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Dublin Chapter: From Bow Street To Brian: Meet the Distiller of our National Drink

When
27 Oct 2016
8:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Location
Wynn's Hotel, 39 Abbey Street Lower, Dublin 1
Spaces left
36

Registration

Member Ticket – €20.00
Special price for members
Non-Member Ticket – €30.00

Registration is closed

The history of Irish whiskey is long, diverse, and as full of spirited characters as it has been with characterful spirits. And If there’s one name that runs like a bold lettered watermark across that same liquid timeline, it is undeniably John Jameson, and it’s a national tragedy that in the short history of our society, we’ve never once invited its master distiller Brian Nation to Dublin. From the raucous 18^th century cradle of commercial distilling to the Victorian golden age of old Dublin Pot Still on to the category’s slim 20^th century survival then to its modern reawakening, the Bow Street classic has been right at the heart of our dear distillate’s story and it’s only fair that our tribute to that heritage be just as central to our calendar this year. To that end, it is our absolute pleasure to invite Brian Nation to “speak to the nation” for the third in our centennial program of four landmark tastings in honour of Dublin’s “Big Four” distilleries that dominated fine distilling at the time of the Easter Rising.

With the Bank of Ireland under his directorship and with plenty of imperial profits flowing in from the prestige of the family brand, it should surprise nobody that Andrew Jameson was actually a lifelong unionist. When the fighting broke out, his Bow Street distillery, like its rivals on Marrowbone Lane and (very briefly) Thomas Street, was also occupied by the Irish Volunteers, but despite his politics, the rebels seem to have done little damage to the place other than breaking into Andrew’s office and smoking his cigars. (Bizarrely enough, Jameson later wrote a letter to his nationalist opponents complimenting them on their taste!) Whatever his views on an Irish state, Jameson’s liquor has long continued to lead the charge of Ireland’s liquid revival and today sits at the dead centre of one of the most impressive spirits portfolios in the world. Finding time to distill Redbreast, Powers, Midleton Very Rare, and an ever expanding range of blends and single pot stills, present day IDL Distiller Brian Nation is still the silent guardian of our island’s best selling spirit. Whatever treats he has in store for us from that enormous range (thankfully no one had to break into the place this time), it is in that capacity, and in honour of that tremendous legacy, that we invite him now for our IWS toast to Bow Street and its history. Early booking advised as this is expected to be a sell out event.

Doors open at 7:30pm and the tasting will commence at 8pm.

Whiskeys Tasted

Midleton VR 2016 abv 40%

Barry Crockett Legacy abv 46%

Midleton Dair Ghaelach Tree 9 abv 58.2%

CWS Midleton Single Cask 2001 abv

Redbreast 12 abv 40%

Lustau Sherry abv

Redbreast Lustau Finish abv 46%