Review: Proper Twelve Irish Whiskey
Proper Twelve Irish Whiskey was recently released. August 2017 MMA fighter Conor McGregor announced he was launching a new Irish Whiskey brand to be named Notorious. The Notorious name was already taken so brand founder and developer Conor McGregor settled on the Proper Twelve Irish Whiskey name. Conor was born and bred in the Dublin suburb of Crumlin. Proper Twelve pays tribute to where it all began. Dublin 12 is the postal code for the Crumlin region. Proper Twelve is crafted at Ireland’s oldest distillery, The Old Bushmills Distillery located on the Northern Coast of Ireland in the village of Bushmills. Conor sampled nearly 100 blends before deciding on the final product. Proper Twelve is made from a blend of golden grain, full flavored malted barley and fresh spring water. It is triple distilled in copper pot stills and aged a minimum of three years in bourbon barrels. Sweet Irish grain spirit is blended with the single malt Irish whiskey by Distiller and Master Blender David Elder, before bottling at 80 proof. $5 from every case sold of Proper Twelve will be donated to local first responder organizations and charities. Read more 
Review: The Pogues Irish Whiskey
The Pogues Irish Whiskey was launched July 2015, and is named for the Celtic Punk band formed in Ireland in 1982 by front man Shane MacGowan. While I’m more familiar with the music of Irish rockers Thin Lizzy, U2, and The Cranberries, The Pogues have been named as a source of influence with several US grown Celtic punk bands including the Boston bred Dropkick Murphy, and LA’s own Flogging Molly. The Pogues Irish Whiskey was developed and blended by Barry Walsh and Frank McHardy at West Cork Distillers. Most of the mashing, fermenting, and distilling equipment at this distillery was handcrafted onsite. The Pogues is a blend of 50% 10 year old single pot malt Irish Whiskey finished in sherry casks, and 50% 5-7 year old grain whiskey aged in bourbon barrels. Read more
Review: Bushmills Red Bush Irish Whiskey
Bushmills Red Bush Irish Whiskey was released in the US March 2017, just in time for St. Patrick’s Day. It is a blend of triple distilled Irish single malt whiskey made from 100% malted barley and water drawn from Saint Columbs Rill, a tributary of the River Bush, and Irish grain whiskey. Bushmills Red Bush is matured exclusively in first fill bourbon casks for a minimum of four years. This contrasts to Bushmills Black Bush which is matured in Oloroso sherry casks. Read more
Review: Powers Signature Release
Powers Signature Release is a single pot still Irish whiskey matured mainly in American oak barrels with a subtle inclusion of first fill Oloroso sherry casks. Powers Signature was introduced in the US September 2013. It followed the launch of John’s Lane Release a single pot still whiskey matured for no less than 12 years. No age statement is provided for Powers Signature Release. The whiskey is non chill filtered before bottling at 92 proof. While no other distillery currently sells a single pot still Irish whiskey, Irish Distillers produces several including the previously reviewed Red Breast, and Green Spot. They will not be alone for long as several new distilleries are producing single pot still Irish whiskey that is maturing in casks at this moment. Single pot still Irish whiskey was once the worlds best selling whiskey. Read more
Review: Tullamore DEW XO Caribbean Rum Cask Finish
Tullamore DEW XO Caribbean Rum Cask Finish is made with the same recipe as Tullamore DEW Original. It is triple distilled and a triple blend of pot still, malt and grain Irish whiskey. The whiskey is finished in first fill XO rum casks previously used to age Demerara rum. Tullamore DEW XO Caribbean Rum Cask Finish pays tribute to the role of Irish immigrants in the development of rum in the Caribbean in the 17th century. This is not the first Tullamore DEW finished in a second cask. They also produce Tullamore DEW Cider Cask Finish. Read more
Review: Powers Gold Label Irish Whiskey
Powers Gold Label Irish Whiskey is a brand that has been around since 1886 when John Power and Son Distillery began bottling this whiskey with a gold label. Until then casks of whiskey were sold to merchants and bonders who would bottle the whiskey. The Powers Gold Label Irish Whiskey produced today is a blend of triple distilled pot still whiskey and grain whiskey. Both are matured in American oak casks, non chill filtered, blended, and bottled at 86.4 proof. The previous version was chill filtered and weighed in at 80 proof. To see my thoughts on Powers Gold Label 80 Proof, check out yesterdays review. Read more
Review: Powers Gold Label Irish Whiskey 80 Proof
Powers Gold Label Irish Whiskey 80 proof is no longer produced for the US market. It appears it is still available for sale in Ireland. In December 2013 Powers Gold Label was rebranded and reformulated with new packaging and an increased 86.4 proof. This was accomplished by eliminating the use of chill filtration. This was the second reformulation of the brand which started life as a single pot still whiskey but was reinvented as a blend of pot still whiskey and grain whiskey many years ago. I was lucky enough to have an unopened bottle of the 80 proof to compare with the new 86.4 proof Powers Gold Label. Look for that review tomorrow. James Power founded his distillery in 1791 at John Lane near the western gate of Dublin City. By 1821 his son John changed the name to John Power and Son. In 1886 Powers began bottling their whiskey with a gold Label on the bottle, becoming the first Dublin distiller to bottle their own whiskey. Soon this became known as Powers Gold Label Irish Whiskey. In 1975 distillation moved to Midleton Ireland with the merger of John Power and Son, John Jameson and Son, and Cork Distilleries Company. Powers Gold Label is made from a blend of triple distilled pot still and grain whiskey. Both are aged in American oak casks, chill filtered, blending, and bottling at 80 proof. Read more
Review: Knappogue Castle 12 Year Old Irish Whiskey
Knappogue Castle 12 Year Old Irish Whiskey is made with pure Irish spring water and malted barley. It is triple distilled from a single barley malt in copper pot stills and aged for a minimum of 12 years in bourbon oak casks. The brand is named after the Knappogue Castle that was originally built in 1467. Knappogue translates to, Hill of the kiss. In 1966 Mark Edwin Andrews purchased the castle which at the time was in ruins. He and his wife, a prominent architect embarked on an ambitious task of restoring the structure to it’s original state of glory and grandeur. At that time Mark also began buying casks of fine pot still whiskey from top distilleries in Ireland. The casks were further aged and bottled under the Knappogue Castle label. In 2003 Castle Brands acquired the brand and in 2010 they launched Knappogue Castle 12 Year Old Irish Whiskey. Read more
Review: Tullamore DEW Irish Whiskey
Tullamore DEW Irish Whiskey is named for the town and distillery where the whiskey was first produced, and the initials of Daniel E. Williams, who worked his way up from stable boy of the distillery to become the owner. The Original Tullamore Distillery was opened in 1829 by Michael Molloy in the heart of the town of Tullamore. The Tullamore Distillery closed its doors in the 1950’s and the brand was sold to John Power and Son in the 1960’s. With the merger of John Power and Son, John Jameson and Son, and Cork Distilleries, production was moved to the New Midleton Distillery. In 2010 the Tullamore brand was sold to William Grant and Sons. After 60 years, production returned to the town of Tullamore with the opening of the brand new Tullamore Distillery. Tullamore DEW is produced with all three types of Irish Whiskey, single grain, single malt, and pot still. The whiskey is triple distilled and aged in three different types of oak barrels. Traditional refill, ex bourbon, and ex sherry. While whiskey produced at this distillery matures, Tullamore DEW continues to be made with single grain and pot-still whiskey distilled at the New Midleton Distillery, and single malt whiskey distilled by Bushmill. Read more
Review: Green Spot Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey
Green Spot Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey is a non age statement pot still Irish whiskey comprised of Pot Still whiskeys aged between 7 and 10 years. The whiskey has matured in a combination of new bourbon barrels, refill bourbon casks, and sherry casks. Green Spot was originally created by the Mitchell family who in 1805 commenced trading in the heart of Dublin as purveyors of confectionary, wines, and fortified wines. In 1887 the family expanded into the whiskey bonding business. They sent empty wine, sherry, and port casks via horse and cart to the local Jameson Distillery. These casks were filled with whiskey and returned to the Mitchells cellar warehouse where the whiskey matured for many years. The Mitchells sold a range of whiskey under the Spot brand name. This name originated from the practice of marking casks of different ages with a spot of colored paint. There was Blue Spot, Red Spot, Yellow Spot, and their most popular Green Spot. A limited number of bottles are produced each year, and until recently Green Spot was only available in Ireland. Read more