Let’s imagine someone hands you a glass of an exquisite Irish whiskey like Redbreast 27 Year Old. How should you enjoy it? Neat? With water? Uh … splash of cola?

For this and other Irish whiskey questions, we asked the biggest expert around. We’ve enlisted Kevin O’Gorman to deliver the straight goods on Irish whiskey, continuing the Irish whiskey exploration that we began last month.

Kevin is steeped in Irish whiskey: He started working at Midleton Distillery in 1998 and worked his way up, finally landing the top job at Ireland’s biggest distillery last year. His role now is to protect and continue the storied heritage of legendary brands including Jameson, Powers, the Spot Whiskeys and, yes, Redbreast. (And who wouldn’t love that job?)

Watch the video and enjoy Kevin’s honest, no-blarney take on Irish whiskey.

Ireland produces a lot of great whiskey, from beautifully balanced blends to surprisingly complex single grain whiskeys. Yet for some superfans of Irish whiskey, single pot still will always be the Emerald Isle’s brightest jewel.

Single pot still is robust, it’s complex, and it’s the only kind of whisk(e)y** that can exclusively be made in Ireland. It’s as Irish as a Donegal sweater — and as thick and warming as one, too.

(**Note — we add an “e” when talking about whiskey from Ireland.)

Whether you’re celebrating St. Patrick’s Day or just continuing your never-ending exploration this March, we’re giving Drop Collective members a chance to ask Midleton Master Distiller Kevin O’Gorman a question about Irish whiskey this month — see the end of this article for details. And in the meantime, with some single pot still …

Single pot still: What you need to know

It’s labelled “single” because it’s made at a single distillery. The “pot still” part comes from the fact that the whiskey is distilled in a traditional copper pot kettle (like single malts, bourbons and some Canadian whiskies).

What’s unique for pot still whiskey is the mash bill. It’s at least 95% barley, and at least 30% of the barley must be malted — in other words, soaked and allowed to germinate, and then toasted in a kiln to bring out toasty and nutty flavours.

But the rest of the barley that goes into the still is left “green” or unmalted. This is where single pot still differs from single malt. And it’s where the real fun begins. This handy cheat sheet should help you keep it all straight …

Irish whiskey: the cheat sheet

Most people find the green barley gives single pot still a “bigger” flavour than other Irish whiskeys. You also get some bright, sharp fruity overtones like lemon, apple and pineapple. All in all, these whiskeys pack a wallop. Which makes them ideal for cocktails, too. Try a Redbreast old fashioned and see for yourself.

Speaking of old-fashioned, all Irish whiskey was made this way until the 1950s or so. The style’s been making a comeback recently, thanks in massive part to Redbreast and Green Spot, two brands from the New Midleton Distillery in County Cork.

A few great Irish whiskeys are making some seasonal appearances in Canada for March. At The Drop Collective, a little red birdie tells us there’s something especially special in store this year …

 

Redbreast 27 Year Old arrives in Canada

There’s no better way to fall under the spell of single pot still Irish whiskey than with the oldest permanent expression in the Redbreast range, now arriving in Canada.

Redbreast 27 starts with ripe and exotic fruits on the nose — mango, blood orange, pineapple — along with aromatic, oily herbs and woody spices. Rich and ripe on the palate, it evolves to cherry menthol, nutmeg, toasted oak and more.

This is a complex and special whiskey that really shows off not only the huge flavours that are characteristic of single pot still Irish whiskey, but also the beautiful balance of fruit and wood that a master distiller can achieve by employing a mix of ex-bourbon, sherry and ruby port casks.

Speaking of master distillers …

Ask Kevin (Redbreast Master Distiller Kevin O’Gorman, that is) 

We’re giving Drop Collective members an exclusive opportunity to throw some burning Irish whiskey questions at our man at Midleton, Master Distiller Kevin O’Gorman. Pop a question in the comments section on our Instagram and get ready for some straight talk about Irish whiskey — .

Did you miss our Instagram Live chat with Davin de Kergommeaux and Don Livermore? Get caught up here.

 

In the summer of 2008 or ’09, I found myself in sweltering New Orleans having a friendly but slightly heated conversation with a well-known American spirits and cocktail expert. I was trying (and failing) to persuade him of the greatness of Canadian whisky.

Those of us who love Canadian whisky know that it’s diverse, subtle yet often bold, and more sippable than most skeptics would ever believe. But this American friend had his doubts, and why not? A lot of the really good stuff didn’t leave Canada (yet).

There was “a hardcore group who really got Canadian whisky,” said Davin de Kergommeaux, who has been one of its greatest champions. But that was about it.

The Canadian whisky bandwagon has filled up a lot since then. In 2009 de Kergommeaux founded the Canadian Whisky Awards. They were a much smaller affair back then. Around the same time, he released his first book on Canadian whisky, the predecessor to Canadian Whisky: The New Portable Expert.

Sales are up and awards are showering down from home and abroad. But it still seems like Canadian whisky isn’t getting every last drop of the respect it deserves. So on Feb. 3, the Drop Collective invited me to host an Instagram Live conversation with de Kergommeaux and Don Livermore, Master Blender at Hiram Walker, to ask: What do people still need to know about Canadian whisky?

The overall message: The future is even brighter than the present. But if Canadian whisky is going to gain the recognition it truly deserves, it still needs champions.

It’s going to take all of us. If we focus on Canadian whisky’s many virtues, we can combat the rampant myths and misunderstandings that hold it back. (Don’t even get Don and Davin started on neutral grain spirits — not a drop is allowed to be used in Canadian whisky.)

If you want to be a Canadian whisky champion, here are three big messages to spread:

1.Canadian whisky is amazingly diverse

One way to engage the world’s whisky geeks is to encourage them to experience the massive range of flavours. On one hand, there are bold and spicy rye-forward whiskies like Lot 40 18 Year Old Cask Strength — which de Kergommeaux compared to biting into a loaf of artisan rye bread and which will be available to Drop Collective members in an exclusive draw.

On the other hand, you can delve into rich, fruity sherry-flavoured confections like Pike Creek 22 Year Old Pedro Ximenez Cask Finish. (Both were gold medal winners at the 2022 Canadian Whisky Awards, incidentally.)

And, of course, there’s a lot in between.

2.Special occasion’-grade Canadian whisky is definitely a thing

Canadian whisky has no better calling card abroad than complete bangers that any whisky snob would have to admit are superbly crafted. Take the Canadian Whisky Award-winning J.P. Wiser’s Red Letter Distillery Edition, a 15-year-old that Livermore said has “woody flavours that come through, and you get the nice vanilla toasted oak.”

Connoisseurs abroad have picked up the scent. “We’ve now started to get requests from overseas to have special, rare releases of Canadian whisky, which I never saw up to four or five years ago,” Livermore said. A new Wiser’s expression is in the works for Sweden, for example. In the meantime, France’s La Maison du Whisky requested a special release, and Wiser’s obliged with J.P. Wiser’s Smaller Hero.

So the good news is that the word is out, and foreigners can now enjoy top-shelf Canadian whisky. Now if you want to collect ’em all, you’ll need a friend in France.

3.Canadian whisky is great for sipping

Go ahead and pour it neat. Sit by the fireside. Enjoy.

If you’re confronted with a skeptical bourbon drinker and you want to make a convert, follow de Kergommeaux’s advice and just invite them to try it: “Why don’t you sit down after this and taste some Lot 40 Dark Oak?” he tells people, figuring that the bigger, bolder brother of the original Lot 40 makes a persuasive argument for bourbon fans.

“Believe me, when people taste that, they’re going to taste things they’ve never tasted before,” he said.

Many of the most influential foreign drinks magazines and whisky critics have come aboard the Canadian whisky bandwagon — thanks, in some cases, to de Kergommeaux’s personal efforts at whisky fests and events.

Remember that American drinks expert I couldn’t persuade with words? He saw the light after the liquid touched his lips. Then he wrote a positive blurb for de Kergommeaux’s book, acknowledging that Canadian whisky is more well-crafted and interesting than it’s usually given credit for.

In other words we are making converts — one by one.

If you’re not already a Drop Collective member, sign up for our newsletter to make sure you don’t miss out on exclusive live chats, whisky drops and more!

Missed the Instagram Live chat? Watch it here.

Built on a backbone of characteristic Canadian Whisky made from corn – for creaminess, texture and sweetness and rye – for spiciness and depth – Pike Creek provides a canvass perfect for exploring the impact of barrel finishing a whisky. Building upon successful barrel finishes in the past, including the preceding Pike Creek 21YO Oloroso Cask Finish which won Canadian Whisky of the Year at the 2020 Canadian Whisky Awards, Dr. Don Livermore has continued his exploration of sherry styles with a finish in sweet Pedro Ximénez (PX) casks. This limited edition whisky combines rich dark fruit flavours from the cask with green apple and vanilla notes from the whisky for a truly decadent experience.

With a palate full of dark fruit and rye spice, Lot No. 40’s 100% Rye is bold and unmistakable. By exploring with unique and unexpected barrel finishes, Dr. Don Livermore is launching the first in a series of Rye Explorations for the brand. This inaugural release compliments this distinctive rye profile with an equally unmistakable finish – Peated Quarter Casks. Previously containing a peated single malt whisky from Scotland, these barrels bring a distinct peaty, smoky element to the whisky. With consumers seeking bigger, bolder whisky expressions, Dr. Don has combined two of the most sought after – rye whisky and peated single malts. Bottled at cask strength, this limited-edition whisky is sure to delight those whisky connoisseurs seeking something new and interesting to delight their palate.

There are three core truths about Lot No. 40, it is always: 100% rye, pot distilled and aged in new American oak. By abiding by these principles, Dr. Don Livermore, Master Blender at Hiram Walker & Sons Distillery, created Lot No. 40 Dark Oak, a bigger, bolder expression of this beloved rye whisky.

This whisky starts its life as core Lot 40 – 100% rye, pot distilled and aged in new American oak. However, in order to deliver a richer and bolder taste profile, Dr. Don Livermore drained the whisky from the barrels after aging, and placed it in a second new oak barrel, this time heavily charred (char no, 4).

Did you know? These barrels are often used in making bourbon and are known as ‘alligator char’ from the appearance of the inside of the barrel. This technique imparts even more barrel influence with additional notes of vanilla and toasted sugar, as well as a darker colour. This bold whisky is then bottled at 48% ABV (vs. 43% for core Lot 40) for a full flavoured taste experience.

Since its release, this expression has received a lot of attention and praise for its excellence. It was even coined the World’s Best Rye Whisky of 2021 at the World’s Whiskies Award beating our rye whiskies from the United States, Australia, Germany, England, Denmark and Ireland.

For more information on where to purchase, please contact your local liquor provider.