This week, some Irish whiskeys to consider for the Christmas season. Teeling Whiskey has two new releases, one aged in Rioja casks, giving it a unique fruitiness. Teeling has also launched the fourth edition of Rising Reserve, a 21-year-old Single Malt finished in white wine casks. It’s available in good off-licences and on teelingwhiskey.com for €225.
Tipperary Boutique Distillery produces small quantities of very good whiskeys made using barley grown on its farm and water from its spring. Jennifer Nickerson is the managing director and her husband Liam Ahearn looks after the farm. The whiskey is distilled under the supervision of Jennifer’s father, the hugely experienced master distiller Stuart Nickerson.
Only 100 years after it was first advertised in The Irish Times, Green Spot whiskey makes a return as a 10-year-old single pot still whiskey. In recent years, the statement of age was dropped. Traditionally, Mitchell & Son aged casks of whiskey daubing each with a different colour of paint; red, yellow, green and blue depending on their quality. Those with a green spot were used to make the 10-year-old.
If you are feeling flush, this Christmas also sees the launch of the Yellow Spot 18-Year-Old Single Cask Single Pot Still Whiskey. One cask fills approximately 500 bottles so that is all that is available – at €499 per bottle.
Kyteler’s Inn in Kilkenny is one of the oldest pubs in Ireland. This Halloween, it launched its own whiskey. Originally from Great Northern Distillery and further matured and blended by O’Connell Whiskey Merchants in Waterford, it is a blend of Single Pot Still and Single Malt aged in Bourbon casks.
Earlier this year, Sazerac released Garavogue, 20-year-old Single Malt, aged in a mix of Bourbon, rum, Sauternes, Muscat and PX Sherry casks. It is a rich, complex whiskey with warm ripe fresh fruits and a sweet woodiness. It is available for €199 from specialist off-licences.
Lastly, Foxes Bow Whiskey in a Pouch is the brainchild of the business’s co-founder, Tony Foote. It is a colourful pouch filled with three servings of the brand’s award-winning Irish whiskey. You can pick it up for €6.99 from some Aldis, Carry Out and some O’Briens outlets.
Teeling Sommelier Selection Whiskey, Rioja Wine Cask
46%, €55
This has lovely red fruits – cherries and strawberries with hints of sweet honey and vanilla spice finishing dry.
O’Brien’s and teelingwhiskey.com
Kyteler’s Irish Whiskey
40%, €60
Smooth with sweet exotic fruits, vanilla and spice with a creamy texture.
Kyteller’s and thewinecentre.com
Tipperary Watershed Single Malt Irish Whiskey
47%, €50-65
Rich vanilla alongside sweet red fruits, some peppery spice and a lovely long smooth finish.
tipperarydistillery.ie; Celtic Whiskey, Dublin 2; 21 Off-licence, Cashel, Co Tipperary
Green Spot Anniversary 10-year-old Single Pot Still Whiskey
46%, €85
Concentrated apples, pears and dried Christmas fruits with a lick of vanilla and butterscotch. A very seductive, powerful whiskey.
Mitchell & Son, Glasthule, Co Dublin and Hatch Street, Dublin 2; Celtic Whiskey; Leonards, Trim, Co Meath; Redmond’s, Dublin 6
