Latest Drink Recipe
In my opinion, one of the greatest triumphs of the cocktail renaissance is the rediscovery of the classic Old Fashioned. I’ve often spoken of how at some point after the repeal of Prohibition, the Old Fashioned became lost and possibly confused with a long-forgotten drink called a Smash (basically a tarted-up Mint Julep covered in fruit), a mere husk of its former, glorious self.
For decades, bartenders just like me served a limp, weak concoction consisting of a half-muddled sugar cube, a mashed-up neon red cherry and orange, a splash of whiskey, and some soda water drowning the results.
With a little luck, and a lot of hard work, that’s all changed with the renewed interest in classic cocktails. Now at any given night at my bar you can find literally a dozen people sipping on two ounces bourbon touched with a teaspoon of sugar and two dashes of bitters, garnished with a simple orange twist over a couple big ice cubes.
But don’t try to pull that bullshit with the good people of the Great State of Wisconsin, where the Brandy Old Fashioned rules supreme. It’s not the same drink as above, it just shares a name. And if you make it right, really right, it’s a damn delicious cocktail and worthy of examination.
Being located in a hotel, we’re used to serving folks from all over the world. And the first time I witnessed a guest from Wisconsin stare blankly as one of my bartenders handed over two ounces of Cognac touched with a teaspoon of sugar and two dashes of bitters and garnished with a simple orange twist over a couple big ice cubes, I knew some further training was in order.
So in the name of making cocktails – all cocktails – with as much of our hearts as we can offer, I present to you what I believe to be the perfect Brandy Old Fashioned… Wisconsin-style.
I start with an old fashioned glass I’ve chilled in the freezer. Call it a tumbler, call it a double rocks glass, or call it a bucket, it’s a glass you’re familiar with. To that I add two dashes of Angostura bitters and a teaspoon of sugar. If I’m in a hurry I use a 2:1 simple syrup, but if I’m going to spend some time, I use a sugar cube. The sugar cube is preferable here because it’s going to add some friction to the muddling we’re about to do. Brace yourselves, cocktail “nerds”.
Next I’ll take a thick-cut orange wedge, and a cherry. The usual suspect here is a grocery store maraschino cherry, but I always choose a brandied Amarena cherry. Remember, you’re going to get out what you put in, so a quality cherry is going to make the drink that much better.
I muddle the sugar, bitters, orange wedge and cherry into a thick paste, careful not to touch the orange peel too much as it’ll bring unwanted bitterness to the party – just work around the peel and pulverize that orange meat.
Your standard Brandy Old Fashioned brandy of choice is Korbel: cheap California brandy. Considering the hundreds of thousands of cases they ship to Wisconsin every year, it might be considered sacrosanct to use anything else. But if you want to do this right, really right, then do yourself a favor and use some good Cognac. I have my preferred brandy, you have yours.
At this point your typical Wisconsinite barkeep is going to add ice and finish the drink in one of two main ways: sweet or sour. Those who take it sweet will ask for a splash of Sprite or 7-Up, those who take it sour get a dose of Collins Mix or Squirt. To me, it’s just a way of watering down the drink, so I leave out the soda and take a more… cocktail-y method.
Crushed ice is a must for me whenever I whip up a Brandy Old Fashioned. I always skip the soda and let the tiny shards of ice do the work, taming those strong, sweet flavors and turning this into a drink you can sip slowly.
As for a garnish, most will throw a “flag” of an orange wedge and a cherry spiked through with a wooden toothpick, but my take here is that those things are already in the drink, so I skip ‘em. Besides, how pretty does that look without the goofy fruit salad perched over the top?
You know, it’s something to enjoy sipping on while you cook up some bratwurst and onions in a boiling kettle of beer before everyone comes over to watch the Packers game. Drink accordingly.
Brandy Old Fashioned
1 sugar cube or 1 tsp 2:1 simple syrup
2 dashes Angostura bitters
1 orange wedge
1 cherry, preferably Amarena or Maraska
2 oz brandy or Cognac
In a chilled old fashioned glass, muddle the sugar, bitters, orange wedge and cherry into a thick paste, careful not to work the orange peel. Add brandy or Cognac, stir, and fill glass with crushed ice and serve.
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About Me
My name is Jeff Morgenthaler and I'm the bar manager at Clyde Common in Portland, Oregon.
I've been tending bar since 1996 and writing about it since 2004. I started tending bar while getting my degree in Interior Architecture, and slowly I came to the conclusion that bartending was what I really loved, and that I might as well drop everything and focus on being a professional bartender. Over the years I have strived, both behind the bar and with this website, to elevate the experience of having a drink from something mundane to something more culinary.
The writing I do here is intended as a work in progress. My recipes are like my opinions: they are constantly being revised and refined as I work them through my mind and my fingers. Comments and participation are encouraged, so please don't feel the need to tread lightly here.
27 Mar 2009 at 8:17 AM 1. Jeff Frane
Redbreast is wonderful, but spendy. Powers Gold Label is also wonderful and dirt cheap.
If I was the kind of person who blogwhored, I would http://tinyurl.com/d92kdl
say more.
27 Mar 2009 at 9:16 AM 2. Darcy O'Neil
Powers Gold Label for me, thank you very much. Said to be the favorite of the Emerald Isle too.
27 Mar 2009 at 9:55 AM 3. Shaun
Is Redbreast coke or pepsi?
27 Mar 2009 at 9:58 AM 4. MissMeaghan
Funny, I also sought some info from a Bushmills rep when this controversy came up around St. Pattys day! Turned out not to be such a controversy. I’m redbreast girl too, but recently been sipping on the Bushmill’s 10, thought now I’m interested to try Powers Gold Label!
27 Mar 2009 at 10:02 AM 5. Stephen Beaumont
Funny thing is, Jeffrey, that at the end of your debunking of the myth, you subtly reassert its validity in rightly noting that Bushmills is owned by Diageo, a company based in a largely Protestant country, while Jameson is owned by Pernod-Ricard, which is based in a predominantly Catholic country. Funny how these things work out, innit?
Me, I’ll opt mostly for the great spirits of the independent Cooley Distillery, located just north of Dublin. Connemara Cask Strength is a real treat, and Greenore Single Grain is likewise enjoyable. And let us not forget the new cask finishes of The Tyrconnell…
27 Mar 2009 at 10:26 AM 6. Jeffrey Morgenthaler
Beaumont – Funny, I thought of addressing that as I was wrapping up the post, but then thought, “Nah, the chuckleheads who read this website aren’t smart enough to draw that conclusion.” Guess I was wrong.
As for those Tyrconnell expressions: major thumbs up.
27 Mar 2009 at 1:12 PM 7. John Claude
When I lived in Providence, there was a lot of Powers drinking going on. I find it to be a little…thick? But there was a bar that had a shot of Powers and a Guinness for $7, so as you can guess I ended up drinking quite a bit of it. Though in the end, I do really prefer Bushmills. Never tried Redbreast for some reason. I’ll take one next time I’m out.
27 Mar 2009 at 2:11 PM 8. sku
One further chapter in the history that really debunks this myth is that between 1972 and 2005, both Midleton (makers of Jameson) and Bushmills were owned by the same corporation, Irish Distillers. ID was purchased by Pernod Ricard in 1988 and they sold off Bushmills to Diageo in 2005.
Multi-national corporations, of course, know no religious or other loyalty, except to the almighty dollar/pound/Euro.
27 Mar 2009 at 10:25 PM 9. Ciaran
Yup, only the americans give a shit about this stuff anymore.
28 Mar 2009 at 5:24 AM 10. Phill
I came to mention Powers- it seems my work is done. I got into Powers through my wife, ans she learned of it from Shane MacGowan(’s music). Maybe not the best role model, but whaddaya gonna do?
28 Mar 2009 at 10:38 AM 11. Philip
And, fact fans, the space-age Middleton distillery in the far south makes the neutral alcohol for the blends produced at Bushmills up North. And a true story: as a young Dublin barman I was confounded by a true-blue Dubliner who asked for ” a large Shirley Bassey”. Yep, he was referring to a certain product from Bushmills…..
28 Mar 2009 at 11:33 PM 12. LB
Not buying a certain brand of product because of centuries of English overlordship of Ireland is just so stupid on so many levels.
So, so stupid. I am not trying to be offensive here, but really, it is just so dumb. Why not stop purchasing rum to protest Spanish aggression while you are at it. Or champagne to protest Frankish aggression against the Gallo Romans.
29 Mar 2009 at 12:52 PM 13. Mike S.
I love Redbreast and always have a bottle about, but based on some comments here I’ll definitely be picking up a bottle of Powers Gold Label
30 Mar 2009 at 8:56 AM 14. ND
This is mildly off topic, but does anyone else find Jameson to be similar in many ways to Wild Turkey bourbon?
30 Mar 2009 at 9:00 AM 15. Kelsey Crenshaw
“linseed oil is used on its own or blended with other drying oils, resins and solvents as an impregnator and varnish in wood finishing, as a pigment binder in oil paints, as a plasticizer and hardener in putty and in the manufacture of linoleum.” from wikipedia
Michael Jackson
“Nose
Clean, fresh. hint of linseed. Nuts. Cake
Palate
By far the biggest of this selection. Assertive and complex, with lots of development and seemingly infinite dimension. Ginger cake, brazil nuts, treacle
Finish
Liquorice-like sherry notes
Comment
Delicious, soothing, contemplative. A great whiskey. Makes me want to get on a plane to Dublin immediately.”
“It’s like loving the smell of a sharpie or gasoline, in small way” Kelsey Crenshaw
30 Mar 2009 at 1:27 PM 16. Tim
I will second the Powers recommendation to add some turf to the fire. Although, when faced with only Jameson and Bushmills, I will usually go for the Bushmills. I find Jameson to be a bit too… sweet, I guess. Redbreast makes for good sipping but for my budget Powers is my standby.
I usually drink my whiskey neat but would anyone be able to recommend an Irish whiskey cocktail/mixed drink that doesn’t included coffee or a green liquid?
30 Mar 2009 at 10:14 PM 17. Mike S.
Tim, I made a great Manhattan variation last night with 2oz Powers Gold Label, 1oz Carpano Punt E Mes and a dash or two of Angostura (regular, not orange), stirred up with a cherry garnish and enjoyed it very much indeed. No coffee or anything green.
31 Mar 2009 at 10:41 AM 18. Ted Munat
Regarding the Catholic/Protestant/Jewish/Corn Beef relationship…
Man is walking down the street in Belfast. Robber jumps out of an alley, holds up a gun, and says, “Are you a Protestant or a Catholic?” Man says, “Neither, I’m a jew.” Robber thinks for a moment, says, “but are you a Protestant Jew or a Catholic Jew?”
Alternate version:
“are you a Protestant or a Catholic?”
“neither, I’m a Jew.”
“Then I must be the luckiest Arab in all o’ Ireland!”
01 Apr 2009 at 9:23 AM 19. Tim
Thanks, Mike. I should have thought of other whisk(e)y cocktails when typing that last thought. I’ve used Irish Whiskey in Old Fashions and Sours before with tasty results. I’ll have to try a Manhattan next.
02 Apr 2009 at 10:33 AM 20. Michael Robertson
Wow, not one mention of Tullamore Dew. It has been my favorite since discovering it at the Buena Vista Cafe in San Francisco. It was their house label Irish before it was readily available in the US. I went to the Distillery in Tullamore(now a museum for the whiskey), it is now produced in Middleton, although it is no longer owned by Pernod-Ricard. Great smooth flavor and a soft long finish. I think Irish whiskey is like Scotch, meant for sipping, not mixing.
03 Apr 2009 at 7:29 AM 21. dawoo
No one here has a soft spot in their heart for Paddy’s?
03 Apr 2009 at 5:29 PM 22. Phill
I think Paddy’s may be even rarer in the US than Powers. I’ve never even seen a bottle of Paddy’s (although I haven’t really been making an exhaustive search).
07 Apr 2009 at 10:26 PM 23. Greg in SF
“No one here has a soft spot in their heart for Paddy’s?”
I do.
Bad Catholic that I am, I always drank Bushmills over Jameson. The Protestant/Catholic thing was explained to me as a labor dispute where a bunch of Catholic Derrymen were laid off from the Bushmill’s distillery or some shite.
Currently, I go though a case of Jameson for every bottle of Bushmills that we sell at our bar. Whoever owns Paddy’s also owns one of these bigger brands and wont export to the US because they know they would cannibalize their own market share.
08 Apr 2009 at 11:14 PM 24. Bill
I’m a Redbreast man first when feeling flush, but usually turn to Power’s or the old John J when cash flow is normal.
Paddy is pretty readily available in the New York Metro Area, but I’ve never seen it since I left for warmer climes.
Bushmills I like, but I like Irish Whisky best of all the brown stuff. I don’t generally buy it, but I’ll drink it without complaint. The regular is fine; the Black Bush is nice if maybe too refined for me when I want a dram of Irish.
But the Bushmills Distillery Reserve, a bottle of which my very, very good sister recently brought back as a gift from Belfast, is holy smoking delicious good.
And, no, I won’t share.
09 Apr 2009 at 7:54 PM 25. Jenny Adams
Here’s the real question – why does everyone insist on handing us shots of jameson late night in colorado? is that a catholic thing?
Also – how does Navan end up in a Heineken? Is Misty protestant?
Sincerely,
Surley in Alabama
11 Apr 2009 at 6:01 PM 26. d.clark
Dear sir, I know you did a bit on”Sangrita”, but I was wondering if you have a good recipe for Sangria. I am going to be the bartender at my college prom, and need a drink that will be popular with “the kids”…
21 Apr 2009 at 11:23 PM 27. D, Muldoon
Mmmm…..Middleton distillery….
While Redbreast is great, wonderful stuff, don’t ever pass up a chance to sample their self-titled Middleton. Just don’t do anything silly like order it on the rocks…it’s way too good for that. Paid 10 Euro for a shot of it in Dublin, and well worth the price.
23 Apr 2009 at 7:58 PM 28. Cielo Gold
Thanks for the clarification. I was wondering this myself.
01 May 2009 at 1:07 AM 29. Andrew
Hi all, please don’t reinforce past troubles by making brand choices based on hatred. I lived through this and lost people to it, and it saddens me to read this.
Bushmills is a great whisky celebrating an important anniversary this year with an updated look that will appear in late 2009. Jamesons too is lovely.
11 May 2009 at 5:26 AM 30. Kevin Erskine
Not enough time to read through comments. But until 2005 BOTH distilleries were owned by Pernod-Ricard.
11 May 2009 at 5:44 AM 31. Kevin Erskine
Oh and Bushmills was NOT licensed to distill in 1608…That’s marketing Bullshit. There were licenses to distill granted in and around the Bushmill’s area in 1608.
01 Aug 2009 at 5:19 PM 32. Patrick
Oh, don’t be a hater, just drink both.
In Ireland they’d drink either, but rarely had enough money for more than a pint ‘o the local beer.
I’d suggest Tullamore Dew, it was founded by Catholics and is still owned by a nice Irish Catholic company.
As the Protestants had pretty much a stranglehold over all shipping in the country, they refused to ship Dew in favor of the Protestant-produced Jameson.
Such days are long over, and Dew is rapidly making up the difference in sales, and has already overtaken Jamison in may countries in Europe.
13 Aug 2009 at 8:40 AM 33. Edward
No votes for Dunphey’s? Hmmm.
25 Sep 2009 at 1:54 PM 34. Rob McHardy
Holy moly,
I’m an Irish barman and I am stunned by the ignorant waffle that some Irish Americans spew about the “‘oul sod”.
These two fine whiskeys should be enjoyed in a glass and not on some pseudo-religious podium.
DONT EVER ask an Irish person , north or south if they are catholic or protestant because they will look at you with contempt.
If you want to support Ireland, go and visit and maybe read a few history books and hopefully realise that most normal people don’t give a toss about religious leanings
13 Nov 2009 at 1:00 AM 35. Albert
Jesus, Mary and Joseph! Not one of ya mentions Knappogue Castle. In particular – the 1951 offering of which I’ve never tasted its superior. Mind you the order as I see it goes – Knappogue ‘51 > Midleton Rare > Knappogue 15 > Redbreast > Black Bush > Knappogue ‘92 > Tullamore Dew (makes for the best Irish Coffee) > Then take your pick of the Jamesons/Bushmills/Cooley offerings. But generally, if you like it sweet, you like Jamesons products (including Redbreast, 1780, and Powers) If you like it dry, you’ll prefer the Busmills lineup. And if you just like something different – then Cooley’s your distillery (though that Michael Collins stuff is shite).
My two farthings on the matter. ;)
08 Jan 2010 at 2:30 PM 36. paddy hirsch
To complicate the issue even more, Bushmills has been owned by a big drinks corporation since 1972 (first Irish Distillers, now Diageo), but before then it was owned by a Scottish Jew!
10 Mar 2010 at 8:05 AM 37. Jamie O'neal
I like Jamesons….and…I like Bushmills…and…I like Tullamore Dew….and I don’t care if they’re made by Indonesian monks that hate my mother…they’re just tasty.
16 Mar 2010 at 6:43 PM 38. G M Brinkman
When Tug McGraw was interviewed after winning the world series in 1980, they asked him what he was going to spend his series winnings on. He said he was going to spend 90% of it on women and Irish whiskey and the other 10% he was going to waste!
Have an O’Hara’s Red and a Jamison on me. Happy St Patty’s Day.
17 Mar 2010 at 11:27 AM 39. Drago
My grandmother preferred Bushmills (on ice, with a large splash of water).
And since I inherited her mother’s sideboard, now repurposed as the bar in my den, I shall drink Bushmills tonight.
18 Mar 2010 at 10:45 PM 40. Mark Davis
Colum Egan (Master Distiller of Bushmills) is himself a Catholic. John Jameson was Pentecostal.
One more thing… Since Pernod Ricard shut down the grain stills at the old Bushmills distillery, all of the grain whiskey in Bushmills is from Middleton!
All of this is just silly, Ireland is totally united in the bottle.
The full like of Bushmills (and a couple of other Irish whiskeys) will be available for sampling at Whiskies of the World on March 27th. Check it out: http://whiskiesoftheworld.com
26 Mar 2010 at 8:48 PM 41. Cogsworthy
You claim that it is an Irish-American phenomenon, however up in the six counties Catholics drink Jameson and Prod-Brits drink Bushmills – there is even a bit of violence attached to it.
Spose its kinda like Rangers (hoik-phew) and Celtic FC really.
Polarised.
30 Mar 2010 at 5:51 AM 42. Bobby
Bushmills does not, to my certain knowledge, employ Catholics as certain industries/companies are, let us say, ‘reserved’ for one tribe or another in the Black North. It is the oldest licensed distillery by 200 years and was once owned by a Belfast barman who – get this – was a teetotaller and secretly wrote religous tracts damning the Demon Drink!
Jameson’s one-time MD (CEO in the USA) was Andrew Jameson. He was, I believe, top dog in the Orange Order: the vehemently anti-Catholic organization whose best-known figure is the frightening demagogue the Rev. Ian Paisley MP, Euro MP and MLA; universally known ‘Doctor No’.
31 Mar 2010 at 10:56 AM 43. Jack
Funny. Shortly after reading this post I dropped by Mortons to see a bartender friend.
He said, “Shot?”
I go, “Any Irish Whiskey will do”
“You will love this stuff.” -as he grabbed the Red Breast off the shelf.
I did love it.
31 Mar 2010 at 11:08 AM 44. Andrew
Bobby,
To my certain knowledge and as am employee of Bushmills (and a Catholic by birth, but an atheist by choice), you are entirely mistaken.
Nevermind the fact that it would be illegal in UK law. We don’t live in the dark ages anymore, though clearly prejudice and ignorance persist…
Andrew
07 Apr 2010 at 9:09 PM 45. Austin
Jeffrey: Your site is awesome!
There’s a scene in season 3 of The Wire that went right over my head: McNulty asks the bartender for a Jameson, and the bartender asks “is Bushmill’s ok?” McNulty comes back with “aw, that’s Protestant whiskey!” Grudgingly, he accepts, but asks for it “neat”. That’s where I paused it and jumped on to google to figure out exactly what “neat” meant, which lead me to this article of yours:
http://www.jeffreymorgenthaler.com/2008/up-neat-straight-up-or-on-the-rocks/
Then I spent another 20 minutes clicking around at random on your site, and then I ended up at this article, neatly explaining the first part of the joke.
My hat is off to you, for your spookily informative collection of posts.
20 Apr 2010 at 8:58 PM 46. Bobby
Redbreast is my favorite but I only buy a bottle or so a year. I generally have several bottles of Irish on hand. Right now Redbreast, Bushmills 10yr Single malt ( drinking neat as I type), Jameson and Michael Collins Blend. I am also a fan of Tullemore and Black Bush. Though I like all of the ones mentioned above more. For a blend, I am really impressed with the Michael Collins. Never been a fan of the Powers.
To comment on a few posts above: I am of Irish descent and remember hearing the “Protestant Whiskey” comments as a kid growing up in New England(I am 50 now). Also, I understand that corned beef and cabbage is not a traditional Irish meal but it is a traditional Irish American Meal, particularly in the North East. I serve it in Texas to my St. Patrick’s day guests and several times a year otherwise.
A few years ago during a trip to Ireland we had dinner at the home of some relatives. We were served……corned beef and cabbage with California wine and a shot of Paddy cut with Bailey’s after dinner. Memories…
21 May 2010 at 8:22 PM 47. Marty
The make up of the folks who work at Bushmills reflects the religous makeup of Northern Ireland – roughly 40% Roman Catholic. The Master Distiller, Colum Eagan, is indeed a Catholic himself and comes from Co. Laois in ROI. The 1608 license is not “marketing shite”, but did refer to the area of the town of Bushmills. there was thought to be up towards 25 distilleries in this town at one time. Many of these came from the grain mills along the Bush River, where the current distillery stands today. The big difference between the two whiskies has nothing to do with religion, which is silly and, in some respects, rather ignorant. Jameson is a blended potstill whiskey (malted + Unmalted grain blended with grain whiskey). Bushmills is produced from 100% malted barley and grain whiskey (which it receives from the Midleton Distillery in Co. Cork where Jameson is made). For this reason, Bushmills has a bigger flavor, while Jameson has a much lighter flavor. Upon this one should decide which whiskey they prefer, and not upon any religous matter. It is about the spirit in the bottle, not in a church. This kind of stupidity makes us look like clowns in the eyes of most real Irish.
22 May 2010 at 6:10 AM 48. Kevin Erskine
Marty D. Is that you? Still in Ireland?
22 May 2010 at 9:37 AM 49. Marty
Yes, it is me and I have returned.
14 Jun 2010 at 6:52 PM 50. holly jackson
red breast is my favorite single pot still whisky!! best bang for your buck for a sipping whisky.
09 Jul 2010 at 3:05 AM 51. Davy
Hi and i take my hat off to Rob Mchardy answer 34..more people should be like you and the world would be a nicer place,anyway there is only one kind of whisky,the answer is in the spelling.
31 Aug 2010 at 9:11 AM 52. Jack
Another tip of the hat to answer #34.
Having just visited Ireland, I spent time in both the north and the ROI. I even stayed in what was one of the hotbed cities during the troubles.
Never once was I presented with a this is the north, or this is Ireland like many seem to believe in the States.
To those who want to talk about Catholic vs Protestant issues, at least go visit the country before assuming anything.
I am still cradling my Bushmills 12 yr Distillery Reserve Whiskey. What a great treat.
27 Oct 2010 at 4:17 PM 53. Dick Choke
In the tv show “The Wire” McNulty made a comment about not drinking that “fucking Protesant whiskey” when asked by Bunk why he always drank Jameson’s.
05 Feb 2011 at 8:24 PM 54. Rich
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X85N-43REag
13 Apr 2011 at 6:37 PM 55. Rabble Rouser
I was born in West Belfast and I can tell you, that most Catholics prefer Jameson’s.
I’ve been to the area that Bush Mill’s in manufactured and it’s total UFV territory.
If they do in fact have a Catholic Master Distiller, he is probably just the token worker.
20 Jun 2011 at 5:49 AM 56. Dean
This must be one of the most pointless debates I have seen in a long time.
I grew up in a so-called Protestant area in west County Down where nobody really cares what you are. I still live there.
I sincerely doubt that there are too many Irish Catholics who care about the religion attached to what they drink. There will always be a few zealots who do, but from my knowledge, both Bushmills and Jamesons are enjoyed by people of both faiths.
Rabble Rouser, Bushmills is not ‘total UFV (sic) territory’ in the slightest. It is true to say it is an almost exclusively Protestant village, but otherwise it is a quiet rural area on a picturesque coastline, visited annually by thousands of tourists from both side of the divide. It was largely untouched by the Troubles and paramilitaries. I could be fairly sure the master distiller was hired because he was good at distilling whiskey and not because they needed to hire a Catholic. Utter nonsense.
This works in the same way that Protestants love their Guinness just as much as Roman Catholics – in fact, I know a lot of Catholics who never drink the stuff. Both sides here will gradually realise that they have more in common with each other than they do with folk in ROI or England, that’s been my experience.
Drink is one thing that unites Ireland – it is shocking to see that some, primarily in the US, try to politicise it. The overwhelming majority of people in Ireland just want to get on with their lives, as they have always done and forget about this petty conflict.
20 Jun 2011 at 10:38 AM 57. Marty
Dean – well said!
13 Aug 2011 at 2:41 PM 58. Jim O'Dhalaigh
Terrific reading. History matters — which is why the Catholic/Protestant thing is relevant. Fact: the worst atrocities in the Irish struggle for freedom were perpetrated by the Irish on each other — and were not likely fueled by religious affiliation but the politics of the time. In true Irish US tradition, my son is a cop and we will drink any Irish whiskey — all of which are superior to Scotch.
21 Sep 2011 at 7:07 PM 59. Fred
I noticed a little uncertainty about spelling in the story. “Whiskey” is Irish, whatever brand (or religion), followed by Americans (as in bourbon whiskey etc.). “Whisky” is Scotch, followed by Canada.
22 Sep 2011 at 2:25 PM 60. danny boy
As an irish american raised in an irish roman catholic family I can say this:
Those of us that still drink enjoy guinness as our beer
Irish for the whiskey
Potatoes for supper
Love a pleanty
And as our clan motto states “commit thy work to god”
So have a pint, pull, prayer, and let’s party.
22 Sep 2011 at 9:04 PM 61. Marty
The spelling of whisk(e)y is actually a bit up in the air as far as that pesky “e” goes. Not all American or Irish whiskies spell the word with an “e”…like Maker’s Mark, George Dickel, Old Forester, Early Times or Paddy spell the word w-h-i-s-k-y. However, it is generally accepted that the catagory, as a whole, is spelt that way as well.
26 Sep 2011 at 8:15 AM 62. Seán Ó Ceallacháin
Though Jameson is currently distilled in lovely Cork, it was actually founded and first distilled in Dublin. As a proud Corkonian, I feel the need to set the record straight.
25 Dec 2011 at 10:03 AM 63. Eamonn
I prefer the taste of Bushmills as it’s smoother where Jameson is a sharper taste.
And it really is an Irish American thing to take to finding out which is protestant and catholic lol.
I can guarantee no one here in Dublin or Ireland gives a crap either way.
12 Jan 2012 at 1:04 PM 64. Matt
If you are not an active Catholic or Protestant.
You wouldn’t really understand the depth of the situation.
If you don’t beleive in god the whole situation would appear ridiculous. I’m an American Catholic raised in the bible belt, West Virginia to be exact. West Virginia is the only U.S state where you can legally handle venomous serpents to prove your faith. Most protestant in my area have a real problem with Catholics. My wife’s grandmother an active protestant would not let me in her house due to my faith. I don’t know about Ireland, but in some parts of the U.S there still major problems.
13 Jan 2012 at 11:27 AM 65. Eamonn
The situation is ridiculous. Get over it and drink what you feel. And I obviously know alot about it being from Ireland and the horrific scenes of the troubles. Car bombs, kidnappings, murders, protests, etc. I think it’s alot worse than some backward hick town in yankeeville. lol
13 Jan 2012 at 1:39 PM 66. Matt
Eamonn, I thought all that was in the past and your country moved on? I must have been misinformed. I do drink whatever. My post was simple stating that the problem still exists. I can see you have been horribly scared by the conflict. You are a great person to forgive and forget the horrible crime that were personal committed against you. I do live in a Hicktown. The good news is I don’t have to worry about car bomb in Hicktown. Good luck and god bless Hun.
14 Jan 2012 at 4:50 AM 67. Jim O'Dhalaigh
@Eamonn: always good to hear from a Dubliner. Love Black Bush but Jameson’s Gold Reserve gets my vote as the very best I’ve had. Powers is my number one as the “every day” Irish whiskey of choice.
@Matt: sorry to hear about religious intolerance in West Virginia but this is a discussion about the distilling history of Irish whiskey, not moonshine.
29 Jan 2012 at 1:50 AM 68. Corvallisbarman
Jameson has distilled fine Irish malt which has been then sold to Bushmills to use as a blend all of the way through the most controversial of times of Irish English relations to current. Ireland is %110 united in whiskey.
31 Jan 2012 at 9:19 AM 69. Martin
Corvallisbarman is half right. It is Bushmills that supplies single malt (The Old Bushmills Distillery is the only one of the three in Ireland that distills only triple distilled single malt whiskey, while the Midleton Distillery produces grain & pure potstill spirit and Cooley produces double distilled single malt, grain & potstill), as well as doing the bottling for Jameson, Powers & Paddy’s (All from Midleton, along with Red Breast, Greenspot & Tullamore Dew). In return, Bushmills receives grain whiskey from both Midleton & Cooley. The three also exchange used casks, when need be, if they have extra. There is a rivalry, to be sure, but it is all about business, and not about religion.
01 Feb 2012 at 7:00 AM 70. Cyn
Anyone try Kilbeggan Irish Whiskey? As of late, it’s been my favorite — it has rich barley notes that leave my palate craving more. Jameson is always a great go-to, easy and smooth. Redbreast IS great for sipping (especially for the price) and Powers Gold is fine too. If you guys can get your hands on Kilbeggan, it will not disappoint…I only recently discovered it and thought I’d share. Sweeter, rich with barley, and perfect with one ice cube. Cheers!
01 Feb 2012 at 8:58 AM 71. Martin
I had the 15yr old Kilbeggan during a visit at the Cooley distillery a few years back, and it was damn tasty. Not sure if it is available outside of Ireland, but if you can, get a hold of a bottle.
09 Mar 2012 at 11:08 AM 72. jay
not one mention of Michael Collins?
sheesh….
09 Mar 2012 at 3:18 PM 73. Martin
Michael Collins is a newcomer to the market place. About 5 or 6 years ago they flooeded Irish bars with it just before St. Paddy’s Day,almost forcing bars to sell off a lot of free stock they received. Produced at Cooley for Sidney Frank, it appears to have been geared mainly for the American market. Very sweet (like the inside of a burnt marshmellow). Have heard that Jim Beam (the new owners of the Cooley distillery) may discontinue production on contracted whiskies such as this in order to focus squarely on putting Kilbeggan up against Jameson, Bushmills & Tullamore Dew. However, this is just a rumor, but I did hear it from a pretty reliable source in the industry back in Ireland.
16 Mar 2012 at 2:38 PM 74. Dave Clark
I just brought some Tyrconnell 10-year port cask aged home from duty free – it is delicious.
18 Mar 2012 at 6:11 AM 75. The Highlander
Jameson, Bushmills, Tullemore, Red Breast, Powers…
Well, being of Scots-descent, I’ll take one of each.
19 Mar 2012 at 6:50 PM 76. Foinah Jameson
This is wayyyy late, and I apologize, but the record needed to be set straight.
Right.
But…
It was the anti-Catholic hiring practices that Bushmills employed in Northern Ireland that fueled the snub.
Catholics represented the “unstable Republican persona” and therefore the company hired few people from the catholic areas. Trust me on this.
While John Jameson was most likely a Protestant, his distillery in Dublin represented the “Free State” mentality and did not suffer from bigoted hiring practices.
It all comes down to politics in the grand scheme of things, be you Yank or Paddy. However, it’s all moot now as the French reap the profits in the end ;-)
Cheers.
20 Mar 2012 at 7:06 AM 77. Colm McCullagh
Foinah…You nailed it. The town of Bushmills is a black hole.
25 Mar 2012 at 6:41 PM 78. Patrick Collen
With regard to Powers Gold Label: I bought a bottle last week after reading about how decent a drink it was. In my opinion, it’s one of the blandest, albeit smoothest, whiskeys I’ve tasted. You’d be hard to convince me it is 40 proof, much less 80. The cheap Evan Williams Black Label at half the price (in the USA)has more taste and more of a ‘kick’. Granted, I don’t mix my whiskey with Coke or Ginger Ale, so perhaps I’m missing the best “presentation” of Powers Gold Label.
27 Mar 2012 at 11:55 AM 79. Jeffrey Morgenthaler
Patrick – Irish whiskey tends to be a lighter style of whiskey than Scotch or American whiskies, but that doesn’t mean it’s necessarily lower in quality.
07 Apr 2012 at 11:44 AM 80. G mac
I would wager that half the comments are from people that have never been to Ireland–if I drink vodka does this make me a communist -no! so stop bringing religion into alcohol–drink what you like and leave the bigotry at the door–if people spent a few hours getting to know each other over a drink we wouldn’t have half the discrimination we have today.
27 Jun 2012 at 11:10 AM 81. JZ Murdock
I’ve been a big fan of Jamesons for many years, first drinking it when I was younger. I tried Bushmills a couple of years ago and was surprised to find I liked it a lot, too. Redbreast was a recent taste and I liked that a lot.
This is an interesting thread and I have a few more now to try.
As for the religious differences, it’s always been easier for those not in the mess (in the US, England) to say and perpetuate things over that of those who have to suffer the views and manipulations of outsiders.
I was raised Catholic by my mother after the parents divorced when I was three. I grew up thinking I was half Czech and half Irish Catholic. I remember back in my younger days hearing of the Troubles and feeling for those involved and I felt mostly for the Catholics. I no longer consider myself Catholic, btw.
In later years I looked more into my family history and came to realize that my Father’s family were local Baptists and my Mother’s were Czech Catholics. So, I figured then maybe I was Protestant Irish?
Talk about confused. All in all meaning, were I to have gone to Ireland to visit, my relatives would probably have been more confused than was I.
18 Jul 2012 at 11:19 PM 82. Rob Lowrie
I must say I enjoyed reading this thread, and I had no intention of posting until I reached #58.
** TONIGHT!! **
In side-by-side STEEL CAGES!!
CATHOLICISM vs PROTESTANTISM!! and IRELAND vs SCOTLAND!!
What scotches have you tried?
There are some amazing ones, FYI, I will leave it at that.
Oh, and as your average American that enjoys the brown, I contend that my enjoyment of scotch does not come at the expense of the Irish, Kentuckians, Tennesseeans or even Canadians!
As an American, am I being disloyal to Scotland when I drink Jameson’s? …I drink it often ;)
19 Jul 2012 at 4:43 AM 83. Jim O'Dhalaigh
@Rob: my scotch comment was “tongue-in-cheek”. Prefer the Irish whiskey’s but never met a single malt I didn’t savor. Really liked Knockando but I haven’t seen it around in some time. Slainte’
03 Aug 2012 at 12:21 AM 84. Bob Zed
Jameson is the Catholic whiskey, Bushmills is the Protestant one, despite the efforts of the Bushmills PR department to spin it otherwise. Bushmills, which refused to hire Catholics for many years has been actively trying to recruit Catholic employees of late, because the pay a wee tax penalty for lack of diversity in their workforce.
18 Oct 2012 at 2:39 PM 85. Darragh
1 pint of stout and a half’un of Jameson.. Argument ended..
04 Nov 2012 at 10:21 PM 86. Joshua
I’ve enjoyed most Irish whiskey I’ve sampled, including Power’s, Tully, and Bushmill’s. But I must say my absolute preference is Jameson 18 yr old. Yes it is a bit heavier than most Irish whiskey, but I appreciate the depth and nuanced flavors. I’m a man who likes to know what he is drinking. And to those who don’t know, that hint of bourbon flavor comes from the fact that Jameson’s is aged in used American bourbon barrels as are most Irish whiskeys. Bourbon distillers only use barrels once, as the liquor gets its distinct flavor and color from the oak. Irish whiskeys obtain much of their flavor and color from the coating left inside the barrel from the bourbon aging process. As most Irish distillers use their barrels more than once, the color and bourbon flavor is thinned a bit once blended. As Jameson only uses the bourbon barrels once, the color and flavor is more reminiscent of American bourbon. Class dismissed.
06 Nov 2012 at 4:51 PM 87. Regis Martin
Good evening All,
Not sure this is the right spot, but an Irish colleague and I, had this debate last week around Bushmills v Jameson in an Irish pub, here in New York.
I am definitively a black bush person but I was mentioning that while spending a lot of time in Ireland back in 1998, I saw, while visiting the Bushmills’ distillery, cartons of Jameson bottles on the bottling chain.
And I was not drunk !!! as the visit was ending up with only 3 tiny plastic glasses – half full.
Does anyone know why these bottles were over there ?
Any particular reason why in 1998-1999 Bushmills would have distilled of at least bottle up for Jameson ?????
10 Nov 2012 at 12:54 AM 88. Martin
In 1998 Bushmills was part of IDL, which owned all the whiskies coming out of Ireland with the excpetion of the few from Cooley. To this day, even though IDL sold the Bushmills distillery to Diageo a number of years ago, the bottling facility at Bushmills still handles some of the bottling of Jameson, Powers & Paddy’s. This is part of a long standing agreement from the old IDL days. Bushmills also provides single malt for Powers, while Midleton (where many of teh Irish whiskies are produced) provides grain whiskey for the Bushmills blends. It is all quite harmonious between the distilleries.
07 Jan 2013 at 12:16 PM 89. William Riley
Although I prefer my BUSHMILLS
neat, I take Jameson if Bushmills is not available.
I ‘rag on” about “political whisky” to those who are “green ” only on the 17th and 18th of March….Hell, I even
wear my orange on St. Patrick’s
and my green on July 12th. The fun is is teasing those who do not know/care to understand.
I have even concocted a drink for St. Patrick’s day,. It is calles an ORANGEMAN…has nothing to do with Syracuse University….
In a TALL glass….one shot of
TRIPLE SEC, 2 shots of BUSHMILLS,
top off with chilled pulpy orange juice, AND stir lightly ..
you may add crushed ice if you desire
William Riley
07 Feb 2013 at 7:12 AM 90. Theo macConnell Jr.
William Riley, well said, man. Contrary and challenging to the end- does this not sum up the Celtic spirit, whatever its origin or leaning?
An Italian friend, when introduced to the term ‘Uiske Beatha’ thought the word was ‘bad water’ and now refers to it as Aqua Sporca or ‘dirty water’. I’ve tried to correct his misinterpretation but he thinks his name is funnier. What can one expect from people who prefer grappa to the true ‘Water of Life’?
17 Mar 2013 at 6:53 PM 91. I_Fortuna
I completely understand what Matt is saying regarding religious intolerence. (Ref. post number 66). I live in a small town in Texas, I am Catholic and I am treated as if I am a leper. There is only one Catholic church in my town the rest are Baptist or other protestant. My mother, an Irish protestant spoke hatred against the Catholics. These ideas still run deep and there are still a lot of untrue things people believe about Catholics. Mostly only Catholics or the nonreligious drink here. Period. There are many places in the States where old ideas hold fast including the brand of Ouisge Beatha you drink. Just setting the record straight. I am for Bushmills especially sprinkled over banana bread. : )
09 Apr 2013 at 5:35 PM 92. Thomas O'Brien
I am not surprised that this thread is 6 years old and still going strong. I’ve worked my way through nearly all the brands mentioned here and yet consistently return to my beloved Jameson 12 neat. Powers is for shooting, some of the swill mentioned here is OK for mixing and when I want a little variety, I go for a double Connemara 12 — never get tired of the peated smoothness and wonderful finish. A friend of mine hooked me on “Jerry’s Drink” which is 1 part Jameson 12, 1 part Irish Mist and a quick splash of 7-up or Sprite. Delicious!
30 Apr 2013 at 10:28 PM 93. Joe Lochte
Several years ago, I worked in Bulgaria and a couple of other Balkan republics; and found to my surprise that Irish Whiskey is somewhat popular there, though far outpaced by the ubiquitous Balkan hard liquors Rakija and Mastika. However, the only brand of Irish I ever saw in the Balkans was Tullamore Dew. And it was always welcomed as a special Balkan business bestowal, to grease whatever wheels needed turning.
02 May 2013 at 6:54 AM 94. Martin
I believe that Germany is the largest market for Tullamore Dew, followed by many of the Eastern European countries. Though Bushmills is the #2 Irish whiskey in the U.S., Tullamore Dew is #2 Irish whiskey (after Jameson) worldwide, so not too surprising that you would see it most places. You may see the Co. Offaly whiskey grow even more now that William Grant & Sons owns it, and will be building the new distillery soon. Though it is good to remember that Bushmills & Jameson were selling about even worldwide up until the mid/late 1990s, before Pernod decided to put all of its eggs in the Jameson basket. Still enjoy the Black Bush and the Bushmills 16yr.