Feelin the Green Dept: An Irish day...

[Capn Jimbo]

You just can't be critical every day, now kin ya?


Frequently Sue Sea and I sit down to find a good video series, and often find a good one set in England, Scotland or Ireland. There's something very attractive to about settings in many of these small villages and their small town ethics and relationships.

This time we ran across a 5-part series called "Jack Taylor" a ex "Guardsman" (Irish policeman) who loses his job, but keeps his wonderful government-issue long wool coat and is convinced to become a private investigator. It's what one reviewer calls Irish Noir, a very engaging story: a "dark, edgy, alcoholism soaked, wet rag, detective story"

It's the kind of story wherein if any one of us found our lives disintegrating to the point we'd turn to spirits well, Jack Taylor is who we'd like to be and how we spent our quickly shrinking existence. And something else...


Such a movie begs to be watched with a wee - or not so wee - dram of some decent stuff...

In this case, Tullamore Dew. Let's be honest, TD isn't likely to win any Platinums or even Golds. To be fair - and especially watching Jack Taylor - it's a dram to be drank, er drunk, or drinked up, and not particularly sipped. I'm sure I picked out the Tullamore out of respect for the character, and simply to accompany the movie. No pens, papers, discussion or reviews - simply something to enjoy.

Honestly, I'd forgotten what a very good workaday spirit can taste like. It was actually quite pleasant at a time when our attentions needed to be other than on the glass.

At a point I turned to Sue Sea and asked "Are you liking this as much as I am?". She was. We both commented on its surprising smoothness and the honeyed nuttiness of this triple distilled spirit. We disagreed on the finish (she - clove/white pepper; me - a nice soft ending) but no matter. It was easy to drink.

Sometimes it's nice to simply enjoy what many consider an ordinary but ubiquitous dram. Yes, Irish whiskey is dominated by the Big Three - in humongous quantities - and distilled to not offend or challenge.

But occasionally a dram like this is perfect. Not to mention it was a gift and needs to be discharged...

[Capn Jimbo]

When Ralfy speaks, we all need to listen...


Of late we've spoken yet again of the current happenings of spirits. And on another post I managed - heaven help me - to actually mention Tullamore Dew and not necessarily in a bad way. And as happens and as I write, it's not uncommon for moi to do a bit of research just to be sure I've not stepped off of yet another cliff. In this case...

I ducked (DuckDuckGo) "Review Tullamore Dew" and voila! Ralfy appeared: here. This is quite an unusual Ralfy - perhaps a bit snockered, a bit maudlin and very rambling - but in a very good way. In this way Ralfy comments on:

1. Irish Whiskey, particularly Jamesons, Bushmills and Tullamore Dew

2. The effect of the megaconglomerates, and the current economy

3. American tastes in spirits

4. Craft distilling in America as related to a possible resurgence of Irish Whiskey - but made in America.

Ralfy's guard is clearly down and he speaks a bit more forthrightly than usual.

A must see...