Tonight I was all set for our Mumbai Whisky Club’s monthly tasting … and as our host’s wife now regularly travels to Ireland, I had visions of sociable whiskies dancing in my head with a palate primed for pot still drams!

Alas our sampling was unavoidably postponed to next week… but I just couldn’t shake that Irish mood… So decided it was high time to revisit the joys of Irish pot stills!

A lot is said about the distinctive character of pot still whiskies – that they have a spicier character that comes from their way of blending malted and unmalted barley. Experts say it is this mash rather than the pot itself that qualifies a whisky as being a pot still whisk(e)y.

Here are a few Irish post still whiskeys we’ve sampled over the years…

Green Spot NAS 40%

• Nose – Creamy caramel, tarka, fresh green apples – tart and sweet combine
• Taste – Black peppercorn and rose sherbet, bringing together both sweet and spice
• Finish – Chewy, warm with a little spice, yet not as complex as Yellow Spot
• Add water? With water becomes lighter with a delightful toasted nut finish – delightful.
• Our verdict? While Green Spot more than holds its own, it brought back memories of the superb Yellow Spot. Value for money and an excellent example of what a single pot still can produced.

First sampled November 2013…

Yellow Spot 12 year 46%

From Ireland, a single pot still Irish whisky produced for Mitchell & Son of Dublin, matured in bourbon, sherry and Malaga casks.

• Nose – Fresh and sweet with hints of a complexity to come, sweet spices and fresh hay
• Palate – Initially a blend of sea salt and honey, it rounded out with creamy chocolate to fruit, supported by a woody toasted robustness
• Finish – Particularly superb!
• Our verdict? – Complex, with a gorgeous flavour that lingered… It has garnered some very well deserved praise from Jim Murray (and us)! An exceptional whisky that hit all our favourite counts for a wonderful malt.

First sampled June 2013 and again Dec 2015…  Redbreast 12 year cask strength 57.7%

• Nose – Burnt rubber, bold, fruit cake chock full of raisins, dates, nuts, apples
• Taste – Follows through with its promise, adding cinnamon to the dried fruit and a roasted woodiness
• Finish – Stays keeping you cosy warm, like Christmas time, curled up by the fireside sipping spiced mulled whiskey, creamy, fruity, toasty warm yumminess!
• Add water? Even sweeter with spicy delight
• Our verdict? Ooooohhhhh the Redbreast definitely caught our attention and appreciation! This is certainly one worth revisiting.

First sampled November 2013… I later tried the standard 40% and must say, this cask strength one is by far my preference!

Other Irish Isles Evenings:

• Bushmills 1975 49.1%
• Greenore Single Grain 18 years 46%
• Jameson Evening – 10, 12, Gold Reserve and 18 year
• Teeling NAS 46%
• Tullamore D.E.W. Phoenix 55%
• Tyrconnell 10 year Madeira Cask 46%

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