Whisky Magazine 3

Irish whiskey Wood ageing How malt gets its character

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Editor's Word From the Editor

By Charles MacLean

Musings with Michael Jackson That's enough smooth talk inspired in the two Gravediggers, Michael Jackson seeks a provocative pint and a combative ball of malt

By Michael Jackson

Column Out with the rubbish It is time for Irish whiskey to abolish the blamey and stand on its own three feet, says Jim Murray

By Jim Murray

People The corporate raider of Cooley Charles Maclean meets the chairman of Ireland's newest distillery, Cooley, and finds that his story can only be told in...

By Charles MacLean

Column A sane man in a mad world Irish whiskey is an aesthetic discipline, says Kevin Pilley so get a grip

By Kevin Pilley

Bars Plotting at the palace (Palace Bar) Michael Collins laid plans at the Palace Bar in Dublin, and Mary Robinson launched her bid for the presidency in...

By Michael Collins

Whisky & Culture Firing up Like a fine malt, a good cigar will sooth the savage breast, says James Leavey.

By James Leavey

Production The bonny, bonny blend of Loch Lomond Neil Wilson visits Loch Lomond Distillery, where four pot stills and a continuous still add up to seven single malts...

By Neil Wilson

Places The changing face of Jameson's Tim Atkin follows Jameson's from Dublin to the palm trees of County Cork and finds a whiskey that lightened up...

By Tim Atkin

History National debt Without Ireland, there would be no whisky in Scotland. Giles Macdonagh traces Scotch back to its Irish roots.

By Giles Macdonagh

Food Skye in the pie Whisky is not just whisky, says Claire Macdonald, proprietor of Kinloch Lodge on Skye. What's great with smoked fish might...

By Clare Mcdonald

Production Coming of age Whiskies, like people, mature at different rates. Andrew Jefford (himself in his prime) wonders why

By Andrew Jefford

Places A matter of duty Eighty-five bottles of Scotch are sold every minute in duty-free shops around the world. Martin Moodie looks at where the...

By Martin Moodie

Production The elements of style part 1 Part one: the raw materials What determines the character of a malt whisky? In the first of a three-part series...

By Alan Rutherford

Tastings Sensorary evaluation Charles Maclean continues his course by reinventing the wheel.

By Charles MacLean

Column Glenweevil an everyday story of distilling folk 3 The story so far at our fictional distillery: the theft of a lorryload of Glenweevil was closely followed by the...

By Andrew Mcvie

Tim AtkinThe changing face of Jameson'sTim Atkin follows Jameson's from Dublin to the palm trees of County Cork and finds...

Michael CollinsPlotting at the palace (Palace Bar)Michael Collins laid plans at the Palace Bar in Dublin, and Mary Robinson launched her...

Michael JacksonThat's enough smooth talkinspired in the two Gravediggers, Michael Jackson seeks a provocative pint and a combative ball...

Andrew JeffordComing of ageWhiskies, like people, mature at different rates. Andrew Jefford (himself in his prime) wonders why

James LeaveyFiring upLike a fine malt, a good cigar will sooth the savage breast, says James Leavey.

Giles MacdonaghNational debtWithout Ireland, there would be no whisky in Scotland. Giles Macdonagh traces Scotch back to...

Charles MacLeanThe corporate raider of CooleyCharles Maclean meets the chairman of Ireland's newest distillery, Cooley, and finds that his story...

Clare McdonaldSkye in the pieWhisky is not just whisky, says Claire Macdonald, proprietor of Kinloch Lodge on Skye. What's...

Andrew McvieGlenweevil an everyday story of distilling folk 3The story so far at our fictional distillery: the theft of a lorryload of Glenweevil...

Martin MoodieA matter of dutyEighty-five bottles of Scotch are sold every minute in duty-free shops around the world. Martin...

Jim MurrayOut with the rubbishIt is time for Irish whiskey to abolish the blamey and stand on its own...

Kevin PilleyA sane man in a mad worldIrish whiskey is an aesthetic discipline, says Kevin Pilley so get a grip

Alan RutherfordThe elements of style part 1Part one: the raw materials What determines the character of a malt whisky? In the...

Neil WilsonThe bonny, bonny blend of Loch LomondNeil Wilson visits Loch Lomond Distillery, where four pot stills and a continuous still add...

Aberlour
a'bunadh

ABV 59.6%

Comments: A dark, luxurious, post-prandial whisky from a distillery that is producing an increasing, and impressive range.

Overall score

8.5

Banff
1966, 31 Years Old, Old Malt Cask

ABV 50%

Comments: A fabulous whisky for its age.

Overall score

7.8

Black Bush

ABV 43%

Comments: Long one of my great favourites. In composition, it is the the simplest of blends, yet it demonstrates how malt can someimes be enhanced by a leavening of grain.

Overall score

8.8

Bushmills
10 Years Old

ABV 40%

Comments: A bigger whisky than of a year or two back with the sherry making a much bigger impression. Quite fruity and full where once it was slightly powdery and over-dependent on the malt character alone.

Overall score

6.8

Coleraine

ABV 40%

Comments: A pleasant whiskey for everyday drinking.

Overall score

6.0

Connemara
Single Malt Irish whiskey

ABV 40%

Comments: The revival of rustic peatiness adds a whole new element to today's palette of Irish whiskey flavours.

Overall score

8.8

Crested Ten
Irish Whiskey, 10 Years Old

ABV 40%

Comments: A shade more sherry-intense than it used to be, so some of the finer notes have been swamped. If anything the sherry is of too fine a character. Even so, tremendous whiskey.

Overall score

7.8

Hewitts
Irish Whiskey

ABV 43%

Comments: A favourite. The sherry also has a kind of port-wood fruitiness to it, but it is the malt that is so memorable.

Overall score

7.5

Inishowen
Blended Whiskey

ABV 40%

Comments: A superb blend that is more complex than it used to be.

Overall score

7.8

Jameson
Irish Whiskey

ABV 40%

Comments: A superb Irish for everyday drinking. I love this, though not quite as much as the 1780.

Overall score

8.0

Kilbeggan
Blended Irish Whiskey

ABV 40%

Comments: A satisfying, finely balanced dram which again shows Cooley's decent grain to good effect.

Overall score

7.0

Locke's
Blended Irish Whiskey

ABV 40%

Comments: Perhaps the most improved blend in the Cooley range. A massive assertiveness throughout.

Overall score

7.5

Locke's
Single Malt

ABV 40%

Comments: Beautifully balanced with toasted dryness.

Overall score

7.8

Millars Special Reserve

ABV 40%

Comments: Perfectly pleasant but very light in flavours.

Overall score

7.0

Murphy's Blended Irish Whiskey

ABV 40%

Comments: Lacks depth: a simple but pleasant blend.

Overall score

6.5

Paddy Old Irish Whiskey

ABV 40%

Comments: A classic Irish, though less full in flavour than Jameson.

Overall score

6.3

Rare Malts Selection
1977, 20 Years Old

ABV 61.3%

Comments: A big malt, but carrying little of the magic that sets Port Ellen apart in this group. A stark reminder of what Islay has lost.

Overall score

8.3

Rare Malts Selection
1973, 25 Years Old

ABV 60.5%

Comments: A very pleasant dram which shows Cardhu in its usual ultra-genteel light. Hardly complex, but a delightful dram from first to last.

Overall score

7.5

Rare Malts Selection
1977, 21 Years Old

ABV 56.9%

Comments: A lovely coastal malt. It's a shame that its surviving brother Clynelish is more muted.

Overall score

8.8

Redbreast
Aged 12 Years

ABV 40%

Comments: Delicious, soothing, contemplative. A great whiskey. Makes me want to get on a plane to Dublin immediately.

Overall score

9.0

The Tyrconnell
Single Malt

ABV 40%

Comments: A pleasant, light-tasting malt.

Overall score

6.8

Tullamore D.E.W.
Aged 12 Years

ABV 40%

Comments: Could do better. Superior to the standard Tullamore Dew, with an engaging sweetness which works well with the fruity pot still. Not bad.

Overall score

7.0

Woodford Reserve
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV 45.2%

Comments: A bourbon of stunning complexity that really has improved in the last year or so as the depth has intensified. Easily among the best on the market in the UK.

Overall score

8.8

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Whisky Magazine 3

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