...where distraction is the main attraction.

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

The Irish Are Coming

With many thanks to Sku of Recent Eats, I am now addicted to checking for TTB's (Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau) newest registered COLAs (Certificates of Label Approval).  Here's the site: https://www.ttbonline.gov/colasonline/publicSearchColasBasic.do.

It's all public info, so there are no secrets.  But what can be found on the site are approvals for labels of new liquor products before those bottles ever hit the shelves.  Seriously.  Have at it.

Here are some recent discoveries of the Irish sort:
1.) Redbreast 21 year old.  Yup.  Sku found it and tweeted it.  I exclaimed, "WOO HOO!"  May I naively hope they keep it under $100?
2.) Tullamore Dew Cask Strength.  56% ABV.  Looks like it starts out in bourbon casks, then spends its last 2 years in sherry casks.  What most interesting is that it appears to be a blend.....
3.) Power's John's Lane Single Pot Still.  This one made me squeal.  Like a pig Like a Belieber Like a grown-ass man.  Whiskycast scooped the news first on Mark's April 28th episode.  Interestingly, though John Ryan from Irish Distillers said that this SPS will have no age statement, there was COLA registered last September for the 12 year old version.  Perhaps the demand was anticipated to be too large to for the actual amount of 12yr available?  Either way, I'm pretty geeked about this one.
4.) Power's Gold Label.  As per the same Whiskycast episode, the whole Power's range is getting refreshed.  My favorite go-to whiskey is getting a new label, and (via a COLA from last month) it's getting bumped from 40% to 43.2% ABV.  I will drink it.

If this post seems just like a bunch of Irish whiskey industry cheerleading......well......I'm cheering for the whiskey.  I have a soft spot in my liver for Irish whiskey.  Thus more variety and new experiences are good things.  And maybe I'll be able to bring some of you over to my side someday...

9 comments:

  1. John's Lane is already out. I just saw a few bottles at BevMo for... $69.99. I was barely able to control myself. Oh, I'm pretty sure it's still 12 years old but I only had a quick glance at the label.

    Sadly the last time I lost control over Irish whiskey, I ended up dropping three digits on a bottle of Barry Crockett Legacy.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wow. That was quick. BevMo's not showing it on their site, but Total Wine is and it's priced at $65.99. And it shows a pic of the 12 year...

      On the bright side, the John's Lane 12yr is about $60 when ordering from the UK before shipping and in a smaller bottle.

      Delete
    2. Hi Time and K&L don't show it in stock on their sites, yet.

      Delete
    3. I think those bottles were just added so they might not be in the online system yet. I've heard from David Driscoll that BevMo has been getting first dibs on a lot of new bottlings (his main complaint was that they got first dibs on Pappy and BTAC in the state leaving even fewer bottles for K&L) so it's not surprising they got John's Lane first.

      Redbreast 21 is 46% ABV so the price shouldn't be too bad. I think if Midleton released this at cask strength then the price would go up.

      Delete
    4. Goods points all. I hope HiTime and K&L get a case or two eventually. If you spot that Redbreast 21 on the shelves before me, please let me know!

      Delete
  2. AH! So much great news!

    1) I would love to believe that the Redbreast 21 will be sub-$100, but in this current climate of whisk(e)y price inflation, I'm not going hold my breath. I really want it to be, though.
    2) A cask strength blend ACEd in sherry? I'm intrigued...
    3) Single Pot Still Power's?!?!?!?! *passes out*
    4) *groggily sits up* Power's Gold Label bumped an extra 3.2%?! *passes out again*

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah, lots of great news indeed!

      This is partially to offset so much of the crummy news in the rest of the whisky world.

      Delete
    2. I still owe you a debt of gratitude for getting me to re-try Irish whiskey after my unfortunate run-in with the oxidized Redbreast 12, Gor bless ya!

      And yes, it's been difficult not to get depressed by all the negative whisky blogs posted by Whisky Advocate, K&L, Scotch&Ice Cream, etc. At least I'll have my Power's at 43.2%!

      Delete
    3. Thank you! A little Redbreast is good the soul.

      I have resisted adding to the whisky blog disgruntlement. I am in Tim's camp as far as how I feel about the whisky industries, and he's been knocking it out of the park with every post. My posts would wind up just being a bunch of grunts and F-bombs at this point.

      Delete