At a reading last fall, the Irish chain restaurant Brocach had an early bird drink special, a shot of Bushmills Irish Whiskey and a Guinness for $6. Quite a deal indeed, and the experience was so enjoyable I found myself craving a whiskey & Guinness combo more often. I’ve experimented with a few different whiskeys in the past six months or so and, even though I won’t claim to have a sophisticated tasting palate, I have developed some likes and dislikes. For example, bourbons don’t do much for me and I could see myself trying different kinds of Scotch, but my favs so far have been Irish whiskeys.

Alas, it’s hard to try a wide variety of Irish whiskeys without committing to buying a bottle, which has kept me on the cheaper end of the spectrum. I like drinking these straight up or on the rocks, not mixed with anything else. Googling around for reviews showed how widely opinions vary on what makes a good Irish whiskey, but before buying I read through what Alcoholreviews.com and Money magazine had to say, among other various sources (although now I think Drinkhacker.com might be the site I agree with the most). So, based on having at least a few drinks of each, here’s my list, ranking them in order of preference.

1st – Jameson Irish Whiskey Jameson has long been a staple for backpacking trips, but I didn’t realize quite how good it was until I started comparing it to other Irish whiskeys. Jameson is the most popular Irish whiskey in the US and not just because it’s the most heavily marketed. It has a nice, smoky flavor and a bit of heat. My preference is to drink it straight up to savor the full effect.
2nd – Clontarf Classic Blend Irish Whiskey Clontarf is slightly less expensive than Jameson but rivals it on taste. I’ll trust the review that identifies the flavors as “honey and butterscotch” but the key for me is that it has a good, robust flavor with a little bite to remind you you’re drinking whiskey. Goes down very easy and is an enjoyable, affordable alternative to Jameson for something a little different.
3rd – Paddy Irish Whiskey Apparently this one is hard to find in the US, and the two samplings I’ve had were pinched from the in-laws liquor cabinet (thanks Bob and Karen!). Very smooth and less pronounced than the previous two, another very good whiskey that I wouldn’t mind keeping in the cabinet, but I also wouldn’t go out of my way to have it specially ordered.
4th – Bushmills Original Irish Whiskey Unlike Jameson, Bushmills suffers in comparison to other Irish whiskeys. This isn’t to say that I actively dislike it, but rather that I would go to any of the above or even try something new instead. It’s very similar to Paddy’s in that the flavor is very mild, Maybe this one’s better as a quick, clean shot to accompany a stout rather than being one to sip and contemplate.
5th – Kilbeggan Irish Whiskey Of the ones I’ve sampled thus far, this is the only one that I probably wouldn’t spring for again. Drinking this neat simply doesn’t work as it’s way too hot but it improves a lot on the rocks. I don’t get the reviews that say it has no flavor; my primary problem is that this doesn’t taste like Irish whiskey. However, that doesn’t mean I dislike it and it’s not like it cost a fortune—$15 or so. A worthwhile experiment and I’ll have no problem finishing the bottle, but it’s nothing I’d return to quickly.

There are still tons of others I’d like to try, including Tullamore Dew (which gets wildly varying reviews from lovers and haters), Powers, and Michael Collins, all of which are priced roughly the same as the Jameson and Bushmills. I’d also like to jump up a price bracket from those two, giving the Jameson 12 Year Old Special Reserve and the Bushmills Black Bush both a shot as they’re supposed to be quite different from the standard line and quite good. Jump up another price bracket and there’s Redbreast and Connemara, both of which are roundly praised.

The number of Irish whiskeys pales to the number of Scotch whiskeys that I’m interested in delving into, but first things first. The good news is that the majority of these Irish whiskeys are highly affordable, especially at Woodman’s discount liquor here in Madison. A 1.75 liter of Jameson only sets you back $34, and the bottles of Clontarf and Kilbeggan were both under $20. I’m pretty sure that the Jameson 12 Year and Bushmills Black Bush are only in the $30 range, and that’s not bad for a bottle that you’ll keep on the shelf for awhile.

Current Mood: Quite Good |