From the scotch I've tasted, I'm not too impressed but I'm definitely open to try new stuff. But I've come into a bottle of Michael Collin's Single Malt and it has literally been the best whiskey I've ever tasted. I really like that crisp, clean Irish whiskey taste. Can anyone recommend anything else to try (you can leave out Power's and pretty much every Jameson, been there done that, also pretty impressed)

Give Knappogue Castle and Middleton's a try.

I like Kilbeggan and Tullamore Dew.

Redbreast is my go to. I also like Bushmills single malt.

Tullamore Dew for less expensive, Redbreast is my go-to, and Green Spot if you can find it. I'd rank them 85, 92, and 96 respectively.

Bushmill's

[This message has been edited by saturn (edited 2/28/2012 7:57a).]

+whatever for Redbreast. Get the 12 - the 15 year is good, but not worth the extra money.

If you want to drop some cash, find a bottle of Bushmills 1608 or Middleton Very Rare.

Edit to say I haven't had Green Spot, but have read enough about it to say it would be a good option if you can get it / want to spend the money.

[This message has been edited by mattvswild (edited 2/28/2012 8:49a).]

Knappouge Castle. Haven't tried the 16 yr old...but the standard 12 is a good whisky.

+1 Redbreast

I'll (make that third) Middleton. That's the best whiskey I've ever had.

[This message has been edited by AgDog02 (edited 2/28/2012 9:32a).]

+1 for Middleton

Middleton is exquisite. Tullamore Dew is also very good and less expensive. I still enjoy Jameson as well.

Tullamore Dew is the standard for the classic Irish Coffee.

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Tullamore Dew is the standard for the classic Irish Coffee.

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While that may be true (and I really like Tullamore Dew), Wild Turkey 101 is a much more effective blend for Irish Coffee.

Jameson is always good.

I missed this discussion before but lots of solid choices on here. I can vouch for all of these recs.

Black Bush is excellent too.

That being said, remember that Bushmill's is the Protestant whiskey and Jameson is the Catholic whiskey.

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That being said, remember that Bushmill's is the Protestant whiskey and Jameson is the Catholic whiskey.

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Ha! Never thought about it like that...

http://www.jeffreymorgenthaler.com/2010/ask-your-bartender-protestant-vs-catholic-whiskey/

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Hey Bartender

My South Side Irish Chicago Dad always told me that Jameson was the Catholic whisky and that Bushmills was the whiskey made by “the damn Protestants”. Now this character I met at the bar is trying to tell me it’s the other way around. Help! Who do I believe, the man who raised me, or some drunk I met in a bar? You can see why I am confused.

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School Marm

Hey Marm

I was wondering when someone would ask this question. The truth of the matter is, the age-old faux-pas of ordering Bushmills for fear of supporting English aggression and offending the Republic of Ireland is about as Irish as corned beef – which is to say, not very Irish at all but rather Irish-American (Sorry, kids, corned beef is a Jewish invention).

Anyway, both of your sources are wrong, but at least your father got the order right. The widely-accepted Irish-American version is that Jameson is Catholic whiskey and Bushmills is Protestant whiskey. But that’s merely based on geography: Bushmills is from Northern Ireland (a predominantly Protestant region) and Jameson is from Cork – Catholic country.

Jameson was pretty much founded in 1780 when John Jameson – a Scottish guy – purchased the Bow Street Distillery, which at the time was one of the biggest distilleries in Ireland. Now, it’s important to note that the Scottish Reformation occurred in 1560, so odds are in favor of the founder of the Jameson distillery, being Scottish, was a damn Protestant.

Bushmills, on the other hand, was officially licensed in 1608 by King James I (of Bible fame) and despite of its location deep in the heart of Protestant country (and this next bit is straight from my local Bushmills rep, so take it or leave it) has a Catholic as a master distiller.

According to everyone I’ve spoken with on the subject, you only really find this debate in the States, where Irish-American support of the Republic can sometimes be blind and often fueled by the very product we’re speaking of. But none of it means much, anyway: both distilleries are owned by huge international entities: Jameson by French liquor conglomerate Pernod-Ricard, and Bushmills by the English firm Diageo.

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Ulysses- try to set those South Side Irish or folks in Boston straight with that and these guys might pay you a visit:

http://www.jeffreymorgenthaler.com/2010/ask-your-bartender-protestant-vs-catholic-whiskey/

I am post #46 on that Blog.

^
That is a single malt scotch my friend, not an Irish whiskey.

Thanks for the large amount of input. I'll be saving up for a bottle of Middleton, good reviews and your distinguished recommendations. Tried the Bushmills and really liked it despite my Catholic nature and bought a bottle of John L. Sullivan that is pretty satisfying for the price.

I'll say this after having a lot of Irish whiskies; some are better than others but I've never had a bad one. The same cannot be said for Scotch, bourbon, or Canadian whiskey.

Bushmill's

Crocker comes through with the best whisky on the thread, even though it's not Irish. But yes try Laphroiag, preferably with a nice corjo or ligero.

Green Spot is DANG good whiskey (good luck finding it though) Knappogue 15 year old is also very nice, and for something different that is still Irish- Bushmill's, Black Bush