Beer is good, but this St. Patrick’s Day (or eve), why not celebrate in style with one of Ireland’s best, award-winning whiskeys from Cooley Distillery? At last year’s prestigious International Wine and Spirits Competition in London, England, Cooley Distillery became the first Irish Distillery ever to win the coveted World and European Distiller of the Year Awards. This trophy is awarded to the producer who demonstrates the highest quality across a range of spirit brands - a huge coup for Ireland’s only independent, Irish-owned distillery beating out numerous Single Malt distillers from Scotland.
The company has roots dating back to 1757 and was revived by Irish entrepreneur John Teeling in 1987. Some claim, he’s brought the distillery back to its glory days- producing numerous premium brands of blended and single malt whiskeys that include peated and non-peated malts, and one variety that’s made with maize (corn).
The Cooley Distillery Whiskey lineup offered in Ontario looks like this:
BLENDED WHISKEY:
- Inishowen Peated Blended Irish Whiskey- ($37.95 CDN) – a unique blend of peated Irish whiskey.
SINGLE MALTS:
- Locke’s 8 Year Old Single Malt-($62.95 CDN) – A combination of peated and non-peated malts. Cooley Distillery suggests you’ll find “flavours of honey, oak, fruit, peat, as well as great mouth-feel and finish to this smooth whiskey.”
- The Tyrconnell Single Malt Irish Whiskey- ($52.95 CDN) -Distilled in the old Irish tradition, this pure pot still Single Malt whiskey uses Irish ingredients: barley and fresh spring water.
- Connemara 12 Year Old Single Malt - ($153.95 CDN) - Cooley’s oldest and rarest whiskey, with a limited yearly number of bottles available worldwide.
- Connemara Peated Single Malt Irish Whiskey- ($63.95 CDN) – A rare Peated Single Malt, which “retains the smooth taste of an Irish but has a peated taste more associated with Scotch whisky.”
SINGLE GRAIN WHISKEY:
- Greenore 8 Year Old Single Grain Irish Whiskey ($65.95 CDN) - Grain whiskey is made from maize (corn) producing a smooth, sweet flavour. Maturation takes place in former bourbon casks.
Food Pairing Ideas with your Whiskey:
Before or after dinner, you can happily pair these fine, sipping whiskeys with: smoked salmon (sturgeon, mackerel, oysters and mussels also work well) on toast points, strong cheeses and dried fruit (such as hard cheddar for example)- especially if you’re enjoying a peated whiskey. Sweeter varieties work wonderfully well with desserts such as a classic crème brulée, pastries featuring ginger or caramelized fruit and a rich, luscious custard.
For more tips on how to serve whiskey and other foods you can pair the liquor with, click here.
If you’re in Ontario, the Cooley Distillery range can be purchased at the LCBO Vintages. As they say in Ireland, Sláinte to you all!
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