Sherry and whiskey: They’re the original odd couple of the drinking world. It’s been almost three hundred years since the tipples of Ireland and Scotland first fell in love with the used wine casks of Andalusia and they’re still inseparable to this day. Modern classics such as our very own Redbreast or Scotland’s luxurious Speysiders owe their signature tastes to the inspired love song of grain to grape that took place as they aged.
That relationship has grown more complicated over the centuries and has expanded from the original sweet and Oloroso sherries that the Spaniards earmarked for northern export to include a whole range of fortified wines including sherry’s close cousins port and Madeira as well as an ever-expanding gambit of sweet and dry wine finishes. But how well do you really know your classic Oloroso from your Fino or your Pedro Ximenez? Know the difference between port and Madeira fortification? Know what to expect from a vatting of different wine finishes?
To understand the intricacies of that relationship and the balancing act between a whiskey’s intrinsic flavours and the influence of the barrel, our resident chef Trevis Gleason will give us an interesting take on whiskey tasting. Many will know the importance that wood has on Irish whiskey. We all have our favourite casks be they Bourbon, sherry, port, etc.
For this evening in the woods, we'll taste whiskey from the casks as well as the previous occupants of the barrels. Side-by-side we'll sample the former and latter tenants of oak to see what the first fill took from and gave to the wood, then what was passed on to whiskey in turn.
Because, why "wooden't" we???
We may even get an opportunity to meet the new Dingle distiller, Graham Coull on the evening. Graham has jsut finished up at Glen Moray distillery in Scotland and we look forward to welcoming him to Dingle.
Whiskeys (& Sherry) Tasted
1. Tio Pepe fino sherry 15%abv
2. Bodega Emilio Hidalgo Jerez - Oloroso abv 20% & Dingle Single Malt sherry (oloroso) cask 5yr old abv 60.1%
3. Basil Hayden's bourbon whiskey abv 40% & Dingle Single Malt Bourbon (Basil Hayden) cask 5 year old abv 59.7%
4. Quinta do Noval 2012 LBV Port abv 19.5% & Dingle Single Malt port cask 5 year old abv 61.2%
5. Bodega Emilio Hildago Pedro Ximenez (PX) Jerez abv 15% & Dingle Single Malt PX cask 5yr old abv 61.7%
6. French Domaine de La Baume 2018 abv 14% & Glen Moray (Speyside) Single Malt French Cabernet Sauvignon finish abv 57.6%
