Ireland; What to try?

[Luna56]

I'll be traveling to Ireland next week for the first time. What should I try? Bring home?

I'll be very busy and will likely have little time to sightsee, but I'm sure a pub or two will work into the plans. I'll be near Dublin.

I've tried Jameson's, Bushmills and Knappogue Castle but am unfamiliar with the more esoteric whiskeys. Your recommendations are appreciated (beers, ales and stouts, too).

Cheers!

[sku]

I'd recommend two pure pot stills that aren't available in the US: Green Spot and Redbreast 15 year old.

[Avi]

I was in Ireland for a week with a buddy of mine this past February and had a great time with the pours over there. In my estimation, for the most part, the Jameson's labels stood up to all of the others that are in every pub like Bushmills, Paddys, Powers, etc. I have to agree that the Redbreast 15 is worth bringing home...the 12 is available widely in the States. Give Connemara a try...it's just about the only peated whiskey in Ireland, though not nearly as pronounced as the peated Islays. Oh, and DO take home a bottle or even two of Greenore Single Grain...I bought it blind at the airport on the way home, since I hadn't seen it in a single pub while I was in Ireland and I was in, believe me, a lot, so I had no idea what it was like. When I poured some at home I was really...really...happy. Have a great time...and get to Kinsale if you can.

[ThomasH]

Try some Jamesons Crested Ten. It isn't available in the US. Also try Coleraine blended if you find a place that has it!

Thomas

[Ultra]

Green Spot and Redbreast were going to be my suggestions but I was beaten to it.

YMMV.

[Luna56]

Looks like a lot of the posts were lost in the recent crash, but everybody seems to be recommending the same things.

Thanks for the tips, guys.

Cheers!

[brockagh]

There's a place called the Celtic Whiskey Shop in Dublin (Dawson St.) and that's where you can find the best selection.

There's a Connemara 17 single cask there that I think is brilliant. And there's also a Tyrconnell 17, similarly good.

Others you can get in Ireland that you will find it harder to get in the U.S. are Powers, Powers 12 (I know they have it in some places in the States now, though), Locke's, Green Spot and Redbreast (as mentioned)...

The Greenore is like a lovely soft bourbon. There's a 6 yr old, an 8 year old and a 15 year old.

You could also get some of the new Kilbeggan spirit. There's a sample pack with new spirit, one month old spirit and two year old spirit...

[JohnHansell]

Power's 12 year old is now entering the U.S. market, and Redbreast will be soon. Given this, focus your efforts on Green Spot or some of the harder to find, older expressions from Cooley (Tyrconnell, Connemara). Jameson Crested Ten is also a nice whiskey and not available in the U.S. It's also a great value, but I don't think in the same caliber as a Green Spot or Redbreast.

[CorvallisCracker]

Power's 12 year old is now entering the U.S. market, and Redbreast will be soon.

I assume you mean the RB 15, as the 12 has been available here for some time. It's my wife's favorite whiskey; she goes through a bottle faster than I go through any of my bourbons. On a recent trip to San Francisco, we picked up two bottles for $40 each, because the Oregon price is $52. I've been wondering if I should have bought a case.

If indeed the 15 year old shows up here, two things for sure: 1) I'll be buying some, and 2) I'll be hiding it.

[Luna56]

Just back from Ireland last night late. Very busy trip, I had no time to shop for whiskey until I got to the airport in Dublin. Even then I was pressed for time, due to a long line at security.

The whiskey selection at the duty free was extensive, though, just first rate. The gal working at the shop seemed knowledgeable enough and even had a few samples of whiskey to taste. Whiskey tasting at an airport??!! Hell yeah! I'm all over that.

I didn't get to try any Redbreast or Green Spot, but she gave me a small taste of Connemara Cask Strength (NAS) that hit me just right, so I bought one. Had I had room in the suitcase for more I'd have bought two (and some Redbreast and Green Spot).

The Connemara is an untypical Irish whiskey in my experience; very peaty, smoky and spicy. It reminds me a bit of Talisker but without the seaside flavors. Fantastic juice. I wish more cask strength Irish whiskeys were available here.

As an aside, the Irish people were warm, friendly and uncommonly funny. I had an excellent time there. And, when people tell you that you've never had a Guinness until you've been to Ireland they are correct. I like Guinness but have only a remedial interest in the stuff. In Ireland I loved it, craved it and had several every day. Revelatory stuff, that.

Thanks again for your tips, guys. Next time I'll arrive at the airport two days early, as different duty free shops have different whiskeys open for tasting. How cool is that?

Cheers!

[unclebunk]

Sounds like you had a great, albeit busy, trip. You're right about the Guinness tasting better, and the friendliness of the people can sometimes be shocking when you're used to the "keep to yourself" hustle of American city living, especially when visiting rural Ireland. When I lived in England in the nineties, I used to fly to Ireland every 4-6 weeks or so for short trips to explore different regions of the country. I once arrived in Donegal, way up north, by bus, rather later in the day than I expected. I stopped in the first pub I could find to get a pint and something to eat before heading out to look for some last minute accommodation for the night. I struck up a conversation with a guy sitting next to me at the bar, who happened to have relatives who lived near where I grew up in New York City. After many more pints and a few whiskeys he told me to forget about the hotels and B&B's--he'd just call home and have his wife cook up a "proper" dinner for us and make up the guest bed. How often does cool stuff like that happen in life?

I've been dying to try the Connemara line of products and it sounds like you got a good one. Too bad you couldn't score the Green Spot but there's always next time.:grin:

[cowdery]

Much like in the United States, all of the whiskey made in Ireland comes from a dishearteningly small number of companies and distilleries, in Ireland's case: three. Cooley, in Dublin, is independent, Bushmills is Diageo and Jameson is Pernod. Most of the brands you've heard about are made at Pernod's big distillery at Middleton. They do make both column and pot still whiskey there. In a way they're like Buffalo Trace, or Four Roses for that matter, in that they are making several different whiskeys at one distillery.

[Special Reserve]

I was thinking of getting some Redbreast 12 or 15 for March 17th, but I might get a Jameson instead.

My daughter's boyfriend was the editor for this commercial.

Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQ9glNdAaI8

Anyone have any thoughts as to what Irish Whiskey I should get?

[DeanSheen]

I cut my teeth on Jameson as a wee lad and still go to it from time to time.

I'm a RedBreast 12 guy. Great stuff, can't go wrong except you may give someone an expensive habit.

[squire]

Powers 12 yr or Jameson 1780.

[squire]

Woops, am on the phone while posting, meant to include Black Bush.

[ThomasH]

I like Tullamore Dew 12 or Jamesons 12!

Thomas

[p_elliott]

I have only had the Jameson 12, BlackBush and Redbreast 15 I liked all three.

[MarkEdwards]

Powers 12 yr or Jameson 1780.

I agree with these, plus Black Bush and Midleton Very Rare.

[ILLfarmboy]

My daughter's boyfriend was the editor for this commercial.

Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQ9glNdAaI8

I love those commercials. I like the one where he dives into the water after a barrel and is attacked by a giant octopus. He manages to always saves the whiskey.

[Luna56]

Going back to Ireland next month and may have a day to poke around the whisky shops. Can't wait.

Cheers!

[cigarnv]

Had a few friends by last evening and we tried a few of the Irish offerings. I thought the best was the 2010 Midleton Very Rare Irish Whiskey which offered an excellent concentration of flavor, a long finish and good complexity. Second in line was the Bushmills 21 which was also excellent.