It's a question set to exercise more minds than a certain election - is whiskey or chocolate your number one preference for indulgence?
Following on from the Irish Whiskey Society's groundbreaking whiskey and cheese matching evening last year, we proudly present our latest coalition dream team - whiskey and chocolate.
Together with our good friend David Wright, master chocolatier with Lily O'Brien's, the society proudly presents a special Valentine-themed tasting for the month of February.
What better way is there to consider your voting options than by exercising your democratic right to enjoy the best of Irish whiskey matched with the finest of Lily O'Brien's artisan chocolates?
Whiskeys & Chocolates
Whiskey & Chocolate Matches
Votes are for favourite match
- Locke's 10yo Premier Crew Brazilian Orange (12 votes)
- Tyrconnell 10yo Port Finish Vanilla Chocolate Truffle (8)
- Glenmorangie Nectar D'Or Apricot Sensation (2)
- Irishman Single Malt Sherry Finish Coffee Toffee (6)
- Bruichladdich Valinch Key Lime Pie (6)
- Laphroaig Quarter Cask Raspberry - (3)
The seventh sample was Coole Swan Irish Cream Liqueur which contains both Irish whiskey and Belgian chocolate!
Order of preference of the chocolates alone, as voted by those present:
- Key Lime Pie (16 votes)
- Brazilian Orange (9)
- Coffee Toffee (9)
- Vanilla Chocolate Truffle (4)
- Raspberry (3)
- Apricot Sensation (0)
Whiskeys
As usual, we voted for our favourite whiskey of the night. Number of votes and placing are included in the tables below.
1. Locke's 10yo Premier Crew
- ABV 46%
- Age 10
- Type Single malt
- Finish -
- Distillery Cooley
- Region Ireland
- Distilled 10 Feb 2000
- Bottled 07 July 2010
- Votes 6
- Place 4
- Cask number 713
2. Tyrconnell 10yo Port Finish
- ABV 46%
- Age 10
- Type Single malt
- Finish Port cask
- Distillery Cooley
- Votes 13
- Place 1
3. Glenmorangie Nectar D'Or
- ABV 46%
- Age NAS
- Type Single malt
- Finish Sauternes cask
- Distillery Glenmorangie
- Region Highlands
- Votes 0
- Place 6
4. The Irishman Single Malt Sherry Finish
- ABV 56.5%
- Age 12
- Type Single malt
- Finish Sherry cask
- Distillery Bushmills
- Region Ireland
- Votes 6
- Place 4
- Experimental, never released.
5. Bruichladdich Valinch
- ABV 52.5%
- Age 19
- Type Single malt
- Finish Madeira
- Distillery Bruichladdich
- Region Islay
- Distilled 13 June 1991
- Bottle 36 of 400
- Cask number 021
- Votes 8
- Place 2
6. Laphroaig Quarter Cask
- ABV 48%
- Age NAS
- Type Single malt
- Finish Quarter cask
- Distillery Laphroaig
- Region Islay
- Votes 7
- Place 3
7. Coole Swan Irish Cream Liqueur
- ABV 16%
- Type Cream Liqueur
- Region Ireland
A blend of Irish cream, single malt Irish whiskey, Madagascan Bourbon vanilla, Belgian chocolate and Cote d'Ivoire cocoa.
The Coole Swan was outside the normal voting but we did ask who would buy a bottle. About 40 of those present would.
