Powers Whiskey at the Irish Whiskey Academy

Towards the end of 2016 I was lucky enough to be invited to assist in judging a social media competition hosted by Powers Whiskey Northern Ireland. 

The "Whiskey Wisdom Distilled Challenge" focussed on bringing together bars from across Northern Ireland, through the power of social media, and have them complete a series of challenges that allowed them to showcase not only the Powers Whiskey brand, but also their own business.

The competition resulted in entries being posted on social media (mostly Twitter) and, through the creativity of the teams involved, we were treated to a range of entries that varied from bordering on the professional to the downright hilarious, and I mean that in a good way.

The competition tested the teams on their knowledge of the Powers brand and their ability to showcase Powers whiskey in a range of interesting scenarios and creative cocktails.

In the end, however, there could only be one winner and after a hard fought contest the team from The Bullitt Hotel, Belfast came out victorious.

The prize for the winning team was the chance to be treated to the full two day "Enthusiasts Package" at the exclusive Irish Whiskey Academy in Midleton Distillery, County Cork.

In a twist that I was not expecting, I too was to head down to the Irish Whiskey Academy to take part in the two day course with the winning team, not only as way of thanks for helping with the judging but to also take in the experience and bring it to you all through these words you are reading.

On 27th February I made my way to the National Bar, Belfast where I was to meet the winning team who would also become my fellow "Enthusiasts" for the days ahead.  The Bullitt team of Frankie, Alex and Conor were ready and waiting at The National and we were soon joined by Sarah from Dillon Bass and Joe Magowan, Powers very own Irish whiskey ambassador.

As we travelled the 250+ miles to Midleton Distillery we had plenty of time to get acquainted and discuss our thoughts on what lay ahead.  As I spoke with the Bullitt team it was clear that they each had a keen interest in finding out more about the Powers whiskey brand and the way in which it's whiskeys are created at the Midleton Distillery.

Some of the highlights mentioned, that the team were looking forward to, included the blending exercise and a visit to the Midleton archives.

The discussion continued and as a result of the conversation, and I expect a little excitement, the journey seemed to pass us by in no time and before we knew it we had arrived at our temporary home for the next two nights, the five star Castlemartyr Resort, County Cork.

I have to say though that staying in this exquisite hotel was not just a perk that came with this competition, as anyone who partakes in the "Enthusiasts Package" shall also get the chance to indulge in this fine retreat.

After a long, albeit enjoyable journey, we were swiftly checked into our rooms and allowed a short time to relax before dinner in the resort's Italian restaurant and, of course, a few Powers whiskey nightcaps.

The following morning we were up early, fed a fine breakfast and transferred the short distance to Midleton Distillery were we met our overall host for our visit Máire.  Once we were warmly welcomed we met our Academy host and tutor Ciarán O'Donovan.

Without any further ado we were off on our Irish Whiskey Academy experience which began with a comprehensive tour of the old distillery site.  As we walked around, taking in a sense of it's history, we were shown that the location of the Irish Whiskey Academy straddles the area between the old distillery and the current production area, as almost as if it is a "gateway between the old and new".

We continued onto to more modern buildings with a glimpse inside the ultra impressive micro distillery, where it seems that the team at Midleton are getting a chance to play at being Willy Wonka when it comes to producing whiskey. 

The micro distillery itself is made up of three beautiful stills and while no specific details were given away you certainly got a sense that the ethos is - if it can be done, then we are going to do it.

From here we were shown around an impressive display of the history of coopering and maturation, and you can really see how much it means to everyone at Midleton distillery to understand this precious whiskey resource and the effect it bestows upon the liquid over many years of maturation.  This led on perfectly to our next stop which was a small, but operational, warehouse containing 1000 casks of whiskey and, as with any whiskey warehouse, the smell was out of this world.

Before getting into the serious business of learning all about the Irish whiskey process we were introduced to Carol Quinn, the Midleton archivist, who, as I'm sure you can guess, showed us some treats from the Midleton archives.

This was were we got our first true specific insight into Powers whiskey, or should I say it's illustrious history.  I was amazed as Carol talked us through the Powers history, telling us stories of how it was once a brand revered the world over from anywhere from France to South Africa to India.

We also saw many photos and artefacts that highlighted exactly how exclusive this brand once was.

Everything was thought of to showcase this brand, from an enormous, 30ft tall, handmade wooden round tower, that was built in and around the late 1800's and was covered with bottles of Powers whiskey, to even the original Powers labels themselves that achieved their golden colour from ground down bronze, which was a very expensive process when this first began, also in the late 1800's.

When hearing the history of this iconic brand it is clear to see why those at Midleton want to keep it's name alive and, in turn, why it is now beginning to experience a renaissance as a brand that epitomises quality.

It was also a pleasure to hear the Bullitt team quiz Carol at length on anything that came to mind.  Coming from a background that would encompass all form of spirits you could tell that they were certainly impressed with the unique story that Powers whiskey had to tell.

From the archives we returned to the Irish Whiskey Academy itself and began our tuition at the hands of our learned teacher Ciaran.

Here we were taken, at great length, through every facet of the Irish whiskey making process.

To begin we looked at the raw materials used and how they are brought together in the brewing and fermentation process.  This included a chance to get back out on site and see for ourselves the huge storage areas where the grains are delivered to, along with a look inside the brewhouse and the "Barry Crockett" stillhouse.

Normally the "Barry Crockett" stillhouse would be off limits to any visitors but, as Midleton's newer "Garden" stillhouse was undergoing some work to install new stills, we were granted a one off opportunity. 

Here we got a chance to see Midleton distillation happening before our eyes and it's impressive to think that every bottle of Jameson, Powers, Redbreast, Midleton VR, and so on, that you see on every shelf around the world, all originated from this stillhouse. 

This is of course due to the fact that any spirit distilled in the "Garden" stillhouse will take time to mature into actual whiskey that is ready to be included in one of these brands.

From here we were back to the Academy for an in depth discussion into pot distillation along with a chance to taste some very unique liquids. 

From memory, I believe it was explained that the normal tasting, at this stage of the Academy, would be made up from standard components of what may be Jameson but our host Ciaran went a little further to try and secure some components of what would be used to create those whiskeys we would see with the Powers label upon them.

If ever there was chance to really see what brings Powers whiskey together then this was it.

For this tasting we were given a sample of the following:

New make Pot Still
New make Grain
10yo Pot Still distilled in 2006 and matured in a 1st fill bourbon cask
10yo Grain distilled in 2006 and matured in a 1st fill bourbon cask
10yo Pot Still distilled in 2006 and matured in a 1st fill sherry cask
8yo Pot Still distilled in 2008 and matured in a virgin oak cask

Not only did this give all involved a real insight into Powers whiskey but also how the different styles of whiskey and maturation can really change how the final bottle will turn out. 

As you can imagine, after that extensive tasting, we were treated to some much needed lunch before heading back to the classroom to learn about grain whiskey distillation and the maturation process, which covered all the (known) woods that are currently being used at the Midleton distillery.

With all the theory of Irish whiskey making covered it seemed about time to have some more samples and sure enough it was.  This time however we were heading downstairs to the tasting room to be taken through the Powers whiskey range itself.

This was now a chance to see how the components, that were tasted earlier, have been brought together to create the various styles of Powers that we now see in most bars.

For this tasting we had:

Powers "Gold Label"
Powers "12 year old"
Powers "Three Swallow"
Powers "Signature"
Powers "John's Lane"

For me, this was the first time I had ever had the chance to try the full range side by side and to say it was enjoyable would be an understatement.  Powers whiskey may have been overlooked for many a recent year but with this range of whiskeys behind them they can challenge any brand behind any bar.

Chatting to the team from Bullitt you could also see them developing a new found appreciation for the whiskey in front of them with each person having a very different and interesting view on the flavours they were finding within the spirit.

I dare say you may see a few new Powers cocktails coming very soon.

Now after the component tasting, and the Powers tasting, I'm sure you can guess what it was time for now....yes, that's right, more whiskey, only this time it wasn't in the classroom or in the opulent tasting room.

No, this time we were transported into the minor village that is made up by the Midleton warehouses and I'm not joking when I call it a minor village as there are around 45 warehouses on site storing a combined total of over 1.2 million casks of whiskey.

Yes, you heard that right.

For this final experience of day one we were taken into warehouse 39b and allowed to sample two whiskeys straight from the cask. 

For this tasting we were treated to:

Pot Still whiskey distilled in 1991 and matured in a 1st fill bourbon cask until 2005 when it was re-casked into another 1st fill bourbon cask
Pot Still whiskey distilled in 1998 and matured in a 1st fill sherry cask

Words can not express the excitement that is felt when, as a whiskey lover, you are allowed to remove and taste whiskey, straight from the cask, in the warehouse in which it has been maturing. 

I've experienced this on several different occasions and I can tell you it never gets old and all I can say is that if you ever get the chance to do this, anywhere in the world, jump at the opportunity.

I believe that, for the team from the Bullitt Hotel, this was a first for each of them and an experience they'll never forget.  This is a chance to taste Irish whiskey in it's purest form and they all certainly seemed to savour every last drop.

That concluded our first day at the Irish Whiskey Academy and it was time to head back to Castlemartyr for a couple of hours rest before the evening ahead.

As part of the "Enthusiasts Package" you are treated to a hosted evening in one of Cork's premium restaurants and that is what this evening had in store.  We were to be transferred to Ballymaloe House for what was to be a truly delicious dinner but not before an unexpected visit.

While waiting in the Castlemartyr bar we were joined by none other than Midleton's "Master Blender" Billy Leighton, who had taken time out of his own busy schedule to come along to say hello and have a quick chat with all involved, including the team from the Bullitt Hotel.

Following dinner we returned to Castlemartyr and as it was our last night we went about trying some of the more unusual whiskeys behind the bar which, in turn, led to some interesting purchases, or should I say some interesting methods of sale....those of you involved know what I mean.

After a slightly shorter nights sleep it was a true shame to have to leave The Castlemartyr Resort but there was unfinished business to attend to at the Academy.

We returned to our classroom to be thrown straight into our blending exercise, a module of the Academy that had been talked about from the moment we found out about it.

We were paired off and sent to our blending stations where we had three very different whiskeys at our disposal.  All necessary tools were provided and off we went creating the next Powers whiskey.

The whiskeys provided for blending were as follows:

12yo Pot Still matured in a 1st fill sherry cask
8yo Grain matured in a virgin oak cask
5yo Pot Still matured in a 2nd fill bourbon cask

For this exercise I was paired up with Frankie, from the Bullitt Hotel, and we set about creating two very different blends for sampling.

Naturally you got the chance to sample each component individually, but in the end we settled on a blend that was composed of 50% Grain, 30% Bourbon matured and 20% Sherry matured.

In honour of our time with Carol Quinn, in the Midleton archives, I named my blend "Round Tower", and you can expect it at a store near you very soon (I wish).

That more or less concluded our time at the Irish Whiskey Academy and as "Enthusiasts" we were presented with a certificate of the course we had completed, named "The Powers Academy", a bottle of Powers "John's Lane" and an exclusive Irish Whiskey Academy book.

There was, of course, one last treat in store for all involved as we were led the short walk from the Academy to the on site cooperage for a display from Midleton's fifth generation master cooper Ger Buckley and his apprentice Killian O'Mahony.

A display from Ger Buckley is without doubt an experience all in itself.  The skills that this man possesses take years to master, as does the knowledge needed to handle the historic tools at his disposal. 

But what was abundantly clear, from our demonstration, is that, in the hands of Killian O'Mahony, Midleton's barrels will be well looked after for years to come.

At this point we went back to the visitor centre to enjoy one last lunch, in the company of Ger and Killian, and afterwards we said our goodbyes to everyone, including our hosts Ciaran and Máire.

A quick look around the gift shop, where a few other bottles may have been purchased, and we were off on the long journey home. 

The journey home was without doubt a little more tiring than the trip down but again the conversation flowed about everything we had experienced over the previous 2 days at the Academy.

Thinking back over the whole trip what stood out for me was the aura that seems to surround Midleton distillery.

No matter where you are everyone seems to know everyone on a first name basis and you get a sense that, even though the whiskey is being produced on a large scale, this is still very much run like a family business.

This ties in perfectly with everything that was spoken about during our time with Carol Quinn and how Powers whiskey invested heavily in it's people which in turn created a sense of true pride towards the whiskey they were producing.

This, in my opinion, is exactly what makes the whiskey coming out of Midleton, and more specifically Powers, the quality that it is.  Each and every person, involved in the whiskey making process, has that pride in the job they do.

Thinking about this makes me feel very reassured to know that, as we see Irish whiskey growing at the rapid rate it is, Midleton distillery is there to serve as a guide, to other distilleries, on how to achieve everything they hope for.

Thinking now, more specifically, about Powers whiskey and I can honestly say that I have a far greater understanding of what makes this brand so great. 

It's history is almost unparalleled and we are now starting to see Midleton harness that rich history and turn it into a range of quality whiskeys that will soon have many people realising that this is a brand of whiskey that can sit amongst any in the world.

Lastly I would just like to touch upon what I feel this whole experience meant to Frankie, Alex and Conor from the Bullitt Hotel in Belfast.

I've no doubt that before this trip they were all well versed in most spirits, including whiskey, but as a result of this trip I also have no doubt that they now understand everything it takes to make great Irish whiskey.

They can now appreciate the time and effort it takes to bring everything together to make that bottle of Powers whiskey that they serve to customers.

They can now appreciate the delicate flavours that exist in each different bottle of Powers and how they could possibly develop those flavours into creating maybe a new delicious cocktail or just simply now having the knowledge to advise a customer that has maybe never tried a Powers whiskey before.

But, maybe most important of all, they can now also appreciate the history and pride that exists throughout the entire Powers range and this can, in turn, allow them to pass this knowledge on and, furthermore, allow the great story of Powers Irish Whiskey to be passed on for many more years to come.

Until next time,

Sláinte

SI

 

Midleton - Very Rare 2016 - Review

Time flies when you're having fun!!  It seems like only yesterday that I was sitting myself down to enjoy a sample of the Midleton Very Rare 2014, the first to be bottled under the watchful eye of Master Distiller Brian Nation.

Fast forward to the present day and we now have Brian's third release of the iconic Midleton Very Rare.

First launched in 1984 the Midleton Very Rare is a yearly release of 50 exceptional casks that have been handpicked by the Master Distiller and blended together to showcase all that the distillery has to offer.

Since taking over the role of Master Distiller I know that Brian Nation has already overseen many other new releases, across the whole Midleton portfolio, but with the Midleton Very Rare, being so revered the world over, it will be interesting to see if he is starting to make his mark on this famous whiskey.

Onto my notes:

Nose - Upon first pour I immediately pick up some vibrant orchard fruits with fresh green apple to the fore.  Once this settles down there's a gorgeous mix of pot still spices and cream.  The spice is prickly with a touch of ginger and pepper.  The creamy vanilla is deliciously smooth and binds the nose together.  The orchard fruits become slightly more stewed and combine with the grains to give a sense of apple crumble.  As it develops I now get some of the tropical notes I've noted in previous Very Rare releases with light banana / foam banana sweets.  A very classic Midleton nose.

Palate - Clean and crisp with green apples continuing from the nose.  Spicy pot still character also comes through and combines with the grain to play around the mouth.  Cask influence adds an extra dry spice whilst enhancing the vanilla notes.  Throughout the whiskey there is a underlying toffee sweetness but this is kept in check by the grain spirit which seems to be a major player in this whiskey.  With time a little stewed orange comes through and the experience becomes a lot richer.

Finish - Dry, spicy and very fruity.

Overall this is another excellent addition to the Very Rare range.  Thinking back to my previous experiences this 2016 release doesn't seem to have just as much citrus, as what I may have experienced before, but this seems to have been replaced with an fresh orchard element.

Whilst the sweetness is still easily found within this whiskey it feels like it has taken more of a back seat to allow the natural spirit to shine through.  This is applicable for both the pot still and grain elements with both combining well to hold the whiskey together.

For me this is the quintessential Irish whiskey showcasing the perfect blend of spirits to achieve something that is much more than the sum of it's parts.  I certainly get the sense that Brian Nation is making his mark on this whiskey and it's a taste journey that will develop brilliantly over the years.

Until next time,

Sláinte

SI

Dunville's - Three Crowns - Review

"Until recently the only place you could find a bottle of Three Crowns was at auction.  Now, we’re reviving this great whiskey to bring its flavour to a new generation."

Bold words indeed, but these are the words that greet you on the Echlinville webpage dedicated to the upcoming re-launch of this once revered Dunville's brand.

Since 2013, when they received the first Northern Irish distillers licence in around 125 years, Echlinville Distillery has been going from strength to strength with their new distillery / visitors centre and the introduction of some fine whiskey and gin to local market.

This has been further backed up with their PX finished 10 year old single malt being awarded "Best Irish Single Malt (12 years and under)" at the recent Irish Whiskey Awards.

Exciting times certainly lie ahead and we won't have to wait too long to enjoy what they have to offer with the upcoming launch of Dunville's "Three Crowns".

As Shane Braniff, founder of Echlinville Distillery, proudly states on their website - "It is one of the founding goals of our new distillery to bring Dunville's whiskey back to the world."

The original "Three Crowns" was introduced way back in 1830's and lasted around 100 years before being discontinued.  Many bottles are still in circulation and the original style of the whiskey was similar to Dunville's "VR" with the "Three Crowns" using more sherry casks for the maturation.

Fast forward to the present day and what "Three Crowns" delivers this time around is a fine blend of malt and grain whiskeys. 

Echlinville are very kind in letting us in on some of the detail by stating that the whiskey is made up with 4 year old grain, 10 year old malt and 15 year old malt finished in Oloroso casks. 

The whiskey has then been bottled at 46% ABV, which I'm sure you will agree is a pleasant surprise for a blended whiskey.

Thinking about the original style of "Three Crowns", I've no doubt that the use of the Oloroso finished malt, in this modern interpretation, is possibly a small nod to the whiskey that came before.

I for one have been waiting a while for this whiskey, ever since I first knew about it's impending release, as I know the people at Echlinville are extremely passionate about what they produce and I am hopeful that this blend delivers as expected.  Let's see.

Onto my notes:

Nose - Initially sweet with malt but this quickly gives way to fresh, crisp, grain spirit.  Crisp green orchard fruits, lemon biscuit and light toffee.  The sherry element is light but evident, with a little dark fruit gently wrapped around the fresher notes.  A slight hint of old oak comes through and this brings a certain richness to the nose.  You get the sense that the higher strength has benefitted this whiskey.  A little stewed orange and light pepper, which feels like it has arrived courtesy of the casks.  This displays a great balance and you nearly forget it's a blend you are nosing.  All the while the spirit retains a nice intensity and with time the sherry has little more of a say with a dash of dried fruit.

Palate - Initially sweet with malt barley, and you get a little more of the older oak, before the crisp grains and gentle spice take over.  Light citrus orange, lemon and green apples.  Pepper and clove are the main protagonists when it comes to the spice and these are backed up with a hint of dry wood spice.  The sherry element is harder to find, than on the nose, but appears towards the end in the merest of forms.  The palate is all about the younger grain spirit, which is vibrant and challenging, in a good way.  You need to take your time with this whiskey.  Don't go rushing in to it as you would with a basic supermarket blend, allow it time to open and use a little water which will allow more of the sweeter malt to shine through.

Finish - Medium to short with green apple, sour green apple and a decent dry sweetness.

Overall I have to say I'm really impressed with this blend.  The nose starts off all malt before moving into the lighter spirit notes of fresh fruit.  The addition of the older, Oloroso finished, malt is a smart move as it brings enough richness to balance the whiskey out while maybe rounding off some of the slightly rougher notes, that may have been found prior to it's addition, but hey that's one of the reasons behind blending.

In my opinion the nose is, without doubt, superior to the palate but don't let that worry you, the palate holds up perfectly in it's own right.

What this presents is a whiskey that delivers a little more than you would expect from the majority of other blends.  This isn't a whiskey to quaff at your leisure, but one that demands a little  more time and attention.  The higher strength is definitely a major player behind this, and I for one I'm happy it's at 46% as 40% might have flattened this whiskey.

What we have here is another fine example that Echlinville have arrived onto the local whiskey scene meaning serious business.  They are determined to make their mark by producing whiskeys that pack serious flavour and I for one think they are getting it spot on.

I can't wait to see how things move along when their own spirit is ready for release, I think it could be something very special indeed.

Until next time,

Slainte.

SI

Glenleven Malt Whisky - 12 year old - Review

As we move into the festive season many people are, as always, on the lookout for something a little different to buy for the whisky drinkers they know and, whilst any fan of whisky should be happy with almost anything they receive, it is always nice to see people taking the extra time to find something that's maybe not always available on the supermarket shelves.

One excellent way to achieve this, without breaking the bank, is to keep an eye on the various online whisky auctions.  These auctions do have many collectable items,  at eye watering prices, but they also have many unusual, and older bottles, that won't hurt the wallet and will give said whisky drinker something truly out of the ordinary.

This is what leads me on to this review.  Last year, around this time, I made my first purchases from an auction site.  I managed to pick up this bottle of Glenleven and a bottle of Dimple, another older blend.  The final bidding price for each was £12.50 and with postage I was able to get these two, now unseen bottles, for about £20 each.  For me this is an awesome price to pay for something that can't be found anymore.

A question would always be if what you are buying is in anyway decent, and with a little online research you may be able to get some information, but I find that the adventure of opening up a bottle of an unknown, older whisky is reward in itself and, in fairness, most older bottles I've tried have different great qualities to them.

Moving onto this bottle of Glenleven, it is a 12 year old blended malt whisky, or pure malt, or vatted malt, or whatever way you choose to describe it.  Essentially what this means is that it is a blend of various single malt whiskies and in this case it is specifically a blend of 6 different malt whiskies.  While it is unknown exactly what malts are involved I have received information that two of the malts may be Glenkinchie and Glenlossie.

It was bottled back in and around the 1980s, at a slightly larger amount of 750mls and at a strength of 43% ABV.  The last info, as seen in the picture, is that it came from John Haig & Co. Ltd.

I don't care what anyone else says, for me, a 1980s bottle of whisky, containing only single malts, at 750mls and at 43% ABV for £12.50 (plus postage) is a bargain.

Onto my notes:

Nose - Old,  rich and indulgent.  Starts off with old wood, dusty wood, wood sap and pine.  Maybe a hint, just a hint, of wood smoke, probably from the casks.  Stewed apples, stewed oranges and a nice spirit undertone.  A little citrus and a little PX sherry with dark dried raisins.  All in all this is velvety and very inviting.  With a little water a lovely Jamaican ginger cake note arrives with more wood sap.

Palate - Old and smoky arrival.  Again this is definitely wood smoke and not earthy peat.  A little heat from the spirit and at this point it feels like a little water would help.  With water we get the apples and oranges but this time they feel a lot fresher.  Water also brings out a lot more of the dusty notes and with time we go back to the stewed, sherry notes.

Finish - Perfectly fine with a great mix of fruit juice.

Overall this is a fantastic experience.  The flavours involved here are simply not that easy to find in today's bottles.  The old dusty notes and wood notes, in my opinion, are indicative of the style of whisky being made back in the 1980s and also may give some insight into the way it may have been stored.

I've no doubt that back then, the whisky was produced differently, casks were a little older in their lifespan, storage conditions may have been a little rougher, damper and generally not as clinically clean as some modern day storage facilities and this, for me, has led to some completely different flavour profiles.

I've noticed this in this bottle, older Dimples and Old Parr whiskies.

It is these differences that make this a special experience.  Yes we could all go out and keep buying standard bottles of blends and malts but every once in a while it should be an aim to find something different and, the bottom line is, we don't need to spend hundreds of pounds to achieve this.

Happy hunting.

Until next time,

Sláinte

SI

Whisky Magazine's "Battle of the Blends" - Review

Back in the December '14 / January '15 issue of Whisky Magazine "the battle of the century" was about to commence as we were advised of an upcoming, 8 round, "Heavyweight Championship Bout". 

No, Whisky Magazine had not suddenly decided that a little coverage of pugilism was required to beef up their publication, but rather this was the beginning of a serious battle of two heavyweights of the whisky world.

Dave "The Rummager" Broom and Neil "Copper Dog" Ridley were being brought together to put their considerable whisky knowledge to the test and to battle each other in attempting to create the perfect blend.

Starting off with identical 20 litre, first fill, American oak casks, which would be toasted and seasoned with a high strength neutral spirit, the contestants would kick things off by seasoning the casks with whatever liquid they so desired before commencing their blend.

A few ground rules were also set out:

1 - The first fill of each cask would be 1 litre of Clynelish, from the Highland region.

2 - All regions of Scotland had to be incorporated and there was no order as to their use.

3 - Each bottle used in the blend had to be commercially available in the UK and cost under £50, apart from a wildcard bottle.

4 - At least one grain whisky was to be used with no restriction on it's origin.

5 - One wildcard was to be used.  This could be a whisky from anywhere in the world but, again, had to be commercially available in the UK and cost no more than £150.

6 - The blend was to be under 50% ABV when finally bottled.

7 - A minimum of 15 litres of blend had to be prepared.

8 - There was no restriction as to the amount of each whisky category that could be used.

9 - The blend was to be completed by 1st September 2015.

As the contest got underway the first task, as mentioned earlier, was for the contestants to season their 20 litre casks.  Dave Broom opted for a rum seasoning whilst Neil Ridley went for a homemade blend of sherries consisting of Oloroso, Manzanilla, PX and Palo Cortado.

Over the course of the next 8 / 9 months the readers followed along as Dave and Neil battled with the components of their respective blends.  There were highs and lows as each blend ebbed and flowed with balance and flavour.

In the end the blends finally came together and what had been created were two blends packed full of diverse whiskies that were sure to challenge each other and fight for dominance in any drinkers glass.

Dave's blend included whiskies from Clynelish, Teaninich, Girvan, Cameronbridge, Greenore (Cooley), Caol Ila, Aultmore, Springbank, Kilkerran (Glengyle), Ardmore and Glenkinchie.

Neil, however, went for whiskies from Clynelish, Aberlour, Dailuaine, Nikka (Miyagikyo), Auchentoshan, Glenkinchie, Highland Park, Arran, Bowmore, Overeem, Hazelburn (Springbank) and Springbank itself.

With both blends completed a winner had to be found and what better way to decide on one than by getting the readers of Whisky Magazine to sample each blend and submit a vote for their favourite.

Not knowing how many samples would be available I stuck my name in to volunteer and luckily enough I was one of the many selected.

The samples arrived, courtesy of "Drinks by the Dram", and I set aside a night to really give these the serious tasting they deserved.

I'd like to point out that at the time of tasting, those of us, who had volunteered to sample the blends, had nothing but a "Blend A" and a "Blend B" in front of them.  The tasting was therefore "blind" and truly fair.

However, at the time of writing, the results have now since been published and I have also shown which contestant blended which sample.

Onto my notes:

Blend A - 42.1% ABV - Now known to have been blended by Neil Ridley

This was marginally the darker of the two blends.

Nose - Green apple leading to waxy smoke.  Becomes more sherried with some dried fruit and hints of tropical, over-ripe, pineapple.  Pine wood / pine sap which then softens out with oak vanilla, orange marmalade and a little dustiness which hides just underneath.  A little note of BBQ wood chips comes through and with time a mellow sense of oak effect appears.

Palate - Sour arrival but quite smooth.  On second tasting there's a little more of a kick from the spirit with sweet malt, lemon drops, black pepper, vanilla and more wood sap.  Juicy with apples and still get a sense of the dusty wood.  In terms of smoke, there's just a little lurking in the background.

Finish - Quite good, a little bit of length with nice, dry wood spice.  Stewed oranges and apple crumble.  Quite lip smacking.

Blend B - 43.5% ABV - Now known to have been blended by Dave Broom

Nose - Candied fruits leading to light smoked bacon.  Smoke continues with dried wood smoke.  Quite spirity and a little bit hard to get into.  Does begin to open up with a little orange and lemon.  A little dried fruit and cinnamon.  After a little longer a coastal note comes through with mineral peat.  The longer this spent in the glass the more the peat came to the fore but all the time the nose retained it's spirit feel with a little added vibrancy from more lemon.

Palate - Youthful with orchard fruits and a little chilli heat.  More orange but to be honest a little one dimensional.  As with the nose the peat eventually comes along and is a nice change of direction.  Combines with the zesty lemon to give a salty lemon note, think aftertaste of a tequila shot minus the overpowering nature of the tequila spirit.

Finish - Just ok and, in fairness, maybe a little too confused.  Still not coming together and possibly the peat has cancelled the other elements out without being enough on it's own.

Overall this was every bit the "ding-dong" contest you would come to expect from an actual heavyweight boxing bout.

Blend A started off much the better with it's openness, and accessibility, being the highlight while it's counterpart remained very much closed up and difficult to get into.  This despite Blend B showing off some nice notes of peat.

Moving onto the taste, Blend A carried through it's flavours from the nose nicely whereas Blend B, initially, went along a one dimensional route and, as I waited for each to develop in the glass, Blend A brought along mellow notes of sherry and wood sap whilst Blend B refused to budge.

It was towards the end that Blend B began it's fight back.  As Blend A showed overall balance, and tailed off with some nice dusty wood, Blend B went a totally different direction offering up delicious peat which was mineral, coastal and earthy in nature.

With the finish, Blend A remained balanced, and well rounded to the end, but it has to be said it carried this off with little excitement throughout. 

Blend B's last minute injection of peat was a nice surprise but was also to be it's ultimate downfall, as this led it's finish to feel somewhat confused.

With these final thoughts it was clear which blend had come out on top - Blend A.

Looking back now, I am drawn to the amount of grain used by Dave Broom combined with his choice of rum seasoning for his cask.  In my humble opinion this appears to be where the problem of Blend B began.  The use of 3 different grains possibly caused a lack of depth and allowed the Caol Ila element to dominate too easily.  The use of rum also seems to have been an issue as Neil Ridley's choice of sherry was noticeable throughout his blend and seemed to bind it together with depth of flavour.

Whether I am even remotely close with this evaluation, or not, is somewhat irrelevant, as either way this has been a great experience which has taught me a thing or two about blends and how different flavours can work together, and also how they can not.

I have to take my last moments to congratulate Whisky Magazine on a quality feature.  To have a running article that allows readers to follow along and ultimately take part in the finish is outstanding.  It has been an absolute joy to be part of this experience and am already looking forward to next years contest.

If Neil Ridley is to come back, to defend his crown, then he will bring with him a far greater insight into what is required to make a blend work and I can only see the quality of the blends becoming better and better.

Similarly, Whisky Magazine will also be able to see what rules worked and what other rules they could maybe add in the future to allow for a greater test of blending skill.

Until next time,

Sláinte

SI

Cutty Sark - 33 year old "Art Deco" - Review

Hello there.  Things have been a little quiet on the "Whisky Belfast" front recently as I've been off enjoying a road trip around the west coast of Ireland, but now that I'm back in Belfast you can expect things  to move along quite nicely indeed.

To kick things off I've decided to post a quick fire review of a sample I've been meaning to taste for a while.

Back in November of last year collectors of old and fine whiskies were given a treat when Cutty Sark, the iconic blended whisky with the yellow label, released a 33 year old expression.

Named "Art Deco" this limited edition release came about as Cutty Sark continue to explore the rich history, heritage and origin of their brand.  This release specifically focused on the exciting Art Deco period of the 1920s and early 1930s.  Celebrating a time when Cutty Sark found its way into America and "flourished within the emerging cocktail culture and changed the face of Scotch whisky forever".

The release was limited to 3,456 bottles, was bottled at 41.7 ABV and came with a RRP of £650.

Onto my notes:

Nose - Rich orange, wood sap, a little old damp dustiness and it's worth noting the thick consistency in the glass.  Red apple and a little lemon but this stays firmly on the rich side of things.  A naturally indulgent nose.  Hardly any spices, just orchard fruits and blackberries.  There's a touch of soapiness in here, which might be mineral in nature, and at this age I'm not even going to bother adding any water.  Incredibly smooth with no hot notes of alcohol.  "Dairy Milk" fruit & nut chocolate and we continue with apples in the guise of warm apple crumble.  A slight melted butter note comes towards the end and with more time this only gets dustier and dustier in the glass.  Awesome nose!!

Palate - Quite spirit heavy which wasn't apparent on the nose.  This arrives with the dusty notes from the nose.  Old wood is obvious and gives away to the apples - cooked, ripe, stewed, every sort.  Seville orange marmalade and now a little mixed spice balanced with wood spice.  A little more wood sap, lemon drops and after a while this turns to pure fruit juice in the mouth.  The blackberry on the nose is more of a raspberry on the palate.

Finish - Short with some wood spice and red apple.

Overall this is a bit of a mixed bag.  Really enjoyable on the nose, good on the palate and disappointing on the finish.  I love the older style aromas that old whiskies offer up but I'm beginning to find the short finish a common theme amongst the older blends.  Dare I say it that, with blended whisky, it's possible for them to become too old???  Maybe they can but they will still be released while people are prepared to pay for "premium" product.  I've yet to find a blended whisky that I'd pay anywhere near £100 for let alone £650.

Until next time,

Sláinte

SI

 

PS - Thanks to Jamie for the sample.

Bushmills - Tweet Tasting - Review

Recently I took part in another fantastic Tweet Tasting, hosted by Steve Rush of "TheWhiskyWire.com", in which all involved were presented with 5 samples from the "Oldest Distillery In The World" - Bushmills.

The samples on show were the Original, Black Bush, 10yo, 12yo Distillery Reserve and the 16yo.

Bushmills is a distillery that I have had much experience of, both through it's official bottlings, and bottlings through other labels, and to be perfectly honest there's been some mixed results.

I often find that while the flavours of the spirit are light and delicately delicious, the way in which the official bottlings are presented does not do much to bring the flavours across in all their glory.

Most official bottlings are bottled at 40% ABV, and undoubtedly with the use of chill filtration and E150a, yet a lot of the other bottlings are of a higher strength and presented in their natural form. 

These other bottlings I am referring to include those offered by The Palace Bar, Teeling, Knappogue Castle and The Celtic Whiskey Shop.  All of which have either been confirmed as Bushmills or are very probably Bushmills due to other information to hand.

All that said, it wouldn't take very much for Bushmills to hit the stratosphere with a little bit of tweeking in their production line and hopefully, now that Diageo have buggered off, they can get on with what they do best and produce great whiskey.

Until that time though there will obviously be a transition and we will have to be patient as the new owners find their feet in the Irish whiskey industry.

While we're waiting, we still have a good range of official bottles to try and I had been looking forward to this tasting as, whilst I have tried all the whiskeys before, I had never tried them all side by side.

Onto my notes:

Bushmills - Original

Nose - Fresh green apple, light and clean with a little malted sweetness and light grains making their presence felt.  "Rice Krispies" breakfast cereal and a little unripe banana.  Some light perfume / floral notes appear along with a definite sweet caramel and vanilla from the oak.  In time some citrus comes through but it's all very gentle and laid back.  If you weren't trying you'd almost definitely miss a few of these flavours and I guess that might be the point as this makes it an easy starting point for newcomers with no difficult flavours to contend with.

Palate - Light and sweet with more emphasis on orange citrus and now some heat in the form of black pepper and chilli flakes.  A little water eases the heat brilliantly and allows some dry oak spice and lemon drops to come through.

Finish - Short, clean and slightly drying.

Bushmills - Black Bush

Nose - More tropical, from the influence of sherry casks.  Ripe banana, deeper orange, slight menthol,  grapefruit and a sweeter, stickier malt.  Brown sugar syrup, a little milk chocolate which isn't unlike "Terry's Chocolate Orange".  As the nose opens up you definitely start to get the darker sherry notes.  Mixed spice, dried fruits, dried fruit mix that includes dried orange and lemon peel.  Christmas cake for sure and maybe some "Jamaica Ginger Cake".  Right at the end I got a distinct note of crushed walnut.  Excellent nose for a humble blend.

Palate - Sweet and sour arrival that moves over for lovely sherried flavours.  Rich mixed spice, deep, intensely rich, orange.  A little chilli shows itself again but this is much more balanced than the Original.  Menthol is still present on the palate and you get a sense that the malt whiskey used in Black Bush is of a very high standard indeed.

Finish - Not too bad at all with a lovely dryness from the oak and a concentrated red apple flavour that borders on sour red apple sweets.

Bushmills - 10yo

Nose - Still some tropical banana and light pineapple but this is a great deal more "green" in it's delivery with apples and pears also on show.  Some honey sweetness appears but at the same time you get a savoury feel to the whiskey, if that makes any sense??  The oak effect is here but the spirit dominates in a good way.  Lemon biscuits with vanilla cream.  Very fresh and summery.

Palate - Sweet red apples, good hefty kick of peppery spice and cooked oranges.  Menthol with oak spice.  With a little water a slight herbal note appears, this is a note I rarely find but could easily pick up in this whiskey, which to me underlines it's "green" qualities.  Some malted biscuits towards the end.  Again, this is all very clean and inoffensive.

Finish - Ok with apples and a little spice.

Bushmills 12yo Distillery Reserve

Nose - Honey, toffee apples, orange barley sweets (you can see the distillery spirit character flavours each time here) and banana ice cream.  Just a little dusty wood lurks in the background and then the dried fruits start to appear.  More cooked orange, red apple, cinnamon and creamy butter notes show through.  As this sits in the glass more of the dusty continues to evolve with leather and old books.

Palate - Salted caramel, light spice and hints of blackcurrants and raspberries.  More duty old sherry wood appears here with, again, cooked orange and maybe just some more chocolate.

Finish - Again, ok with warm spices and red apples.

Bushmills - 16yo

Nose - Deep, rich, buttery banana, raspberry coulis, blackcurrants, in fact most berries seem to be in here.  Blood orange marmalade, brown sugar and this actually retains it's freshness quite well before moving anywhere near anything resembling old dustiness.  The Port cask influence keeps this rich with red fruits and this is definitely not as musty as the 12yo.  Spice is soft and easy going.  This is how marriage of maturation should be done.

Palate - Intense rich berries, undiluted "Ribena", raspberry coulis and apple + blackberry crumble.  Dark chocolate orange, stewed orange and mixed spice.  Christmas cake, cherry bakewell tarts.  Indulgent and beautifully presented, lord only knows how good this would be at 46% and un-chill filtered....I'd say it would be one of the best whiskies in the world.  Huge statement I know but it really is that good.

Finish - So moreish with red fruit goodness.

Overall it was so enjoyable to work my way through the Bushmills range from, more or less, start to finish. 

The winner was undoubtedly the 16yo by a fair distance ahead of the 10yo which only just pipped the 12yo.  Then out of the blends the Black Bush easily won over the Original.

If I'm being honest though the 16yo is really the only one of these I would recommend with any great conviction.  The rest of the range is obviously well made, and carries some lovely character flavours, but in my opinion Bushmills need to do more.

Their spirit is so delicate that I feel it needs either to be bottled at a higher ABV or matured in more extravagant casks to elevate it to a higher level.  The 10yo and 12yo just don't have enough oomph behind them to really make them "stand out" whiskeys.

The 16yo gets through because of the extra influence of Port casks and I have previously enjoyed their 21yo, which also gets by due to the extra influence of Madeira casks.

When you see what Teeling (Rum amongst others), Celtic Whiskey Shop (Anima Negra Wine) and Knappogue (Marsala) are maturing their stocks of Bushmills, and then look at how well these come across at a higher strength along with the Place Bar's bottling "Fourth Estate", it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see the direction Bushmills should be going.

For sure this may rock the boat with the long term, die hard fans but I honestly believe that something has to change if Bushmills are to maintain, and grow, their standing amongst Irish whiskey; and let's be honest it's only going to get tougher with the amount of new distilleries that are quickly catching up.

I'll finish with this though, and I've said it before, this is a very exciting time for Irish whiskey and long may it continue.

As always, a massive thank you to Steve at "TheWhiskyWire.com" for hosting the tasting and to Bushmills for the samples.
Until next time,

Sláinte

SI




N.B. Apologies for the different shaped images but they were the best I could find.