Irish Whiskey Technical Talk
When giving a gift of Irish Whiskey on St Patricks Day you should have at least a basic understanding of some of the technical talk behind whiskey distillation. First know that while the words whiskey and Scotch are often used interchangeably they are in deed different distillation processes. If you want a good Scotch buy a reputable single malt (meaning not blended with other malts to create a "blended flavor") If however you are looking for a traditional Irish Whiskey Gift then you will be looking for a drink which is produced using a "pure pot still" or "pot still" technique. The most common brand of this traditional Irish Whiskey is Jameson.
Irish Whiskey Distilleries
Although ownership has changed and will probably continue to change in the future there are currently 3 main Irish distilleries that produce Irish Whiskey in Ireland. If you are looking to give a gift of Irish Whiskey for St Patricks Day you should check your labels to make sure the distillation of the drink is done at one of the following three Irish Distilleries. Old Bushmills Distillery, Cooley Distillery or New Midleton Distillery. Each of these distilleries produces a variety of different Whiskey and scotch products that can be said to fall into the general category of Irish Whiskey.
Whiskey Shot Glasses and Drinks
If you want to give a gift of Irish Whiskey but do not want to purchase the alcohol or want to try a variation on the theme then you should consider some whiskey drinking peripherals. A nice set of shot glasses is always a good gift idea as is a set of short and sturdy cocktail glasses. Good glasses from which to enjoy a fine whiskey are worth as much as the drink itself. Some classic whiskey drinks are the boilermaker, the manhattan, and the whiskey sour. A book about mixed drinks also would make an excellent complementary gift on St Patricks Day to go along with a nice bottle of Irish Whiskey.
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