Green Spot – Celebrating On St Patrick’s Day

I have to admit to being an enthusiastic (albeit none too knowledgeable) whisky drinker, currently working my way assiduously through the heavier peatier entries in 101 whiskies to try before you die. It’s St Patrick’s day today, and I find myself at no 48, ‘Green Spot’. The book says it’s hard to find, but I’ve tracked it down to Waitrose, so that’s that sorted. This might not be my kind of whiskey as it’s described as having a ‘smooth and oily character, with a purity caused by triple distillation” – so why am I celebrating by forking out £36.45 for a bottle?

green spot whiskey
I’m afraid I missed the greengage jam!

Two reasons – one is curiosity. As a whiskey it’s one of a kind. It’s an Irish pot still whiskey made in large copper stills using both malted and unmalted barley (Scottish whisky only uses malted… and I have a sort of feeling that I might like that better). Go here for the difference between Irish and Scotch, and more about what the pot still method entails.

But the second reason is that it is described as smelling like greengage jam, and tasting ‘lively and full of honey with minty notes’. I am sorry to say I noticed neither of those, but perhaps I am the wrong person to try – I like my whisky mightily peaty – see Battle of the Titans.

The clip below gives some interesting history about this interesting spirit.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYusGdB67QE]

0 0 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Notify of
guest

0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Related Posts

Terrific tangerine fizz cocktail discovered in Lisbon at Insólito

While Olga, head bar tender at Decadence in Lisbon, was working through a Smoke Me – a pre-prandial we were enjoying at neighbouring sister restaurant…
Read More

All About Sherry

“Have you made your trip to Jerez yet? I’d be interested in your impressions.I’ve just had a lunch of salty, mature goat cheese and…
Read More

Michal Sobieszuk, Founder of Eat Polska, gives us the low-down on vodka

I stopped off in Poland this summer – I knew I would love it (I’ve got some good Polish friends, as well as ancestors) and…
Read More

Sign up to our Saucy Newsletter

subscribe today for monthly highlights of foodie events, new restaurant at home menus, recipe ideas and our latest blog posts