Monday 3 November 2008

Time to choose your Christmas whiskey

I'm looking through the Celtic Whiskey Shop's Christmas catalogue, released today. There are some exciting new whiskeys alongside the return of some old favourites.

Pride of place goes to the new single cask Midleton. This is exclusive to the CWS and limited to only 300 bottles. I hope to say more about this soon so I'll just mention that I've sampled it and it's far richer on the palate than the standard Midleton. A definite winner. The last I checked, it was expected in the shop in about two weeks' time.

The Redbreast 15yo is there, as I've already mentioned (I haven't heard of it available cheaper anywhere else in Ireland, though it's also on sale in the Midleton distillery shop).

Well regarded, though not to my own taste, is Cooley's peated whiskey, Connemara. Of special interest here is the latest 1992 single cask and a 13yo Sherry finish.

The Greenore 8yo single grain is still a bargain and nicer than the 15yo version, in my opinion.

The Tyrconnell finishes are back. The 10yo Madeira finish always gets pushed to the fore because Jim Murray's Whiskey Bible rated it a 95. It is a lovely whiskey but, for me, the port finish just edges it. The Tyrconnell 15yo single cask is also available and I'm currently trying to decide whether this is or the port finish is my favourite Irish whiskey.

I commend the rest of the brochure to your attention. It has lots of nice pictures and looks very Christmassy. And of course there is much I haven't mentioned, like Jameson, Bushmills, The Irishman, Bourbons, Scotches and plenty more.