WE RIGHTLY take great pride in Irish whiskey. Love of our local places and products translates into wonderful whiskeys enjoyed around the world. Yet we also keep our feet on that ground we know so well. And we need to.
The 2022 International Spirits Challenge Awards have been announced, with accolades for scores of Irish whiskeys.
Irish Whiskey Producer of the Year 2022 is Irish Distillers, the only such firm to achieve both a trophy and a double gold medal, along with 27 golds. That trophy went to Jameson Black Barrel, while the Method and Madness single grain received double gold.
Another 44 Irish whiskeys received gold medals, with 41 silver medallists. Putting that into global context, however, seven Scotch whiskies won trophies – and almost 200 won gold medals.
There's no doubt that the Irish whiskey industry is growing, but it's doing so in a very competitive market, battling for consumers not only against Scotch and brandies, but also with rum and other spirits.
Still – no pun intended – for customers, there's a huge amount of quality Irish whiskey. And it's not just us saying so, but those ISC Awards.
The old, familiar names merit their high reputations and golden auras: Black Bush and three Bushmills single malts, various Jamesons, Power's, Tullamore Dews, Kilbeggan, Midletons, and Redbreasts.
Relatively newer marques such as Knappogue Castle, in Clare – with four single malts – and Walsh's Whiskey of Waterford (three blends and a single malt) are also on that top level, along with Slane, nearby Boann (Drogheda), JJ Corry (Clare), and Sailor's Home (Limerick). New Belfast whisky McConnell's won a silver medal.
Closer to home, Belfast Whiskey Week is coming to a conclusion this weekend. There were award-winners aplenty at their launch night in the Europa Hotel too but the, ahem, food and company at my table were too good for me to take notes.
Johnny, boss man from The Vineyard on the Ormeau Road in Belfast, deservedly won the top merchant's accolade. Next time, assuming I made it there (and back), I may recount my experience of visiting the Two Stacks bonder and blender in Newry.
I'll bring a Dictaphone this time...
