One advantage I have in my career – and believe me, I thank my lucky stars every day for my good fortune in this regard – is that I travel a lot. And when I do travel, I get to visit the greatest bars in the world and spend time picking the brains of the world’s greatest bartenders.
The most recent drink to grace our cocktail list is the result of my travels.
Taking inspiration from many sources, my initial interest in bitter, sour and sweet with a distinctly tropical bent was taken directly from the ever-brilliant Giuseppe Gonzalez and his now-famous Trinidad Sour.
While I, and the rest of the world, was taken by the combination of bitter, herbal, sweet flavors, it never really struck me as a an extensible sort of drink style until I came across Andrew Bohrer’s amaro-based Mai Tai variation called the “Elena’s Virtue”. Now here was a drink with legs, and a hint of what was to come in the world of cocktails, in my humble opinion.
But what New York and Seattle do well, San Francisco often does better, and usually with a lot more Fernet Branca, and that’s the conversation I had with Josh Harris while competing in the Domaine de Canton finals in St. Maarten this spring. And after tasting his simple concoction of ginger liqueur, pineapple and Fernet Branca I knew it was time for me to get my feet wet and try my hand at the herbal tropical sour.
The result has been a smash hit at the bar, as it very much follows in the style of our restaurant bar, a reflection of the crafted European style of cooking that emerges from the kitchen on a nightly basis. In other words, earthy, sour, herbal flavors do very, very well where we work.
Put all of this together, throw in a desire to explore the dusty, neglected bottle of Drambuie, and an early morning racking one’s brain to come up with a drink name (the original intent was Brixton Club) and a star was born:
Kingston Club
1½ oz Drambuie
1½ oz pineapple juice
¾ oz lime juice
1 tsp Fernet Branca
3 dashes Angostura bitters
Shake ingredients with ice and finish with 1 oz soda water. Strain mix over fresh ice into a chilled collins glass and garnish with an orange twist.
A side project, an experiment or just a simple curiosity that turned into a delicious phenomenon that we're still serving to much delight at our bar, barrel aged cocktails explore the gentle manipulation of a drink's flavors over time. This post details the inspiration, the history and the methods behind my barrel aged cocktails.
My problem with homemade tonic water has always been a flavor profile that was too esoteric for the general audience. This recipe takes some of the positive qualities people have come to understand from commercial tonic water and updated them with fresh ingredients.
Turned off by the glop you find in the grocery store, and unable to endure another long egg and cream whipping session, I set out to build an egg nog recipe from the ground up that retained the character of the orginal formula, was easy to make in a few minutes at home or at the bar, and tasted absolutely delicious. See if you agree with the result.
One question I'm often asked is "Do you have any drink-related book recommendations?" Well, funny you should ask, I've compiled a list of the ten books every professional bartender or home mixologist should own. I keep every one of these close at hand and have read most of them several times. I suggest you do the same.
The problem with living in Oregon is the absence of little wooden shacks by the sea that sell cases of fresh ginger beer stacked on back porches. But with some readily-available ingredients, a recipe I've been revising for several years - and a few free minutes - I can easily transport myself to a little fishing boat on the ocean as I sip a Dark and Stormy made with fresh, house-made ginger beer.
It's always mojito season somewhere, so this advice is timely in your area about half the year. Wether you're making them or simply enjoying them, this advice will help you look like a pro in no time at all.
The flavors of the Richmond Gimlet are imbued with sunshine. Fresh mint mingling with the herbaceousness of gin and the tartness of lime have made this drink a Eugene classic for many years now.
You'll get a lot of snarky advice on this site about how to make a proper drink, but if you ever need to know what not to do, this is the video for you.
Not to be confused with the Spanish wine-and-fruit-based alcoholic beverage sangria, sangrita (meaning "little blood") is a traditional accompaniment to a tequila served completo; a non-alcoholic sipper that cleanses the palate between fiery doses of agave.
The world of booze can be mystifying to people that don't work in bars or around alcohol all the time. I hear a lot of assumptions about the industry I'm in that are - much like 90% of what you hear in bars - completely false. Here are a few you've probably heard yourself.
The traditional garnish for a Pisco Sour is a couple of drops of bitters in the foam, but I've never been particularly impressed with the way these few paltry drops of bitters sat in their little egg-white mattress and didn't play along with the rest of the drink. I envisioned a Pisco Sour with a uniformly-distributed bitters-scorched foam: slightly crisp as the fire burnt the sugars, and slightly warm as the foam insulated the rest of the frosty cocktail from the heat. A pisco creme brulée in a glass!
I get so many visitors looking for tips on how to write a bartending resume that I thought I should finally post a tutorial on how to write your own. Click the headline to read more.
I always love showing up to a party with a gallon jug of pre-mixed margaritas, so I've decided to share my recipe. This margarita recipe is the perfect blend of strong, sweet, and sour. But be warned: this recipe packs a serious punch.
There isn't much I can say about this video that hasn't been said already. If you've read anything I've written about cocktails, you'll understand why this video symbolizes everything wrong with the state of bartending in America today. Watch and learn, but be warned: this one isn't for the feint of heart.
About Me
My name is Jeff Morgenthaler and I'm the head bartender at Clyde Common in Portland, Oregon.
I've been tending bar since 1996 and writing about it since 2004. Mixing drinks has become something of a passion for me in recent years, and I strive 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.
Note: I’m reposting this article from March 27, 2009 for St. Patrick’s Day because, well, it seems appropriate (and easy!) to do so.
Hey Bartender
My South Side Irish Chicago Dad always told me that Jameson was the Catholic whisky and that Bushmills was the whiskey made by “the damn Protestants”. Now this character I met at the bar is trying to tell me it’s the other way around. Help! Who do I believe, the man who raised me, or some drunk I met in a bar? You can see why I am confused.
School Marm
Hey Marm
I was wondering when someone would ask this question. The truth of the matter is, the age-old faux-pas of ordering Bushmills for fear of supporting English aggression and offending the Republic of Ireland is about as Irish as corned beef – which is to say, not very Irish at all but rather Irish-American (Sorry, kids, corned beef is a Jewish invention).
Anyway, both of your sources are wrong, but at least your father got the order right. The widely-accepted Irish-American version is that Jameson is Catholic whiskey and Bushmills is Protestant whiskey. But that’s merely based on geography: Bushmills is from Northern Ireland (a predominantly Protestant region) and Jameson is from Cork – Catholic country.
Jameson was pretty much founded in 1780 when John Jameson – a Scottish guy – purchased the Bow Street Distillery, which at the time was one of the biggest distilleries in Ireland. Now, it’s important to note that the Scottish Reformation occurred in 1560, so odds are in favor of the founder of the Jameson distillery, being Scottish, was a damn Protestant.
Bushmills, on the other hand, was officially licensed in 1608 by King James I (of Bible fame) and despite of its location deep in the heart of Protestant country (and this next bit is straight from my local Bushmills rep, so take it or leave it) has a Catholic as a master distiller.
According to everyone I’ve spoken with on the subject, you only really find this debate in the States, where Irish-American support of the Republic can sometimes be blind and often fueled by the very product we’re speaking of. But none of it means much, anyway: both distilleries are owned by huge international entities: Jameson by French liquor conglomerate Pernod-Ricard, and Bushmills by the English firm Diageo.
As for my preference, I tend to like the lighter Bushmills as it’s the first Irish whiskey I discovered years ago, and I’ve certainly enjoyed my share of Jameson from time to time. But my personal preference is Redbreast, a twelve-year pot still Irish whiskey produced at the Old Midleton Distillery and a real delight to sip while enjoying a late-night Irish breakfast of sausage, egg, pudding and soda bread. Delicious.
Comments
71 Responses to “Ask Your Bartender: Protestant vs. Catholic Whiskey (Repost)”
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!
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…
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.
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.
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?
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.
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?
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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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’.
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:
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.
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.
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.
I absolutely hate it when someone sends me a box full of sex toys in the mail. Sure, it might sound like fun to some of you (you know who you are), but receiving a big box of free sex is much more trouble than it’s worth. Believe me. So I get a [...]
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.