August is my favo(u)rite month of the year for a few reasons. Firstly itโs my birthday month as I was born on 8/8 which means I always gets my birthday correct when Iโm filling in forms both here in the US and across the pond in Ireland!
Itโs also the middle of the summer which means the weather is (usually) great, itโs the middle of cricket season for us here in the Napa Valley, and it also means that grape harvest is about to start which heralds the finale of another growing season.
Iโve been mad busy hosting virtual and in-person events over the last number of weeks with the highlight being another (my third) Chocolate & Irish Whiskey Pairing Event at Dandelion Chocolate in San Francisco. Weโre working on more dates for the autumn and beyond and Iโve also been busy putting together some epic Cheese & Irish Whiskey Pairing ideas with cheese from the Marin, Sonoma, and Mendocino - more on that next month!
I finally found the time to edit a podcast that I recorded back in January with the inimitable Rory Lynch and youโll find that below. Youโll also find some cocktail recipes, resources, and news.
Slรกinte โ๏ธ๐ฅ
Andrew
๐ธ๐ Cocktail Hour
Iโve had some fun playing around with the first ever 100% Rye Irish Whiskey from Powers and thanks to some inspiration from Erin Smyth, Bar Manager, at Swift Hibernian Lounge in NYC came up with my own version of the Irish Built Manhattan using some cardamon bitters! Full recipe here and video below.
๐ง New Podcast Episode
In Episode 15 I got to spend some time recently, actually it was back in January, with Rory Lynch who lives here in the Napa Valley and whose folks hail from Cahirsiveen, in Co. Kerry, and Macroom, in Co. Cork. Rory was raised here in the Bay Area and is fierce proud of his Irish ancestry.
We had a grand ole chat about Rory, his folks journey to this part of the world, his trips back to Ireland, his forty something cousins, The Napa Valley and where he lives in Angwin. And yes we talked about Irish whiskey as we sipped on his Favo(u)rite Irish Whiskey, which is the Jameson Caskmates Stout Edition which we discovered is a great Irish whiskey to use in an Irish Coffee.
More Podcast listening options on the Irish Whiskey LAD website here and you can listen to more โMy Favo(u)rite Irishโฆโ podcasts here.
๐ง To Ice or Not to Ice? Ice in Cocktails and Whiskey. My thoughts and why I use Distilled Water
What's the best kind of ice to use in cocktails and in your whiskey? It's an age-old question that has been argued over for generations and probably will be forever.
Ice in your whiskey? I'm okay with that but hands up I have become an "ice snob" over the last few months and I now passionately believe that if you do put ice in your whiskey then it should be ice that's made from distilled water.
And what ice should I use when making and serving cocktails and mixed drinks? I also believe that this ice should be made from distilled water. I use 1-inch ice cubes when mixing and shaking cocktails and when I serve drinks that will be consumed more quickly. I use a 2-inch ice cube for drinks like an Old Fashioned or a Boulevardier where you're looking for a slow dilution of these spirit-forward cocktails. WATCH BELOW.
๐ฅ๏ธ From The Website - Irish Whiskey Terminology
For those who are new, or not so new, to the world of spirits and in particular Irish Whiskey there can be a bewildering new language to learn. Iโve done my best to make it a touch easier to understand on this page on my website or by clicking below.
๐ฐ Irish Whiskey News
A selection of news about Irish Whiskey from the past few weeks;
Irish Whiskey Sales Surge - The Irish Times
Jameson becomes official partner of English Football League - The Spirits Business
US remains number one buyer of Irish Spirits - Irish Central
Titanic Distillers: Whiskey production gets underway in Belfast for first time in 90 years - Belfast Telegraph
The 11 Best Single Malt Irish Whiskey Brands to Drink Right Now - Esquire
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