Triple Distilled!

After the hustle and bustle of my days in Paris, I took this morning as a chance to sleep in. Dad returned "the boat" to the rental agency and picked up the Gormans. While everyone went to lunch, I opted to sleep in a little more and picked up a light snack before heading out.

The day's main event was a tour of the Jameson Distillery. Our tour guide, Andy, was quite knowledgeable and had a great sense of humor. At the beginning of the tour, he asked for 8 volunteers... 4 females, 4 males. Ever the adventerous type, I raised my hand enthusiastically and was chosen. Andy handed me an empty green tube and said to hold on to it as there was a surprise at the end of the tour. Dad also received a green tube.

The tour was quite educational and very interesting. I learned a lot about different types of whiskey and what makes Jameson so unique. Using the finest barley in Ireland and pure spring water, the "whisketeers" create an incredibly smooth spirit with a distinctive flavor. You will have to take the tour in order to learn about the actual procedure.

After the tour, it was time for the 8 volunteers to partake in a whiskey tasting. Each seat had a placemat, labeled with 3 shot glasses of different types of whiskey: A famous black label scotch, the American Jack Daniels, and, of course, Jameson Irish Whiskey.

Each whiskey had its own unique processing and flavor attributes. The Jack Daniels, single-distilled, aged in a brand new oak barrel, has a very sweet, woody flavor. The black label scotch, double-distilled, has a smoky flavor provided by the drying method of its grain (open-kiln, peat smoke). Jameson has a fresh, smooth taste. The triple distillation process and aging in used barrels (for a greatly reduced flavor of woodiness and subtly added flavor of barrel's previous inhabitant) make Jameson Irish Whiskey my favorite whiskey by far.

Included in the price of admission is a free glass of Jameson. I had mine on the rocks and would not recommend it any other way. Why destroy the purity of such a smooth whiskey by adding soda or juice? It's such a waste! Save the mixers for Jack Daniels. ;)

After the tour, we stopped at Fresh to pick up a quick dinner. I had a chicken sandwich with sweet chili sauce, lettuce, onion, and tomato. It was delicious, quick, and inexpensive. The perfect combination for any meal on the go.

Dad, Billy and I went to The Richmond after dinner. I had another pint of Bulmers cider. Billy had the same. Dad stuck to his Fosters. It was a nice evening out in Dublin.

Pint Count: 4
Whiskey Count: 4 (Good whiskey count: 2)

By the way, were you wondering what the green tubes given to us volunteers were for? Well, I am now, officially, a "Qualified Irish Whiskey Taster". The tube was for my diploma. :)