'Whiskey is for savouring"

Getting paid to drink whiskey on a Wednesday afternoon isn't something a journalist often gets to do, but that's exactly what the job spec was earlier this week when the Tullamore Dew Heritage Centre hosted a whiskey tasting with Whiskey Magazine editor Rob Allanson. The event was arranged in honour of this Saturday's "Whiskey Live" in Dublin's Mansion House, the world's premier whiskey tasting show that's coming to Ireland for the first time this weekend. Tullamore Dew is exhibiting and holding a whiskey masterclass at the event, and it was this that inspired Wednesday afternoon's dress rehearsal. "Vodka's for getting messed up; whiskey is for savouring," Rob Allanson told the twenty-odd people gathered to hear what he had to say about whiskey in general, but particularly Tullamore Dew. "Younger drinkers are picking up whiskey. More and more women are finding it acceptable to drink whiskey and people are using it in cocktails more." "Irish whiskey has really started to rocket in the last few years, outgrowing Scotch," he continued. He reckons ex-pats are driving that trend in markets like America, but the whiskey is getting popular on its own merit in other markets like Germany, Czech Republic and Sweden where Tullamore Dew outsells every other whiskey brand. Benoit Batard from Scottish distilling company William Grant (which now owns Tullamore Dew) said as he sees it Irish whiskey is "more social" than Scotch, and its very "Irishness" is very appealing worldwide. While Mr Allanson didn't agree 100% with this, he did say that Scotch is still in a way seen as "your grandfather's whiskey". However the world is whiskey's oyster these days it seems, and as Mr Allanson says it's a case of "a rising tide floats all boats". The whiskey tasting that included Tullamore Dew, a 10 year old single malt and a 12 year old special reserve led on to a question and answer session, when Mr Allanson urged people to find their own way to enjoy their whiskey. While he's not a fan of adding ice, comparing it to "a cardboard box in the rain" as the ice starts to melt, he's a big fan of pouring it over ice-cream from the freezer. In the crowd Darrell Hooper, a member of the Tullamore Dew Heritage Centre Board, told the crowd of a friend's taste for whiskey mixed with milk. Chair of the Tullamore Dew Heritage Centre Board Tadhg O'Brien said it was an ongoing business to attract people to both the product and the premises. "But it's export orientated and that's in the national interest," he said. Whiskey Live takes place tomorrow (Saturday) in Dublin's Mansion House from 2pm. Full day and half day tickets are available for €45 and €30 respectively and can be booked at www.whiskeylive.com.