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!

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!

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 – 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!

Opinions Vary – Saint Patrick’s Day

March 29, 2023 Ireland

Opinions Vary – Saint Patrick’s Day

Well… Saint Patrick’s Day circa 2023 has come and gone. The celebration of Saint Patrick and his miracles is a wonderful Roman Catholic holiday that is represented by the best of humanity who make all efforts to spread the word. Ok, everyone wants to be Irish that day and use it to get properly shitfaced.

If you have never been to a proper St. Patrick’s Day parade or drinking event in NYC, Chicago, or Boston you are either very lucky or missing out depending on your personality. The level of drunkenness I have witnessed since moving to NYC in 2014 is epic. I have seen NYFD in full uniform vomiting in front of fire houses, women in green peeing in the streets, leprechauns tossed in the air, cats & dogs living together, basically mass hysteria.

If you did not know, St. Patrick is the patron Saint of Ireland and he “drove the snakes out of Ireland”. Which means he brought the Catholic religion to Ireland to replace the Pagan religion. The Irish, however, been old fashioned, hold onto a little paganism with the sun in their cross. Old habits die hard.

For me, I have always avoided St. Patrick’s Day. I find it to now be a silly holiday that is more an excuse to drink than remember a Saint. It is right up there with the other silly holidays used to drink and get you to buy cheap plastic shit such as Cinco de Mayo, Santa-Con, and Pumpkin Spice Latte season.

I hope you had a wonderful St. Patrick’s Day this and your liver is still functioning.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

Guinness Draft

March 22, 2023 Ireland

Name: Guinness Draft

Color: Black

Nose: Malted barley, roasted chocolate, cream

Taste: Malted barley, roasted chocolate, cream with a tang finish

Guinness Draught beer (aka “The Black Stuff”) was created as an Irish Dry Stout in 1759 by Arthur Guinness in Dublin, Ireland. There is a very long and interesting history to this beer which is worth reading if you have the time.

The flavor is specific to the brand and comes from malted barley, roasted un-malted barley, and the mixture of nitrogen and carbon dioxide which helps created the creamy tangy tasted. The canned version has a “popper” that drops into it when opened it to inject the gas, however, the can and bottle versions do not taste as good as the draught.

There is a specific method on “how to pour a proper pint”. Guinness has set the standard for time and temperature. A pour should be 119.53 seconds and it should be served at 42.8˚F. If you order pint in a proper pub with Irish bartenders, you will wait about 10+ minutes until it arrives as they let the beer settle before finishing the pour. Most American bartenders do not do this and serve it cloudy and brown instead of black with a creamy white head. So, if you are doing proper drinking in proper pub, plan order times accordingly.

The most interesting thing about Guinness to me, other than being my favorite beer, was a marketing campaign for years that stated: “Guinness is Good for You”. This campaign is no longer used for obvious reasons, but there must have been some truth to it. My Mum told me a story that when my Grandfather had stomach surgery in Glasgow, Scotland the hospital gave him soup and two Guinness per day during his recovery. Let that sink in for a minute. A doctor, who went to medical school, had my Grandfather drinking his favorite beer in a hospital bed each day he was there. Below is a photo of my Grandfather, his Guinness, a cigarette and always in a three-piece suit in public.

Flo Armstrong

Priced around $8-10 a pint and is my favorite beer, but it never tastes as good in America bars as it does in UK pubs.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

Irish Coffee

March 8, 2023 Ireland

Name: Irish Coffee

Color: Black and white

Nose: Coffee and whiskey

Taste: Coffee and whiskey with sugar and cream

Irish Coffee, or as I like to say, “the original Redbull & Vodka” will keep you up long enough to make an asshole out of yourself and get a ride to the drunk tank in the Paddy Wagon. My early life experiences with Irish Coffee were not good ones. Growing up in Boston they always used cheap whiskey, burnt coffee, whipped cream from a can, green liquor drizzle, and topped it with green sprinkles. It was similar to a Mudslide, a gimmick that tasted like shit and full of sugar.

Irish Coffee is classified as a cocktail and when it was created is unknown, but Cofffe & Booze was on the menu in Viennese Coffeehouses in the 1850’s. The Irish version I assume has been around since they started drinking coffee and most likely started with tea. It did not become popular in America until the 1950’s. The first place that served Irish Coffee can be debated, but any place with pub and large Irish populations would have served it on or off the menu.

What made the cocktail popular and now famous was the Buena Vista in San Francisco. It is a smaller sized tight table restaurant and from what I am told they make a very well balanced cocktail with home made cream. Online they state they make “over 2,000 a day” so even if everyone had 2 drinks that is 1,000 people that visit that restaurant a day. That is a lot.

If you are in NYC I can recommend the Dead Rabbit in NYC for an Irish coffee. It is very tasty and the bartender told me they do an infusion process and make extra effort to to create the perfect cocktail.

Irish Coffee:

Use a warm glass.
Add 2 sugar cubes.
Pour hot coffee to fill ¾ of the glass and stir to dissolve the sugar.
Add whiskey.
Top with cold cream poured over a spoon.

Dead Rabbit, NYC Irish Coffee & Green Spot

Personally, I do not like booze in my coffee. I don’t drink or order Irish Coffees but that is just me. I am half Scottish and all my whiskey needs is a glass.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

Red Spot Irish Whiskey

Gold Spot

Smithwick’s Red Ale

Green Spot – Chateau Leoville Barton

Green Spot – Chateau Montelena

Jameson Caskmates – Stout Edition

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

Opinions Vary – Saint Patrick’s Day

Guinness Draft

Irish Coffee

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