11 March 2019

Whisky Insiders Interview No. 94 - Louise McGuane


Company:
JJ Corry Irish Whiskey

Job:
Founder & CEO

Website:
jjcorry.com



How long have you been working in the whisk(e)y industry?
I’ve been working in the drinks industry over 20 years, but with whiskey specifically for about 12 years.

What has been your biggest career highlight to date?
Quitting my job at Diageo and resurrecting the lost art of Irish Whiskey Bonding.

Can you remember your first dram, and indeed what it was?
Yes, the first one I vividly remember was Glenmorangie, when I was working for LVMH. We were at the Brand Home in the great hall, surrounded by African hunting trophies listening to the history of the place. An incredible moment.

What does whisk(e)y mean to you?
Whiskey is basically my entire life. As a whiskey entrepreneur running an independent start-up it can’t be any other way. It’s what I think of before I go to bed at night, it’s what I dream about when I’m asleep and it’s the first thing on my mind when I wake up. It’s a total obsession.

Where would you like to see yourself in five years’ time?
I’d like to have four or five rack house’s full of maturing whiskey on the farm, an expanded blending room with lot more cool kit and a Napa Valley Style tasting room in my local village creating high quality employment locally. I also want to have expanded our global footprint to all the key markets where Irish Whiskey in in growth.

What was your last dram?
It was a 1991 sherry cask single malt - a very rare Irish whiskey, that I shared with some new customers.

Do you have a favourite whisky and food pairing combination?
In County Clare where we are based, we have some amazing food producers. We’ve played around with smoked salmon gravlax cured with new make and it’s pretty delicious. Best served up with soda bread heaped in locally made butter and a glass of The Gael.

What’s your favourite time and place to enjoy a dram?
Late night unwinding after a long day, sitting on the couch with my husband and my dog Ruby snuggled in.

What do you think is going to be the next big thing on the whisky horizon?
Irish will continue to rise and the new Independent distilleries emerging will begin doing really interesting things outside of the Technical File. The Highball serve will break out of Japan where it’s a powerhouse and become a lot more popular elsewhere. I think English Whiskey has a bright future too.

What’s the one dram you couldn’t live without?
I have a 28 year old, sherry cask in my rack house on the farm. It’s one of the first casks we sourced, and I now consider it to be a very good friend of mine.  I honestly don’t think I am ever going to sell it, we will simply grow older together.

Many thanks to Louise McGuane. Who will be our next Whisky Insider? Click back soon to find out!

8 March 2019

Jameson Irish Whiskey Competition


What better bottle give-way could there be in the month that features St Patrick’s Day, than the biggest selling Irish whiskey, from the world’s leading Irish whiskey brand: Jameson.

Not only are we giving away four bottles of Jameson, but they also just happen to be their dramspankingly new look bottles, which feature a subtly new and evolved textured label and design.

The iconic green Jameson bottle that is known around the world today was first introduced in 1968, when bottling was brought in-house at the Bow Street Distillery, as the era of whiskey bonding came to an end.

The refreshed label is said to reinterpret key elements of the design – most notably the Jameson family crest – while still retaining the most recognisable features to create a more timeless and cohesive look.

To be in with a chance of winning a bottle of the new look Jameson Irish Whiskey click here to email us your contact details along with the phrase that dramming pays:

“I’d love to sip and serve a drop of the
vivacious and versatile Irish dramming ditty, that is the joyous and jubilant Jameson!”

*Remember to mark the subject line of your email with: Jameson Comp

If you’re on Twitter, you can also follow us via @TheWhiskyWire and RT one of our related competition tweets for another chance to win!

For more info on Jameson, visit: jamesonirishwhiskey.com
 
@TheWhiskyWire
@JamesonWhiskey
 
Competition closes at 23:59 on March 31st 2019. You have to be aged 21 years or over to enter!
 
Good Luck!

4 March 2019

Top 5 Whiskey Picks for St Patrick's Day


Undoubtedly, one of the most, if not ‘the most’ exciting categories in the world of Whisk(e)y over the last few years, has been that of all things Irish!
 
Back in 2011, when we reviewed the then newly released Redbreast 12 Year Old Cask Strength, we confidently predicted that it was the start of an Irish Whiskey Renaissance - and how right we were!
 
There may well be an ever-growing gang of new kids on the block that are now driving the category forward, but those big established heritage brands have kicked away those cobwebs of complacency and are now giving the newbies a run for their money, with regards to innovation and the targeting of a new generation of whisk(e)y consumer.
 
Not that pouring and exploring something dramspankingly delicious from the emerald isle should be limited to St Patrick’s Day (March 17th) but here are five of some of our favourites for you to share, sip and savour on the big day and indeed beyond, along with a few of our favourite serve suggestions.

There are now a multitude of amazing Irish whiskeys available to suit every budget, but this year we wanted to make our recommendations from those retailing to around the £40 mark, so everyone can sip something suitably celebratory this St Patrick's Day.
 
Slane Irish Whiskey40% ABV 
One of the newer kids on the Irish dramming block, this is one gutsy and glorious, big bang for buck blended belter. A superb solo sipper that lends itself magnificently well to a multitude of cocktails. We love this one poured tall and cool with Fever Tree ginger ale.
Available from Master of Malt for £26.90
 
Writers Tears Copper Pot40% ABV 
A vibrant and vivacious, bountifully balanced blend, that makes for one moreish marvel. Designed as a pure sipper in our opinion, but on those warmer evenings it does lend itself rather well to a Highball.
Available from Master of Malt for £33.99
 
Redbreast 12 Year Old - 40% ABV
A deeply delish, richly rounded, sumptuous smacker of a single pot still sipper, which in our opinion is a drop of pure Irish dramming class in a glass!
Available from Master of Malt for £40.90
 
Teeling Single Grain Whiskey – 46% ABV 
A stunningly, sassily, sweet and spiced seductress of a solo sipping superstar, which makes for one of our favourite whisk(e)y bases in an Old Fashioned.
Available from Master of Malt for £45.34

Jameson Irish Whiskey – 40% ABV
A consistent cracking core range classic, that never disappoints! As well as being a real treat poured neat, it serves up superbly in the likes of a Julep, and in our opinion still makes for the ultimate whisk(e)y base in an Irish coffee.
Available from Master of Malt for £22.50

*Prices correct at time of publishing

Sláinte!

25 February 2019

Quick Fire Whisky Tasting Notes

Wemyss Malts "Smoky Nectar"
1983 - 35 Year Old Caol Ila

Single Cask Single Malt Islay Scotch Whisky
46% ABV
 

Nose: Tenacious teases of peat smoke - waves of sea spray – dusty old books - damp limestone - ripe banana skin – grilled pineapple rings – poached pears – lemon sherbet - sugared almonds – raspberry ripple ice cream - heather honey – wood spice - ground white pepper and a kiss of anise.

Palate: Pleasurable protrusions of peat smoke – brine – lemon Dib Dabs – pineapple cubes - Edinburgh rock – baked spiced apples – blackberry jam – gooseberry yoghurt - strawberries dusted with black pepper - shortbread - gingernut biscuits – cinnamon sticks – wood spice and a finishing sprig of mint.

Finish: A long, lush, lingering feisty finish, that unfolds as excitingly and exceedingly well as it did on the nose and palate.

Summary: If I’m being completely honest, the majority of indie Caol Ila’s I’ve sampled over the last few years, have been rather unexciting, predictable, one dimensional and quite boring. This latest Wemyss release as part of their new Cask Club, is not only one of the best independent Caol Ila’s I’ve ever sampled, but it’s now also one of my favourites from the distillery full-stop! A drop of real liquid history, with all the right notes in all the right places!