whiskey bible - The Norseman

how to taste whiskey
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bookings! STEP 1: ENJOY
Pour yourself a small measure of whisky. A glass that is narrower at the
top than the bottom is best. Hold it by the stem so as not to warm the
glass. Have a bottle of un-chilled water to hand.
STEP 2: CHECK THE COLOUR
Hold the glass up to the light. Colour doesn’t necessarily reveal age; rather
it indicates how the whiskey was matured. Depending on the particular
whisky, the maturation could have been in casks that once held anything
from Bordeaux to Bourbon. A golden-hued single malt was likely matured
in sherry oak; a very pale whisky may indicate bourbon casks have been
used. But wait a wee while before pronouncing judgement.
STEP 3: LOOK AT THE LEGS
Hold the glass at an angle and rotate it briskly, washing the inside walls
of the glass with whisky. Now hold it upright and watch the liquid forming
the ‘legs’ as it runs down the sides of the glass. Over time, single malts
give up their lightest spirits to the ‘angel’s share’ (evaporation, in other
words). So the slower the legs, the more viscous the liquid - and the older
the whisky. If you can get hold of two or three bottles of varying ages,
you’ll see what we mean.
STEP 4: NOSE THE WHISKEY
Hold your glass at arm’s length then pass it smoothly under your nose,
breathing in deeply through the nose as you do. Think. Imagine. What do
those smells remind you of? Try to remember that ‘signature’. Now pass
the glass back under your nose and repeat the process.
STEP 5: TASTE THE SPIRIT
Form your tongue into a small spoon shape in your mouth. Sip from
the glass, letting the whiskey nestle on your tongue. Try and articulate
aromas and flavours you experience - remembering that they’re complex
and constantly changing.
STEP 6: ADD A LITTLE FRESH WATER
Don’t drown it. Just a few drops should be enough. Swirl the glass - you’ll
find the resulting mixture surprisingly mellow and drinkable. But rather
than gulp, take a small mouthful along with some air. Note all the different
aromatics and subtleties, the universe distilled into a drop of whiskey.
STEP 7: ENJOY
Remember, there are no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ articulations of the aromas and
tastes you experience. So sit back and enjoy the sensations. And then
maybe pour yourself a wee drop more.
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The Norseman Whiskey Bible
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food served from 12 daily Irish Whiskey
Irish Whiskey
Tasting Trays
If you wish to sample a range of different whiskeys we have
made up several different tasting trays.
These trays consist of 3 x 25ml measures.
The Capital €17.50
Teeling Single Malt • Jameson 12 Year • Powers 12 Year
The Rebel €19.00
West Cork 10 Year • Hyde 10 Year • Paddy Centenary
The Pot Still €18.00
Greenspot • Powers Johns Lane • Redbreast 12 Year
The Cask Effect €19.00
Teeling Maderia Cask • Hyde 10 Year Rum Cask
Tyrconnel Port Cask
Whiskeys of the world
Tasting Trays
If you wish to sample a range of different whiskeys we have
made up several different tasting trays.
These trays consist of 3 x 25ml measures.
The Far East €17.50
Nikka All Malt • Kavalan • Armut
The Islay €16.00
Bowmore Small Batch • Laphraoig Select • Lagavulin 16
The Speyside €18.00
Glenlivet Founders • Macallan Amber • Aberlour Abunach
The Highland €17.00
Ardmore • Glengoyne 10 • Oban 14
The Islands €15.00
Scapa • Arran 10 • Talisker 10
Irish whiskeys are often thought to be smooth,
fruity, and triple distilled and many of them are, but
this isn’t the full story. The Irish are widely credited
as being the first to distil whiskey, though this is
strictly contested by the Scots. The Bushmills
distillery, for example, is the world’s oldest licensed
distillery, founded in 1608. The Irish are unique in
their pure pot still whiskey.
Irish single pot still whiskey is a mix of barley,
malted and otherwise, distilled in a pot still. The
unmalted barley proffers a spicy freshness that
one associates with Irish whiskey. Some of the Irish
blends are global successes with Bushmills Original
and Jameson both being notable examples.
There’s also a healthy selection of single malt
expressions, including the majority of the Teeling
range, Tyrconnell and Connemara.
In the last 20 or so years we’ve seen the reintroduction of double distilled single malts and
peated malts, as well as a reinvigorated and now
thriving single pot still Irish whiskey style. There
are also many new distilleries being constructed
as Irish whiskey continues to be the fastest growing
spirits category in the world!
SPEYSIDE
As a style, Speyside whiskies are usually lighter
and sweeter than other Scotch single malts. As
they grow older, they develop body. The Speyside
region has the vast majority of all the Scotch
distilleries, and thus there is a great variation.
Aside from the lighter, honeyed single malts,
there are also a small group of distilleries which
produce a heavily sherried style Speyside whisky.
The Macallan, for example, produce big bodied
drams, The Glenlivet distillery produce the most
classic, typical Speyside drams, and both are
world famous.
Glenlivet Founders Glenlivet 15 Macallan Amber Macallan Gold Aberlour Abunadh €6.50
€10.00
€8.50
€9.50
€12.00
Independent Irish
Teeling Single Malt Teeling Single Grain Teeling Single Cask Maderia Teeling Revival Teeling 21 Year Knappogue Castle 12 Year Knappogue Castle 14 Year Irishman Single Malt Irishman 12 Year Irishman Cask Strength Conemanra Single Malt Connemara 12 Year Connemara 22 Year Hyde Presidents Cask No 1 Hyde Presidents Cask No 2 Hyde 1916 West Cork 10 Year Tipperary 11 Year
Middleton Disitllery
€7.00
€7.00
€10.00
€15.00
€21.00
€7.50
€12.00
€7.50
€8.50
€14.00
€6.50
€11.00
€22.00
€10.00
€10.00
€8.50
€7.00
€10.00
HIGHLAND
The Highlands is a broad appellation, though the whiskies
tend to be full in body. The Highlands is divided into four
regions; Northern Highland whiskies are full, cereal sweet
and rich; Southern Highland whiskies are slightly lighter
with dryness and fruit; Eastern Highland whiskies are full,
dry and very fruity; Western Highland whiskies are full and
pungent with plenty of peat and smoke.
Ardmore Glengoyne 10 Glengoyne 12 Glengoyne 15 Oban 14 €7.50
€8.00
€8.50
€11.00
€10.00
ISLAY
Single malts from Islay tend to be the most pungent and
peaty of all Scotch whiskies. This is particularly true to the
south of the isle, where peat smoke is rife, as is tar and
salinity. Further north there is not quite the peaty intensity;
instead there is often plenty of fruit and refinement. There
is always a good degree of balance, wherever one is on the
isle.
Bowmore Small Batch Lagavulin 16 Laphraoig Select Laphraoig 10 Laphraoig ¼ Cask €6.50
€10.50
€7.50
€8.00
€9.50
Jameson Caskmates Jameson 12 Year Jameson Gold Reserve Jameson Select Reserve Jameson 18 Year Paddy Centenary Powers Johns Lane Powers 12 Year
Powers Signature Release Redbreast 12 Redbreast 12 Cask Redbreast 15 Redbreast 21 Greenspot Yellowspot Middleton Very Rare Middleton Barry Crocket
€7.00
€9.50
€11.00
€9.00
€18.00
€11.50
€11.00
€9.50
€9.50
€9.00
€13.00
€14.00
€21.00
€7.00
€12.00
€18.00
€25.00
ISLANDS
The Islands is a diverse region, though the single malts
are usually rather rich. Smoke is a recurring theme, as is
balance and richness. There is often a good peat, salinity
and counteracting cereal sweetness. There are no hard
and fast rules for the Islands, for the terroir and production
methods differ greatly between distilleries.
Scapa Arran 10 Arran 14 Arran Machrie Moor Talisker 10 €7.50
€7.00
€8.50
€9.50
€8.50
WORLD WHISKEYS
Nikka All Malt Japan Nikka Coffey Malt Japan Kavalan Single Malt Taiwanese Mackmyra Sweedish Penderyn Welsh Armut Indian Crown Royal Canada Woodford Reserve Usa Makers Mark Usa €6.50
€10.00
€10.00
€10.00
€10.00
€10.00
€10.00
€10.00
€10.00