Paul McLean, of ANGELSWHISKYCLUB.com and MCLEANSCOTLAND.com was in Dublin for Christmas week, he did indulge in some research & development on your behalf…

The history of the Irish Coffee 

Powers is the traditional whiskey used in an Irish Coffee. It was created at Foynes airbase in Co. Limerick … Foynes was an airbase near Limerick, in fact it was the main airport for Flying Boats between America and Europe. By 1940, the airport was handling many passengers, including many American VIP’s from the world of politics and Hollywood. Weather conditions along the West coast of Ireland can be notoriously bad, and often what was supposed to be just a stopover for refuelling turned into an overnight stay. In 1942 a new restaurant opened, which had the task of catering for the many important passengers passing through Foynes and present a very positive image of Ireland and its people to the world.

The story goes that Powers Irish Coffee was invented to appease a group of tired and upset American tourists who had set off to make a 19 hour trip to New York – they set off 10 hours before!

After 5 hours out the plane turned back due to a storm.

The head chef at Foynes, a Joe Sheridan, decided to warm them up, rather than the tradition of adding whiskey to tea, he added it to coffee.

He concocted a Powers with sugar and coffee and fresh whipped cream.  As they sipped their drinks, one passenger said “hey buddy, is this Brazillian coffee?” Sheridan replied “it is Irish Coffee”

To make a Powers Irish Coffee:

1.Pour a measure of Powers and two teaspoons of brown sugar into a pre-warmed Powers Irish Coffee Glass.

2.Place a metal spoon in the glass.

3.Fill the glass with hot black coffee, allowing space at the top for cream before stirring well.

4.Gently pour lightly whipped cream over the back of a spoon so that the cream floats on the coffee.

A quick reminder that the 45th Auction ends Sunday January 4th, 2015

the 45th auction. We hope you enjoy it.

Whisky Ramblings Via Video #100

Mark Dermul, Belgian Whiskyblogger, tries Connemara Turf Mor! Since Cooley was taken over by Beam, which in turn was taken over by Suntory, not much has been heard of the peated Irish whiskey Connemara. And that is a pity. In 2010 Cooley launched a small batch of their Connemara Turf Mor, a heavily peated version. Only 20.000 bottles were released. Mark finds it to be that good, that he simply could not resist making a video about it.

http://youtu.be/I21REZPk-ic

In Their Own Words – James Buntin, brand ambassador, Balvenie

James Buntin is the new brand ambassador for Speyside single malt Balvenie

After 14 years in Australia, new Balvenie brand ambassador James Buntin is back in the UK, on a mission to spread the word about this highly regarded distillery and its whiskies. We met up with this impressively hirsute Scot to share a dram and a story or two – and he didn’t disappoint.

‘I’m 46, and I’ve been drinking whisky for 46 years – my mum used to take a drop of whisky and rub it on my gums’

‘There’s nothing better than a nip and a half [a dram and half a pint of beer]’

‘I walk into a bar and see all the bottles on the backbar; when I look at all the different labels, I don’t see them as brands, but as stories’

‘I’ve worked for a lot of brands in my life, but working for Balvenie is the highlight. Everything is hand-crafted’

‘They’re really into whisky in Australia. The big difference between there and here is that even in basic bars in Oz, their whisky ranges start with a 10 year old, a 12 year old. And they have 20 different whisky shows a year’

‘You’ve got to live with a bottle of whisky. You’ve got to live with it when you’re happy or sad, in love, or mad’

‘I do love a big, smoky whisky. I’ve worked with Speyside distilleries for a long time, but I do like some of the younger Islays, like Ardbeg 10 and Laphroaig PX cask’

‘American oak is like white sugar; European oak is like brown sugar’

‘Can you imagine looking after an orchard and only going in there after 50 years? You wouldn’t pick all the apples at once – you’d go in for the first time and pick the ones you know, then you’d go back in later. Whisky barrels are like an apple tree; you go in and visit them now and again and pick what you need’

‘In the next few years, you’re going to see a whole new generation of whisky distilleries opening up’

‘Whisky has the biggest loyalty; people will defend it to the end of their days. Johnnie Walker drinkers won’t drink Chivas, and vice versa; it’s like supporting rival football teams’

ABOUT OUR SINGLE MALT SCOTCH CLUBS

Members of our buyers’ club share an enthusiasm for the malt elixir in the most practical way, by saving time and money. No initiation or fees of any sort are charged. We simply ask that you undertake to remain in the club for the period of one year. As a club member you will receive a carefully selected, often unique bottling, complete with background information, shipped directly to your home or office every other month. The Single Malt Aficionados’ Club is dedicated to seeking out and enjoying the rarest and most classic of truly aged malts, has a limit of $119.99, per shipment on the cost for the bottle itself. (Does not include tax and or shipping) That’s it. No strings just pure enjoyment.

In October 2014 our members received: 

Kilchoman Sherry Cask 5 Year Old Cask Strength

Most of these letters to you, our club members,start with the story of a distillery that was founded in the dusty and distant part of the early 1800s,and almost to a one, the characters that started them. For this bottling and the last club shipment,we have been exploring the new distilleries at the vanguard of Scotch Whisky; those that against wise and prudent advice have decided that they were going to go against the commoditization and consolidation of the whisky industry and make simply unique and delicious whisky.

 So with that introduction, we bring you a young but lovely Kilchoman Sherry Cask Five Year.Those of you that follow the American Whiskey market have probably heard the phrase“Grain to Glass” being used to describe how the new wave of American distillers choose to make their spirits. The New Scots have a similar take on starting with the raw ingredients and working through to a finished product.

“From Barley to bottling,” was the slogan that the Kilchoman Distillery chose to represent their way of doing business. This way of thinking includes being at the farm that grows the grain that makes the whisky. Kilchoman was established on Rockside Farm in 2005 by Anthony Wills, taking a decided gamble to launch the first new distillery on Islay in 97 years. Anthony began in the whisky industry running his own independent bottling company for eight years, and having seen the resurgence of Single Malts in the market place, he and his family decided to bring whisky back to its roots with farm distilling.

In this, the family endeavor was helped by Anthony’s wife being descended from a family that has owned land on Islay for over 60 years. With the combination of place, access to great barley, water from Machir Bay, peat, and four sons to do the grunt work; Anthony knew he could make a great whisky. Kilkoman remains a small operation and currently runs two stills, which produce 90,000 liters per year. This new make spirit rests first in ex-Buffalo Trace Bourbon barrels, and then some is moved into Oloroso Sherry casks. No filtration is done and no caramel coloring is added. When we tasted this bottling back in March we were given pause by the youth of the spirit, but after the whisky convincing us that age is nothing but a number, we decided to present this young and precocious Islay to you all.The color of this young whisky is darker than its ex-Bourbon comrades with more of a copper hue. The nose has a good depth of aromas with smoke, leather and some nutty notes.The palate is richer and more rounded with crushed nuts, citrus fruit rinds, and a quite nice ripe fruit note. The finish is long with the nutty tone from the Sherry Cask predominating.

Signup for this Club

Happy New Year From Kensington Wine Market Calgary

www.kensingtonwinemarket.com

The end of 2014 is nearly upon and what a year it’s been! Thanks to all our customers for your continued business, it truly is appreciated!  

We have some exciting adventures planned for 2015 and we look forward to sharing them with you!  

Happy New Year from all at Abbey Whisky!   

Slainte

From all the staff at Robbie’s Drams and Robbie’s Whisky Merchants, we would like to take this opportunity to wish you all the best for 2015!

We hope that you have had a wonderful festive period and enjoy a happy and prosperous new year! 

With Warmest Regards, 

The RWM Team

Happy New Year from The Jolly Toper

http://www.jollytoper.com