EP 21: A Night With the Irish

The Friskey Whiskey Podcast

Join MikeD and I as we take a trip over to Ireland to try some of their fine Irish whiskys.

Drumshanbo Single Pot Irish Whiskey $58.99:
Started by PJ Rigney in the heart of rural Ireland at The Shed Distillery. PJ Rigney wanted to create smooth flowing whiskey of exceptional quality. His obsession with excellence, tradition, and innovation has given birth to a truly remarkable Single Pot Still. Melding the time-trusted method of blending Irish malted and Irish un-malted barley with the creamy texture of Irish Barra Oats, First fill ex Bourbon and Sherry Oloroso casks. This is the first Irish whiskey from the western province of Connacht in over 105 years. The Shed Distillery was built by PJ in the village of Drumshanbo Co.Leitrim, on the shores of Lough Allen, at the foothills of Sliabh an Iarainn (The Iron Mountain). PJ used traditional methods using a gleaming copper pot and column still.
PJ also had passions for other spirits and makes a line of Gin and Vodka as well

• Gunpowder Irish Gin (made with Chinese gunpowder tea)
• Gunpowder Irish Gin with California orange citrus
• Gunpowder Irish Gin Sardinian citrus
• Sausage Tree Pure Irish Vodka (Sausage Tree is from Africa)

Nose: warm pot spice, vanilla and dried fruit aromas.
Taste: pot spice, fig, Oloroso sherry toasted oak notes, creamy finish

Spot Whiskey - Yellow Spot 12yr $113.99:
1803 - Upon the death of his close friend, the rebel Robert Emmet, William Mitchell decreed that all the first born children of each generation of the Mitchell family shall be called Robert. This tradition has continued right up to this day with the current Mitchell (Robert Jonathan Mitchell), his son (Robert Mitchell, the seventh) and even his own son Robert James Mitchell. In other words, there are a lot of Roberts behind every Spot whiskey

1805 - Single Pot Still family of Spot whiskeys find their roots in Mitchell & Son, one of Ireland’s last remaining Wine Merchants and Whiskey Bonders. The Spot Whiskeys go back to the days when Jameson’s distillery would sell their new make spirit to bonders who matured them in wine and fortified wine casks. It was then that Mitchell & Son developed a reputation for creating some of the finest Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey to be found in the capital.

1887 - Mitchell family expanded into the whiskey bonding business, whereby they sent empty wine, sherry and port casks via horse and cart to the local Jameson Distillery up on Bow Street. These were then filled and returned to the Mitchell’s cellar warehouse underneath Fitzwilliam Lane. There, beneath cobbled streets in their network of underground cellars, the whiskeys matured for many years until they were ready to be bottled and sold to those in the know.

Spot names: When their fortified wine casks were filled exclusively with Jameson spirit from the old Bow St. Distillery, they were marked with a daub or ‘spot’ of paint which identified how long the barrels would be matured for. Blue for 7 years, Green for 10 years, Yellow for 12 years and Red for 15 years—hence the name Spot Whiskey.

Nose: Mown hay & cracked black pepper. Red bell peppers, nutmeg, clove oil & green tea. Sweet honey & peaches
Taste: Honey, spices, fresh coffee, creamy milk chocolate, creme Brulee, red apples, toasted oak, Mix of red grape & dry barley.