Whiskey Live: Celebrating all that’s great about Irish and international distillers

Whiskey Live made its triumphant return to the RDS Main Hall last month with four sold-out sessions that underlined the rude health of the industry here.

The first thing that struck Team Hot Flavours when we rocked up on the Saturday afternoon is that there’s no longer a ‘typical’ whiskey drinker with a pretty much even gender split and as many new converts as there were seasoned imbibers.

Making a big RDS splash were Two Stacks, one of Ireland’s only independent bonding and blending facilities whose 100ml Dram In A Can servings underline the Co. Down company’s innovative approach to their craft.

We were also mightily impressed by their more conventional bottled Blenders Cut: Apricot Brandy Cask Strength, a unique 63.5% blend of grain, malt and pot still which is available from their twostackswhiskey.com shop.

Hot Flavours was delighted to run in to our old pal Noel Sweeney, the former Master Distiller at Powerscourt whose now presiding over the launch of Michael Flatley’s The Dreamer.

Aged in bourbon casks and finished in port and Pedro Ximénez sherry casks, the 5-year-old blend is a seriously tasty drop and, says Noel, a statement of intent with the Riverdance star wanting the brand to have a bricks and mortar here. We’ll keep you posted!

A recent Hot Flavours Tipple Of The Month pick, UAIS is one of several reasons why we love Co. Galway’s Ahascragh Distillery.

Deriving its name from the eldest of the three Collas brothers who once ruled Ireland, the 43% Triple Blind in a unique fusion of pot still, single malt and single grain whiskeys, aged in ex-bourbon and virgin oak casts.

As if the riot of smooth honey, butterscotch, tropical fruit, vanilla toffee and banana flavours wasn’t enough, the 100% recycled glass bottle, wood stopper and biodegradable vegetable-based seal means that it’s also one of the most country’s most environmentally-friendly liquids.

It was our first time sampling Fireball, the 33% “red hot cinnamon and whisky” liqueur, which is America’s no. 2 bestselling spirit and fast gaining cult status here.

Designed to be drunk neat, on ice or with ciders of both the alcoholic and non-alcoholic varieties – we tried the former and it’s ace! – it’s a fiery and fun addition to the whiskey canon here.

Around the RDS corner from them was America’s no. 1 bestselling spirit, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, which you may have spotted at very competitive prices recently in Tesco and Dunne’s. If you haven’t tried this small batch 40% Texan elixir yet, do, because it’s fabulous.

Also making its Whiskey Live bow was 53% Kweichow Moutai Prince, a clear spirit made from sorghum and wheat which has mythic status in its native China.

A lot smoother than its muscular ABV would suggest, it fair tickled the Hot Flavours tastebuds.

Next up were visits to two more old friends of ours – Roe & Co. whose latest 46% Solera Single Malt No. 1 release – think maple syrup and caramel with complex notes of roasted walnut, truffle, wood spice and dried fruits – is a must-try and West Cork Distillers whose award-winning 46% Hyde No.1 President’s Cask may just be the best bang for whiskey buck in Ireland.

All the great things we’ve been hearing about Boann Distillery’s 33% The Whistler Irish Whiskey & Honey Liqueur turned out to be true with the honey coming from their own Co. Meath hives.

Sadly, we’ve only room to namecheck Naterjack Irish Whiskey, Rademon Estate Distillery, Waterford Whisky, Broadlough Estate Distillery, Pearse Lyons Distillery, O’Driscoll’s, Irish American, Limavady Whiskey, The Connacht Distillery, McDonnell’s, Egan’s Irish Whiskey, Powerscourt Distillery, Kinnity Castle Spirits, Five Fars Irish Cream, Sliagh Liag Distillers, Bushmills and Lambay Whiskey who all added greatly to our Whiskey Live experience and will feature in Hot Flavours in the future...