An interesting transatlantic vatting...

[CrispyCritter]

My bottle of Buffalo Trace only had half of my usual pour left. So, I decided to experiment a bit. I briefly considered adding some Laphroaig, but thought that peat might not work well with bourbon, except maybe in eyedropper quantities. So, I decided to go with some Aberlour A'Bunadh Batch #7 instead, and made a 50-50 mix of the two.



This is a very good combination. The Aberlour's intense sherry complements the BT's bourbon sweetness very nicely - neither drowns out the other, and the BT's rye floats in the background.

[Gillman]

Irish pot still whiskey before the mid-1970's was made with a small amount of rye in the mash (and/or oats). Also, much Irish pot still was and still is aged in sherry wood. What you have made may well taste fairly close to a classic Irish Pot Still - one made before the mash was simplified to barley (malted and non-) only. The corn in the bourbon is new world but its flavor is relatively mild as against all that barley, sherry and the rye.

I'll try this myself, I have some Linkwood 12 year old which is sherry cask.

Irish pot still has not (for 100 years anyway) used peated malt so good call to avoid the Laphroig, plus I don't think heavy peat would suit the vatting, as you said.

Gary

[Bamber]

I've done the same with Stagg and abunadh. Worked really well too. My reasoning was very similar to yours

[AVB]

I have to disagree. Peated Irish is not the common way of doing Irish but it is still around. Cadenhead, Clonmel, Cooley, Inishowen and Magilligan all put out peated Irish. Limerick Suir did too before it was discontinued.

Irish pot still has not (for 100 years anyway) used peated malt so good call to avoid the Laphroig, plus I don't think heavy peat would suit the vatting, as you said.

Gary

[Gillman]

There is a difference between peated Irish and peated Irish pot still. The whiskeys you mentioned are all (as far as I know) Cooley-derived and are not true Irish pot still, they are single malt whiskies or blends. True Irish pot still uses a measure of unmalted grains. Cooley's does not, its non-grain whiskey is all-barley malt, in the Scots fashion or (a closer analogy) the Ulster Black Bush.

Gary

[AVB]

OK, that I can agree with. I thought you were painting a broad stroke before.

There is a difference between peated Irish and peated Irish pot still. The whiskeys you mentioned are all (as far as I know) Cooley-derived and are not true Irish pot still, they are single malt whiskies or blends. True Irish pot still uses a measure of unmalted grains. Cooley's does not, its non-grain whiskey is all-barley malt, in the Scots fashion or (a closer analogy) the Ulster Black Bush.

Gary