Ireland | NYC Whiskey Review

Red Spot Irish Whiskey

March 28, 2024 Ireland

Name: Red Spot Irish Whiskey

Color: Copper

Nose: Sherry, vanilla, apple & dark fruits

Taste: Fruit, sweet sherry cream, vanilla

Red Spot Irish Whiskey is a recent re-release by Mitchel & Sons of the 15-year-old expression after 50 years of halted production. The whiskey is aged for 15 years in Bourbon/Oloroso/Marsala casks and bottled at 92 proof.

I have had Yellow Spot and Green Spot before but I had trouble finding Red Spot (even in Scotland) so I had to make a special trip to the Brandy Library Bar in NYC.

The “spot” name comes from the paint color that mark the cask (with a spot) so it is easy to identify the age of the whiskey.

Blue Spot – 7 years at $225+
Gold Spot – 9 years at $225+
Red Spot – 15 years at $300+
Green Spot – (7-10 NAS) years at $60+
Yellow Spot = 12 years at $90+

Red Spot profile flavor has a nice balance of sweet sherry and cream. It is Irish on the cream finish but different with the wine cask aging. With one cube the whiskey opens and the proof lightens up. After a few minutes on ice and sips it softens and you can really enjoy the balance. Just sweet enough for my taste. This one is a sipper not a slugger.

Price around $300 a bottle in NYC and $38 at Brandy Library for 2oz (circa 2023 prices).

If you like it, drink it! – Chris

If you like it, drink it!

Bushmills Original Irish Whiskey

March 27, 2024 Ireland

Name: Bushmills Original Irish Whiskey

Color: Light yellow

Nose: Cream, green grass, malt, lemon

Taste: Malt, flowers, citrus, white fruits

Bushmills Original Irish Whiskey is produced by the Old Bushmills Distillery located in Bushmills, County Antrim, North Ireland. The distillery was founded in 1784 but the bottle states 1608 because of when the license was granted. Some historian note that it could be as far back as 1276. Today in 2021, Case Cuervo owns the brand.

Bushmills Original is tripled distilled, 100% malted barley (blends), and bottled at 40% abv. I am not a big fan of Irish whiskey due to the creamy finish that most of them have but this one is surprisingly decent. The whiskey is light and has a fresh taste. It reminds me of Famous Grouse in lighter body flavor and the cost per bottle.

Other expressions: Black Bush, Red Bush, 10-year, 12-year, 16 year, 21 year, and 1608. I plan to move onto reviewing more Bushmills this year for future Irish reviews in March 2025.

Priced around $35 and good for a summer slugging whiskey, party gift, or a train ride in Ireland.

If you like it, drink it! – Chris

If you like it, drink it!

Gold Spot

March 21, 2024 Ireland

Name: Gold Spot

Color: Dark Gold

Nose: Malt, cream, white fruits, sherry sweet

Taste: Malt, honey, caramel-cream, vanilla, spices, lemon grass

Gold Spot whiskey has been released to celebrate the Mitchell Family’s 135-year anniversary of creating Irish Whiskey. Gold Spot is not part of the regular series and I did not know it existed until I saw in on the upper shelf at The Pot Still in Glasgow.

Last month was visiting the family in Scotland and I had a few hours in Glasgow City Center. I prioritized my time; deep fried Mars candy bar at Blue Lagoon Fish & Chips, Celtic Supports Store, Big John’s T-shirt shop (more Celtic gear), and The Pot Still.

Gold Spot is aged 9 years in a series of bourbon, port, sherry, Bordeaux wine casks, and in port pipes (aka casks for port wine). It is non-chilled filtered and is bottle at 51.4% abv.

It has a very nice and smooth balance with no burn finish for the higher proof. It is sweeter tasting than the other Spots which is due to the multi-cask finishing process. The slight spice finish was surprising but overall excellent. Gold has a higher quality taste profile than Green & Yellow, but it less impactful than the Blue. It does not compare to the complexity and smoothness of the Red.

Pot Still, Glasgow Feb 2023. Gold Spot on the top shelf

My current rankings for the Spot’s are as follows:

Blue Spot – 7 years at $225+
Gold Spot – 9 years at $225+
Red Spot – 15 years at $300+
Green Spot – (7-10 NAS) years at $60+
Yellow Spot = 12 years at $90+

Blue is number one, but Gold is a very close second. I look forward to trying some of the Green’s that are finished in special casks, but they are hard to find.

Priced around $225 and worth the money if you like the flavor profile and Irish Whiskey and it fits your budget.

If you like it, drink it! – Chris

If you like it, drink it!

Smithwick’s Red Ale

March 20, 2024 Ireland

Name: Smithwick’s Red Ale

Color: Amber

Nose: Malt, caramel sweet notes

Taste: Malt, caramel sweets, medium hop finish

I started to look up the history of Smithwick’s. It says it dates back over 300 years and Smithwick shows up in the 1860’s. History of the beer complete.

Upon my first sip I found the beer to be not too bad, but is just reminded me average amber or red ale. It is relatively fresh tasting for the style, but nothing amazing. It is more of an outdoor Fall type of beer but I do not think I could drink more than two in a row even though it is 4.5% abv. The overall flavor does not do it for me and it is not a beer I would continue to drink, nor do I see it on tap in most bars.

Priced around I don’t now and go try it yourself and let me know what you think. It was the most aviable Irish beer I could find in the Month of Irish reviews.

If you like it, drink it! – Chris

If you like it, drink it!

Blue Spot

March 14, 2024 Ireland

Name: Blue Spot

Color: Copper

Nose: Malt, cream, white fruits, light oak

Taste: Malt, sweet cream, oak, flower, citrus/white fruit finish

Blue Spot Irish Whiskey is a recent re-release by Mitchel & Sons of their 7-year-old cask strength expression. The whiskey is triple distilled, bottled at 57.8% abv, and aged for 7 years in bourbon, sherry, and madeira casks.

I have been searching for Blue Spot for three years since I learned it was back on the market. I have sampled Yellow Spot at an Astor Wines in NYC, Green Spot at Harrod’s in London, and Red Spot at the Brandy Library Bar in NYC. I could not find Blue Spot until I landed in the Cincinnati Airport and walked past a bourbon bar. I was about to order a bourbon when I saw the bottle on the bottom shelf next to the Tito’s vodka. The bartender told me he had never served it so he needed to confirm the price and he had to call someone to find out what to charge. I waited and it was worth the wait. At $10 per drink, I requested a double.

The “spot” name comes from the paint color that marks the cask to identify the age of the whiskey.

Price updates form 2024 NYC area based:

Green Spot = NAS (7-10) years at $70+
Yellow Spot = 12 years at $90+
Blue Spot = 7 years at $270+
Gold Spot = 9 years at $225+
Red Spot = 15 years at $150+

Of all the expressions when you compare flavor and cost, Blue Spot is the winner. It is very smooth for the cask strength and a little water enhances the flavor tremendously. It is the best of the four I have sampled when you compare the flavor profile vs. abv vs. price.

Priced around $225 and hard to find, but very good if it fits your budget.

If you like it, drink it! – Chris

If you like it, drink it!

Green Spot – Chateau Leoville Barton

March 13, 2024 Ireland

Name: Green Spot – Chateau Leoville Barton

Color: Amber

Nose: Malt, oak, red wine, sherry

Taste: Malt, heather, honey, sherry, light red wine

Green Spot Leoville Barton should now complete my review of all the “Spots”. This expression starts its life as regular Green Sport and is then aged in a combination of ex-bourbon (75%) and ex-Oloroso sherry (25%) casks for 7-10 years. After that is it placed in French Oak Casks previously used by Chateau Leoville Barton for another 12-14 months. The whisky is triple distilled, non-chilled filtered, natural color, and bottle at 46% abv.

This expression has a slight red color to it, or the lighting at the bar was throwing me off. It has a smooth medium cream body and is a little dry on the finish. The wine finish is nice and not overpowering like Montelena. The connection to Chateau Leoville Barton is because the estate was purchased by Hugh Barton in 1826 who’s family is of Irish descent.

I had both expressions at the Dead Rabbit and this one was the second tasting, and I was glad it was. When you compare the two-wine cask finishes side by side, Barton is a much smoother tasting whiskey. I found this surprising as it is Bordeaux (aka cabernet sauvignon).

Currently Ranking (2024)

#1: Green Spot Barton Leoville – $150

#2: Red Spot – $300

#3: Blue Spot – $225

#4: Gold Spot – $185

#5: Green Spot Chateau Montelena – $150/$200

#6: Green Spot – $75

#7: Yellow Spot – $100

Priced around $150 and around $35 for 2 oz at Dead Rabbit in NYC. It is the best “Spot” for the flavor profile and price.

If you like it, drink it! – Chris

If you like it, drink it!

Green Spot Irish Whiskey

March 7, 2024 Ireland

Name: Green Spot

Color: Gold

Nose: Barley, green fruit, vanilla

Taste: Apple, cream, light sweetness

Green Spot is a single pot still Irish whiskey from the Midleton Distillery in Cork, Ireland. The original Green Spot was aged 10 years and the new version is a now a non-aged stated (NAS) whiskey. It is matured in combinations of new and re-filled bourbon casks and sherry casks.
Cork, Ireland located in Map below (dark green):

The name Green Spot comes from the practice of marking casks of different ages with a daub or big dot of paint. Green= NAS, Yellow=12 years, Blue =7 years and Red=15 years. The was Blue and Red Spot have recently returned to the retail market.

Sales of Green Spot started in 1887 in a small grocery store. Over the last few years the Irish whiskey rebirth has been in full swing and Midleton Distillery is producing plenty of various whiskeys. I found data online that states that only 12,000 bottles are produced a per year. I cannot confirm this statistic, and I do not believe it. I see Green Spot on the shelf of all the higher end whiskey stores in NYC and other states. I would not worry about not finding a bottle in you are looking for one, but shop in a decent store.

I am not a huge Irish whiskey guy but I like Green Spot. In general, I find the cream finish in Irish whiskeys off putting and not to my style. I met an Irishman on cruise once and we got to talking about whiskey flavor. He was the opposite of me, he cannot stand the rough taste of scotch. It is all a matter of opinion when it comes to taste.

Priced around $60 it is a good Irish whiskey at a good price

If you like it, drink it! – Chris

If you like it, drink it!

Green Spot – Chateau Montelena

March 6, 2024 Ireland

Name: Green Spot – Chateau Montelena

Color: Light Brown

Nose: Malt, oak, citrus, dark wine, vanilla

Taste: Malt, cream, honey citrus, red wine, smoke notes, cedar wood cream

Green Spot Chateau Montelena caught my eye last year as I thought I was finishing up with all the Spot Expressions. If you are unfamiliar with Chateau Montelena, I recommend the movie “Bottle Shock”. It tells the story of how Jim Barret’s wine won the “Judgment of Paris” in 1976. After that California wines started to become a real equal to French wine. I highly recommend the movie and the chardonnay ($60+) if it fits your budget. The Middleton Distillery has partner with Jim Barret whose father emigrated from Ireland to provide cask to finish the whiskey.

Green Spot Montelena is first aged in sherry and Bourbon casks and is then finished in French Oak Zinfandel casks. The whiskey is triple distilled, non-chill filtered, and bottled at 46% abv.

At first taste is strong and very forward taste profile. It has more of a medium body, but with a scotch like flavor profile and finishes with cream like dry cedar wood. I think the Zinfandel finish is too overpowering for my taste. I enjoyed this expression, but I found it a bit odd when my next tasting which was the Green Barton Leoville.

I did not dislike this expression, but it is not in my top it is not in my top 3. My current ranking of Spots and costs as of March 2024.

#1: Green Spot Barton Leoville – $150

#2: Red Spot – $300

#3: Blue Spot – $225

#4: Gold Spot – $185

#5: Green Spot Chateau Montelena – $150/$200

#6: Green Spot – $75

#7: Yellow Spot – $100

Priced around $150 to $200 and I have not seen it in stores. Prices around $35 for 2 oz pour at Dead Rabbit Bar in NYC.

If you like it, drink it! – Chris

If you like it, drink it!

Jameson Caskmates – Stout Edition

March 30, 2023 Ireland

Name: Jameson Caskmates – Stout Edition

Color: Light Brown

Nose: Jameson, stout beer, vanilla, chocolate, something odd

Taste: Jameson, stout beer, vanilla, sharp bitter finish

Review:

Stout Edition is bottled at 40% abv and is aged 6 months and uses Eight Degrees Brewery for the beer barrels as they do for the Jameson Caskmates – IPA Edition. I have drunk beer finished in whiskey barrels (KY Bourbon Barrel Stout) but I have never had whiskey finished in beer barrels until this month. If beer barrels to finish whiskey sounds strange to you it should not. Whiskey is finished in sherry, wine, beer, new, old, refurbished barrels all the time to create flavor.

On the nose of the whiskey I noticed something odd. I am not sure what the odd smell is, but I did some research and the words “odd and different” show up in several descriptions. I was not able to determine what it is, but it might be from the aging process in the casks. Compared to the IPA Edition, Stout Edition has a lighter body with respect to the oiliness in the taste and mouth feel.

I found the taste of Jameson Stout a little too harsh on the tongue. It has a snappy taste on the on the finish and it lingers in the mouth. It is a decent whiskey but the taste but is just ok. It’s good, but not my thing.

Priced around $45 and not my cup of whiskey. I do think this would go well as a shot and followed by a stout beer.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

Opinions Vary: What is the difference between Irish Whiskey and Scotch?

March 30, 2023 Ireland

Opinions Vary: What is the difference between Irish Whiskey and Scotch?

Answers:

Ireland uses and “e”. (Whiskey)
Scotch does not have a “e”. (Whisky)
Ireland has approximately 32 distilleries.
Scotland has approximately 134 distilleries.
Irish Whiskey is known to taste smoother with a creamier vanilla finish. It is made from un-malted barley and other grains, produced in copper pot still, aged 3 years in oak barrels, and usually triple distilled.
Scotch Whisky is known to be a fuller, heavier tasting with a stronger finish. It is made from malted barley and other grains, produced in copper pot still, and aged at least 3 years in oak barrels.
Irish Whiskey declined due to poor political decisions during World War II.
Scotch became more popular as a boycott to Irelands political decisions.
Someone once said, “God invented Whiskey so the Irish would not rule the World”.
The Roman Empire ruled the known World until they got to Scotland. They immediately regretted their decision, marched back to England, and built a giant wall to protect themselves.

Even though I do not drink Irish Whiskey until March, I would not turn down a glass if I was offered one but I only buy them for March reviews.

I hope you enjoyed the Irish Reviews for March! There is a lot of whiskey’s to try, don’t limit yourself!

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

Red Spot Irish Whiskey

Bushmills Original Irish Whiskey

Gold Spot

Smithwick’s Red Ale

Blue Spot

Green Spot – Chateau Leoville Barton

Green Spot Irish Whiskey

Green Spot – Chateau Montelena

Jameson Caskmates – Stout Edition

Opinions Vary: What is the difference between Irish Whiskey and Scotch?

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