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Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/476437
www.cheersonline.com 50 • March 2015 WHISKIES of the EMERALD ISLE By Tony Abou-Ganim It's hard to believe that Irish whiskey was a declining category at one time and rarely used in cocktails besides an Irish Coffee. Irish whiskey is now the fastest-growing distilled spirit catego- ry in the U.S., showing double-digit growth for more than 10 years. It was once thought that all we need- ed to know about Irish whiskey could be summed up in wee dram to accompany a pint of Guinness. But there's much more to understand about the spirit. These are the basic styles of Irish whiskey. Blended: Two or more different malt- ed-barley whiskies blended together, often combining milder, column-dis- tilled grain whiskey with more intense pot-still whiskey. Single pot still: A single whiskey made from both malted barley and un- malted barley, distilled in a pot still. Single malt: A single malted-barley whiskey distilled in a pot still. Single grain: A single whiskey made from just one grain, as opposed to a blend of grains. Distilleries today are turning out beautifully produced blends, single malts, single-pot-still and single-grain whiskies. As you can see from the samples tasted below, the Irish whiskey category is diverse in its many offerings: all unique and wonderful—and all terrifi c in an Irish Coffee. Sláinte! CONNEMARA Peated Single Malt Cooley Distillery Double distilled Ireland's only peated Irish whiskey is a blend of 4, 6 and 8 year old whiskies. Nose: Initial smokiness giving way to a heather, fl oral quality, leading to a honey and toffee sweetness with notes of dark chocolate. Palate: The smoke (peat) is there up front, with a slight brine/sea/medicinal character revealing a caramel, vanilla—crème brûlée—rich sweetness. Finish: Long and memorable; when the smoke clears, you are left with this beautiful honey, chocolate, pot-de-crème reminder that goes on and on. GREEN SPOT Single pot still Malted and unmalted barley Midleton Distillery Triple distilled Nose: Spice—sweet vanilla and allspice, herbaceous, dried mint—ripe tropical fruits, barley malt, confectionary sweetness, baked apple and toasted oak. Palate: Rich, viscous mouthfeel, revealing caramel and toffee sweetness, baking spic- es—vanilla, clove and cinnamon—baked green apple and toasted oak. Finish: Long with lingering notes of spice, grain and oak. GREENORE Single Grain 8 Year Old Cooley Distillery Made predominantly from corn Nose: Corn mash— corn bread, vanilla and honey, melting into caramel, toasted oak and tropical fruits, with a nod of lemon citrus. Palate: Here the corn shows sweetness that is somewhat bourbon-like, with big vanilla, caramel, butterscotch and toasted oak with notes of ripe peaches and tropical fruits—co- conut and Bananas Foster. Finish: Medium in length, with a passing reminder of vanilla, milk chocolate and candied pecans.