial to the Dew meself

Like it better than the more expensive Bushmill's or Jamesons to tell the truth.

A great single malt is Knappogue...

Knappogue Castle 1992
by F. Sot Fitzgerald
Knappogue Castle is a single malt Irish Whiskey. No, not single malt scotch, single malt Irish Whiskey. How now?

Simple- the principle is the same. Knappogue Irish Whiskey is not a blend of whiskeys or spirits. It is composed from one malt of whiskey. Or, as Great Spirits, the importers of Knappogue say, a single malt must:
1. be made in a pot still (as opposed to a column still)
2. be must be made with malted barley only
3. be must come from a single distillery

Knappogue has the further distinction of bearing a vintage. Unlike many other Irish whiskeys, Knappogue is

NOT a blend or intermingling of malts from a number of years. The result? Each vintage of Knappogue Castle is a little different from another. Whiskey lovers can actually carp at one another, like wine snobs, over which year produced the best.
What you get in a bottle of Knappogue is not merely whatever a distillery churned out. The whiskey that goes in comes from casks specially chosen for their excellence. This all important task is aided by whiskey maven, Jim Murray, author of The Complete Guide to Whiskey.



http://www.alcoholreviews.com/SPIRITS/knappogue1992.html

[LostinVA]

2. Jameson 1780

My wife loves it. It's smoother than the 6-year-old Jameson.

[doc03]

3. Whatever Teddy Kennedy drinks n/t

[muriel_volestrangler]

4. I tend to drink Jameson's too, but Bushmills is pretty popular

and shouldn't be too difficult to get hold of - parent company is Diageo (Guinness etc.) They do both blends and single malts.

[Hobarticus]

5. Connemara...single-malt Irish whiskey

TERRIFIC. Get a bottle for yourself, while you're at it. Also available in a 12-year and "cask strength".

Connemara Peated Single Malt Irish Whiskey captures the beauty of this region while reviving its traditions. This rare and original find among Irish whiskeys is a single malt, beautifully gilded in peat reek. Managing Director of Cooley Distillery, David Hynes and chairman John Teeling resurrected the traditional Irish custom of drying the malted barley over peat fires with this peated single malt. The smoke rising through the malted barley during this drying process confers the whiskey with a distinct peaty flavour and aroma. These traditional distilling methods combined with natural ingredients and long years in oak casks continue to create a whiskey that is simply exceptional!

More on Connemara:

http://www.forpeatsake.com/Connemara/

[Connonym]

11. I thought the peat smoke was the difference between whiskey and scotch

I did the Jameson's tour but that was a long time ago. I guess I'll have to go back and learn it all again ;-)

[Hobarticus]

17. ARRRGH! You went on the Jameson's tour?!?

Lucky!

[Connonym]

22. :-D they give free samples at the end

[northzax]

26. no, Scotch is whisky

just like Bourbon is whiskey. Scotch just happens to come from Scotland, be double distilled and aged at least three years in Oak barrels in Scotland. Irish Whiskey (despite the spelling, same root word phrase, uisca breatha, Gaelic for 'water of life') is triple distilled and doesn't need to be aged in Oak.

Bourbon is from Kentucky and made from mostly corn using the same process as Scotch.

[Crabby Appleton]

6. Bushmills Malt 16-year wood ngl malt - about $65

http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-2839.aspx

[Hobarticus]

7. A fine choice, as well. eom

[Throd]

13. I'll third that

[Rambis]

18. Bushmills

the black is good as well... but it is a blend
http://www.thedrinkshop.com/products/nlpdetail.php?prodid=314

[LibertyLover]

9. Michael Collins Single Malt

It is excellent. Make sure that you get the single malt and not the blend. It comes in both. The blend isn't bad, but the Michael Collins Single Malt is pretty outstanding.

[two gun sid]

10. Jameson.

[Fox Mulder]

12. Bailey's Irish Creme.

[vixengrl]

14. I'll give it up fo Bushmills.

(I secretly drink the neck off a few bottles of Tullamore Dew a year, but if you want something good...) Bushmills has a good smoky kind of solid flavor, and makes a memorable tipple for the reasoning drinking man. It's way drinkable But if the "Irish" isn't a big deal--MacCallen 12-yr is probably the best-tasting stuff I can recommend of reasonable Scotches. The scent is heavenly, mossy, woody, floral, it's tha' scotch bomb.

[BlueStateGirl]

15. My favorite is Red Breast. But I do also like Tullamore Dew and Tully 12 year old

[dancing kali]

16. Many thanks

I just got home from work. I appreciate the recommendations. I will head for the liquor store tomorrow and see if I can find any of these. Some of them sound absolutely lovely. What a shame I can't sample before I buy. Thanks again.

[KansDem]

19. I have to go along with previous recommendations on this thread...

Bushmills
Jameson
Tullamore Dew
...all very good.

But if your looking for a "high end single malt scotch," I would recommend:



mm-mmmm...:9

Damn! Now I'm thirsty, and it's eight hours to quitting time...:(

[dancing kali]

29. I actually had some of this

at dinner last week celebrating my husband's birthday at a restaurant with a really good Scotch list. Your are right. There wasn't enough "ooooo's" in smooth to describe it. My quest is for Irish on this occasion.

[azmouse]

20. Redbreast

And if money is no problem, Midleton. It runs about $110.

[SteppingRazor]

21. Forget Bushmills. It's made in Northern Ireland, so it doesn't count.

:P


For an everyday drink, I go with Tullamore Dew. But for a high-end drink, I go with Jameson's 12-year. They also make an 18-year, but it's a bit pricey and if I'm going to spend that much on whiskey, I'll buy a single-malt Scotch.

[ceile]

23. My personal favorite is Powers

but I'm not sure you can buy it in the States. Last time a friend went to Dublin she came back with 3 bottles-2 were for me! :bounce:

[LostinVA]

25. You can buy it in the states now

Haruka bought a bottle last week. Mostly because it was a bit cheaper than the Jameson.

[ceile]

28. Excellent! n/t

[dolo amber]

24. There is something called "The Knot"

I'm not sure exactly if it's actual whiskey or some kind of...whiskey liqueur or something (!!)...all I know is it's 100 proof, it tastes like it was aged in butter-soaked barrels, and it's simultaneously the best and worst thing EVER. :D

[leftofthedial]

27. Midleton

smoothest whiskey there is.

[blitzen]

30. Not Irish...but I'm drinking Templeton Rye right now and it's awesome

http://www.templetonrye.com/home.shtml

Unless you live in Iowa, you'll have to buy it online. My friend went to Iowa for the caucus and brought me back a bottle.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

31. Tullamore Dew

http://www.tullamoredew-usa.com/default_flash.asp