WhiskeyClub.com / Belfast Whiskey Walk - Review

On Wednesday 21st September 2016 I had the pleasure of witnessing the launch of two new and exciting Irish whiskey initiatives right here in Belfast. 

The first of these new initiatives was the new online hub "WhiskeyClub.com".  Brought to us by drinks company Dillon Bass, "WhiskeyClub.com" launched with the aim to create a "one-stop shop for fans of Irish whiskey" allowing them to find out more about their favourite tipple.

The website hopes to bring together all the latest news and views with a guide to Northern Ireland's best Irish whiskey bars and stockists alongside a history of Irish whiskey, whiskey event listings, blogs and much more. 

As Dillon Bass state themselves: "The Development of the new Whiskey Club initiative is the latest step in the company's efforts to share its passion for Irish whiskey, whilst celebrating the quality bars and bartenders that have played a role in shaping the Irish whiskey story."

For those of you who may not be completely aware of who Dillon Bass are, they are the owners of the largest whiskey portfolio in Northern Ireland.  They are without doubt firmly in the stable of all things Midleton with such brands as Jameson, Redbreast, Powers and Midleton whiskey itself.

Here in Northern Ireland, Dillon Bass certainly seem to be at the forefront of Irish whiskey with their recent appointment of Joe Magowan, formerly of The Vineyard, Belfast, as a dedicated Irish Whiskey Ambassador and going forward they see a very bright future for the local market.

Commenting on the launch of the new initiatives, Joanne O'Hagan, marketing director for Dillon Bass stated: "We believe there is huge potential for Irish whiskey to become a bona fide tourism product in Northern Ireland.  Our visitor numbers are growing and people want to visit Irish whiskey bars when they come here."

Now, whilst this first initiative may be solely for the domain of the internet the second initiative to be launched is a much more tangible experience.

In partnership with Dillon Bass, "Taste and Tour" have created Belfast's first ever "Whiskey Walk".

"Taste and Tour" have been going from strength to strength, for some time now, bringing to Belfast tours such as the "Belfast Food Tour", "Belfast Bar Tour" and their "Meet the Brewer - Brewery tour".  Now they can add the "Whiskey Walk" to their impressive portfolio.

Phil Ervine, director of "Taste and Tour", has commented on the launch of the "Whiskey Walk", stating that it is their aim for "people to finish the "Whiskey Walk" with a new found appreciation and knowledge of Irish whiskey and the Belfast bars that serve it."

As stated, I was lucky to be invited to take part in the first tour and I have to say it was thoroughly enjoyable. 

The tour began at Belfast's Jaffé Fountain where we were introduced to Joe Magowan, not bad for a Whiskey Ambassador to be accompanying each tour, passing on his knowledge and expertise.  From here a few steps took us into "Bittles Bar" for a Jameson, ginger and lime.

Inside Bittles we enjoyed our drink while listening to the story behind, what I would say is, Belfast's best whiskey bar. 

From here we walked through Church Lane to "The National" where we were treated to a cocktail demonstration, showing us how Jameson "Black Barrel" can be used to create a whiskey sour, and of course we received our own whiskey sour to sip through.

Onwards we went, through Waring Street and on to Commercial Court, where we ended up at the iconic "Duke of York".  Here we were served up a Powers "Gold Label" while Joe Magowan took us through the background of this legendary whiskey.

Another short walk and we were into "The Dirty Onion", which itself was previously used as a whiskey warehouse many years ago.  As we entered the bar we were greeted by the sounds of traditional Irish music while the unmistakable aroma of burning peat wafted across our noses.

Here we were treated to a "Boilermaker", an old school serve consisting of a Jameson "Caskmates" alongside a half pint of local Belfast stout.  Each drink complimented each other perfectly while Joe Magowan explained the history behind Jameson "Caskmates".

Last of all we ended up in the luxurious surroundings of "The Merchant Hotel" to enjoy a fine trio of Irish whiskeys.  Here we received a flight which included Powers "Three Swallow", Green Spot and the heavy hitter that is Redbreast 12 year old.

All in all a perfect ending to an excellent tour.

I think the tour itself will grow from strength to strength as time goes on.  Undoubtedly "Taste and Tour" will see how well it is received and add or change anything they feel they need to in order to make sure the tour lives up the high expectations us Irish whiskey drinkers have. 

For me the only thing I would suggest is that the tour should maybe highlight the role Belfast played within the history of Irish whiskey.  Maybe with a small nod to the likes of Dunville's or even Avoniel.  Even if it was only to pay recognition, I still think it would be a nice touch.

I will also briefly touch upon the cost of the tour.  The price of the tour is £60 which gets you, as stated, 5 bars and 8 drinks.  Given the cost of drinks in Belfast city centre these days, and the fact that you are accompanied by an Irish whiskey Ambassador, I think the price point is just about spot on.

The fact that a company has come out with something new for local Irish whiskey lovers is worthwhile in itself and I think it should be applauded.  Hopefully the tourists also take notice of this tour which will allow it to grow and become a firm fixture in the local bar scene.

Going forward there are 3 further tours planned between now and the end of January.  The upcoming tour on Wednesday 19th October already appears to be sold out and there are still tickets available for the two other tours on Wednesday 30th November 2016 and Wednesday 18th January 2017.  Anyone wishing to book a tour can follow the link posted below.

Lastly I'd just like to thank the whole team at Dillon Bass for the opportunity to be part of these new whiskey initiatives.

Until next time,

Sláinte

SI

Taste and Tour - https://www.tasteandtour.co.uk/

WhiskeyClub.com - http://whiskeyclub.com/

Belfast City Airport - Duty Free

On a recent trip to England I had the delightful pleasure of flying out of the George Best - Belfast City Airport and had an opportunity to browse through the whisky selection within duty free.

Now any of you who have flown out of this airport will know that it is not exactly up there with Heathrow in terms of size, choice of shops or facilities but as far as a lowly Northern Ireland airport goes the whisky selection is not too bad at all.

As you edge through duty free, towards the magical shelves, the first thing that strikes your eye is a "2 for £70" offer on selected bottles.  At the time of writing this the bottles in this offer included - 

Aberlour 12yr 

Ardmore - Traditional Cask

Auchentoshan - Springwood

Benromach 10yr

Chivas Brother's Blend

Drambuie 15yr

Glen Garioch - Founder's Reserve

Glenrothes - Robur Reserve

Highland Park - Einar

Jura - Superstition

Old Pulteney - Noss Head

Woodford Reserve

In addition they have a "2 for £60" offer on Johnnie Walker - Double Black.

With each bottle being 1 litre in size I'm sure you'll all agree that £35 a bottle for any of these (or £30 a bottle of Double Black) is good value indeed.  I am of course saying this in the knowledge and recognition that the majority of these are NAS whiskies but when you are hindered by a small number of quality whisky shops, in Belfast, I feel these represent good value to try something a little different.

Looking elsewhere along the shelves you will find more duty free exclusives from distilleries such as Talisker, Glenfiddich, Bowmore, Glenlivet amongst others.

For those of you wishing to sample a dram from a little closer to where you are flying from they have a decent selection of Irish whiskies with Bushmills and Jameson represented well alongside standard bottlings of Tyrconnell, Connemara, Greenore, Kilbeggan and Tullamore Dew.  The only real exclusive of note amongst these was a Jameson Signature Reserve.

Lastly I'll also make mention of the service that is provided for those of you who wish to avail of these offers but are flying away on a short trip and don't want to have to carry a couple of bottles of whisky around with you on your trip.  If this is a worry then you can buy as much as you like and allow the airport to securely store these for you where you can collect them upon your return to Belfast. 

All in all I feel, that amongst a limited market, the duty free at Belfast City Airport is an extra outlet that can sometimes be overlooked and should maybe be considered more often for a chance to expand your whisky collection.

Until next time,

Sláinte.

SI

"World of Whiskies" website with more info on bottles and offers - http://worldofwhiskies.com

Belfast Whisky Retailers

Since starting this blog I've had a few different people ask me to recommend where is good to buy decent whisky in Belfast.  It may, or may not, come as a shock to hear that Belfast is still very much behind the times when it comes to buying good single malts, grains and blends.  It's also very much the same problem when it comes to the drinking of good whisky but what is also clear is that we seem to be catching up.  Slowly but surely.

In order to help the budding whisky enthusiasts of Belfast I shall endeavour to highlight where I feel the best places are to buy and drink the spirit we all love the most.  I shall begin with this update where I shall cover the buying side of things by showcasing where to buy and where to avoid.  I shall also categorise these retailers under certain headlines to try define them to each drinkers personal taste.

For info I shall add web links to each retailer at the very end.

Here we go...

"CREAM OF THE CROP" - The Vineyard, 375-377 Ormeau Rd, Belfast

Located on the ever busy Ormeau Road, in South Belfast, is "The Vineyard".  Now I could be seen as being a touch biased in my top selection, as this is also my local off sales, but in my opinion it truly is the best in Belfast for buying top notch whiskies.  

They boast a fine range of drams and go a bit further than your typical entry level whiskies.  They are the only retailer, I can find, that have a full range of Teeling whiskies and to accompany these they have an excellent selection of other Irish brands including most from Midleton, Bushmills and Cooley / Kilbeggan.

Fine range of Irish whiskies - The Vineyard

On the Scotch side of things they stock another fine range with Ardbeg, Edradour, Laphroaig and Glenfarclas the best represented.  The Scotch they have in stock would be better than your entry level malts but not up into the crazy, prestige, collectors bottles.

Scotch cabinet - The Vineyard

On top of what they have in store they can also provide the service of "If we don't have it, we'll try and get it".  I recently tested this out when looking for a bottle of Bruichladdich Islay Barley.  They were able to source this for me and I even had an option of choosing when I'd like it to arrive.  Now, if you want a bottle ASAP then be prepared to pay for it but if you can hang on until they are putting in their own bulk order then you should be able to get what you're after at a reasonable price.  I found my bottle to be the same price as most online retailers but without the cost of P&P which is still a huge saving in my eyes.

The only slight criticism I have is that when I popped in a few weeks ago they had nothing in terms of world whiskies but in opposition to this I know this is very different in the run up to key events, like Christmas, when their cabinets are close to bursting point.



"DECENT RANGE" - Makro, Kingsway, Belfast

Makro may be a retailer that is completely forgotten about when thinking about getting your hands on decent whisky.  It could be a combination of being out of the way and a misconception of thinking you need a Makro card to buy anything in store.  While the latter is true for the main store the off sales operates a different system where you can buy anything you like as long as it's not in bulk which is perfect for us who are only looking for a bottle or two.

Now, whilst there's nothing really here to blow your mind there is enough here to give you a little choice.  Again, as with all retailers, world whisky is not represented at all but then again I did say we were behind the times.



"WORTH KEEPING AN EYE ON" - The Wine Company, 303-305 Ormeau Rd, Belfast

This is one of two retailers I've listed as worth keeping an eye on for different reasons.

I have added the The Wine Company as, whilst their selection is small, they had a few bottles not seen anywhere else.  These were, Tamdhu, Glenrothes and The Laddie Ten.  

Maybe over time this could be a retailer who can rival The Vineyard for choice and something that little bit different.  It certainly would make sense as they are already their rivals geographically.




"ALSO WORTH KEEPING AN EYE ON" - Gapwines, 642 Antrim Rd, Belfast
                                                
                                                                also at - 75a Belfast Road, Carrickfergus

Established in 2003, Gapwines prides itself as being one of Belfast's leading independent wine merchants.  They also stock a fine selection of craft beers from both local producers and further afield.

In addition they organise various events throughout the year which are held in partnership with The Bay Tree restaurant in Holywood, County Down.  These are tasting nights that showcase a certain type drink whilst pairing it with fine food from the restaurant.  

Now whilst the selection was a touch sparse, when I attended the store, I have added this retailer onto the list as it appears they could come up with a surprise or two around Christmas and Father's day and their tasting events are definitely worth watching out for as well.

When I attended the shop I also got the chance to speak with Peter McBride of Gapwines who confirmed that should the interest in whisky increase they are more than ready to meet demand and react to the market.  All good in my view so get out there and start asking.  



"BEST SUPERMARKET" - Marks and Spencer, Forestside, Upper Galwally, Belfast
                                                                  Donegall Place, Belfast City Centre

The simple reason why I have selected M&S ahead of Asda, Tescos and Sainsburys is again for the ability to get something that little bit different.

They stock a Glengoyne 14 and a Glenfarclas 2003 vintage, both of which are exclusive to M&S.  In addition they have Compass Box - Spice Tree, the Irish blend Writers Tears and a single malt from the English Whisky Co. of St. Georges Distillery.  To accompany these they also have a nice range of aged, own brand whiskies from the Highland, Islay and Speyside regions. 


Each store has a couple of nice little tasting gift sets and the city centre branch impresses with the additions of Balblair '03, Kilchoman "Machir Bay", Compass Box "Great King Street" and anCnoc.

"OTHER SUPERMARKETS" - Asda, Tescos and Sainsburys

Each of these has their own plus points.  

Asda has a good range of single malts and I shall have an updated list of what's available next week but I can say that they have their own range of seriously old blends named Tasgall with a 25 year old setting you back £50 and a 30 year old costing £60.  I think these are pretty good prices but they may come down further.  If they do I'll update this again.

Sainsburys have all the main Irish whiskies covered along with a good range of Grouse and Grants but not much in the way of Scottish single malts but, as of 04/12/14, they did have Aberlour 10 year old on offer at £20.

Tescos have a pretty standard range but have got some excellent offers on at the moment (04/12/14) with the highlights being Cardhu "Gold Reserve" - £30, Auchentoshan "American Oak" - £25, Laphroaig "Select" - £25, Old Pulteney 12 year old - £25 and Singleton "Spey Cascade" - £25.

Where these retailers really come into their own though is with offers and discounts.  Throughout the year each will have different deals on their whiskies and it's not just at Christmas and Father's day.  While they may not have the selection of Makro, or the quality of The Vineyard they will beat anybody for price should the malt you're after be on offer.  My advice for shopping at these stores is simple….keep your eyes on their offers and snap them up when they arrive.

One last point I'll mention is that their range can change from store to store so be sure to call into various stores if you happen to be passing.

"THE COLLECTOR'S PARADISE" - Lavery's off sales, Bradbury Place, Belfast

If money is no object then this is the store for you.

Whilst they have some affordable whiskies in store the majority of their cabinets are stocked with bottles starting at the £100 price range going all the way up towards the £500 price range.

Glenfiddich 30yr old, old Midleton, old Johnnie Walker and old Jameson are there in force.

A lot of value in this cabinet in Lavery's, check out the Midleton first shelf up

On show, they also have a large range of Japanese whiskies, that are a touch more affordable, and also a bottle of Old Comber standing proudly in the window.

The more affordable drams include some nice bourbons and a full range of Irish including Green Spot, Yellow Spot, most Bushmills, most Connemara and a good few independent Irish blends.

"SUPERMARKET BEST AVOIDED" - Lidl, Montgomery Road, Belfast

                                                          High Street, Belfast

I nipped in to this store in the hope that I'd find some surprises similar to what can be found in Aldi over in the mainland.  

While Aldi have some amazingly aged single malt at incredible prices, Lidl have nothing more than a dodgy looking Irish blend and some equally bad looking bourbon.

They have recently updated this though to included an basic Scottish blend, a 5 year old Scottish blend and a slight surprise in the form of a blended malt named Abrachan.  

Abrachan is bottled at 42% ABV, which isn't bad, and is triple matured with bourbon and Oloroso casks being used along with tawny port pipes.  Only costing £15.99 this isn't a bad gift for the amateur whisky drinker or someone looking to get started but beware, whilst not bad on the nose this is very young on the taste.

'DON'T EVEN BOTHER" - Winemark, Russels Cellars and Wineflair

These off licences can be summed up easily.

While driving back from Makro, along the Lisburn Road, I was shocked to note that there was not one decent off licence along one of the most affluent shopping strips in Belfast.

The only off licence in amongst the fine shops was a lonely Winemark and while I knew not to get my hopes up I still thought that out of all their stores this one would have a half decent selection due to it's location and potential buyers.

How wrong I was, all they had in store was a single Laphroaig, a single Highland Park and two different Jura.

PATHETIC.

These retailers need us to vote with our feet and shop elsewhere.  Only then will they see the need to widen their range and become more aware of what we want in the way of a decent choice of whisky.

Well that's about it, I hope I have highlighted some stores that you were not aware of so you can all get out there and start enjoying a proper choice when it comes to buying whisky.  

All I'll say in conclusion is that Belfast still has a long way to go in terms of a love for whisky but as some of the stores mentioned here have shown we seem to gradually be going in the right direction.

I'll be back again later in the year to cover the best Belfast has to offer in the way of whisky bars and I shall also be back sooner with some more reviews and maybe some news.

Until next time,

Slainte.

SI 

Web Pages:

The Vineyard - http://vineyardbelfast.co.uk

Makro Belfast - http://store.makro.co.uk/findus.aspx?store=Belfast

The Wine Company - http://thewinecompanyni.com

Gapwines - http://www.gapwines.com

Marks & Spencer - http://www.marksandspencer.com/Spirits-Port-Sherry-Wine-Food-Wine/b/1322804031?ie=UTF8&intid=gnav_food-amp-wine_spirits-port-amp-sherry

Asda - http://storelocator.asda.com/store/shore-road-northern-ireland

Tesco - http://www.tesco.com/store-locator/uk/?bID=5131

Sainsbury's - http://www.sainsburys.co.uk/sol/storelocator/storelocator_detail_view.jsp?storeId=535&bmForm=store_details

Lavery's - http://www.laverysbelfast.com/whiskey

Lidl - http://www.localmint.com/uk/lidl-belfast-montgomery-rd-opening-times-51723

Winemark - http://www.winemark.com

Hudson Whiskey Club - "End of Year Special" - Review

Hello there,

It's been the better part of a week since I've updated this but it's been a bit mental with the build up to Christmas and all.  Now I think all is sorted, and bought, I'll be blasting away at the blog over the next week highlighting the whiskies that were on show when I attended the Hudson Bar, Belfast's "Whiskey Club" yesterday evening.

In the build up to the event it was billed as being an end of year special, showcasing no fewer than 8 whiskies that had wowed the attendees of the club over the year.  With a bit of food and great craic thrown in I think you'll agree it was pretty good value for £15 a ticket.

Upon arrival the mystery line up was revealed.  The whiskies on show were:

The Line-up for the evening

Johnnie Walker Black Label 12yr old
Bowmore Small Batch Reserve
Redbreast 12yr old
Bushmills 16yr old
Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon 12yr old
Kavalan Single Malt
Yamazaki 18yr old
Titanic 5yr old Blend

As i mentioned earlier I shall update here regularly over the next few days to break down the whiskies that were on show and review them in pairs.

As always, up until now, the evening was hosted by Michael Morris, a co-owner of the bar and someone who is also involved with setting up of the new Belfast Distillery Company.  However he began the evening by announcing that this was to be his last hosting of the club as there are plans to expand the club in the new year.

Fine nibbles that were quickly demolished

He revealed that the new year shall bring with it a more professional style whiskey club with guest hosts attending from various distilleries and whisky companies.  This news, along with quiet murmurings of a possible yearly subscription to the club, means that 2014 shall be a very exciting year for whiskey lovers in Belfast.  Anyone wishing to check out the Hudson's Facebook page can do so by clicking here.

To conclude I would just like to say that the Hudson Whiskey Club is easily the most popular whiskey event in town and it promises to only get better and better.

Until next time,

Slainte.

SI

Hudson Bar Whiskey Club **End of Year Special**

Hi there,

Just a short update to make all you Belfast whiskey lovers aware that the Hudson Bar, Belfast shall be having one last rattle at their amazing whiskey club before the year draws to a close.

The night in question is Wednesday 18th December and as per usual proceedings shall be kicking off at 8pm.

Tickets for this "Club" shall be a little dearer at £15 but by all accounts it's going to be an absolute (Xmas) cracker.

To date the Hudson Bar have not released any info or posters for this event but a little bit of insider knowledge would suggest that 8 whiskies shall be on show with the starting point being around the £60 - £70 range after which the only way shall be upwards.

Numbers are strictly limited to 40 and tickets have been on sale for a week or so but due to lack of overt promotion there seems to be a good few still available so give them a bell on 028 9023 2322 and get yourself down to nab a ticket or two.

It really does promise to be a stonker of a night and the best way to springboard into the Xmas week.

Needless to say my ticket is already bagged so hopefully I'll see you there.

Until next time,

Slainte.

SI

Hudson Bar Whiskey Club

Last minute update about The Hudson Bar, Belfast's latest Whiskey Club happening tomorrow night, Thursday 28th November 2013, at 8pm in their bar located at Gresham Street, Belfast.

Given the date, this month, they are celebrating all things American in a nod to Thanksgiving Day.

From the notes on their poster they shall be sampling some small batch bourbons, whiskies and ryes.

It also seems they shall be kicking off proceedings with an old style Speakeasy style cocktail.

I've been to one of these nights before and I have to say it's well run, very affordable at £10 and extremely good fun.  I would wholeheartedly recommend this to anyone looking to expand their whiskey knowledge or simply looking for a good night's craic, and don't worry there's usually plenty of whiskey to go round.

I shall be heading down myself as, to date, I've had very little experience of anything American apart from what little I've tried at a few whiskey festivals here and in Scotland.

On a side note the bar is also well known for showing the live NFL games and seeing as there's 3 on tomorrow night, for Thanksgiving, it appears a "full-on" USA night shall be had.

Hope to see you there.

Until next time,

Slainte.

SI