1. Redbreast 12yr Irish Whiskey
Cooper’s Price $59.98
Old Midleton Distillery stands on the banks of the Dungourney River in Midleton, East Cork. Set on 15 green acres, the distillery is home to all of the world’s supply of Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey. Redbreast is made in the classic Irish Single Pot Still style. This means it is produced using a mash bill consisting of both malted and unmalted barley which is triple distilled in copper pot stills. The 12 year is aged only in Oloroso Sherry casks.
A healthy dose of orange marmalade presents itself along with toast and coconut. Dried red fruit, cloves, and honey round out the palate and leads to a creamy and lengthy finish. All in all, a balanced and satisfying whiskey
2. Angel’s Envy Caribbean Rum Cask Finished Rye
Cooper’s Price $99.99
Founded by well respected bourbon distiller Lincoln Henderson. During his 40-year tenure at Brown-Forman, Henderson honed his skills while developing new brands such as Woodford Reserve, Gentleman Jack and Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel. After retiring from Brown-Forman, he decided to go rogue and launched Angel’s Envy. The name is derived from the term “angel’s share” — the portion of whiskey that evaporates as it ages in wooden barrels. Angel’s Envy were some of the first American whiskey makers experimenting with different barrel finishes on a large scale.
Angel’s Envy Rye is made from a mash of 95% rye and 5% malted barley. After the grains are harvested, they are milled and mashed before being fermented with a proprietary strain of yeast. “The major factor in making your whiskey different from anybody else’s is your yeast,” says Henderson. “Yeast are like your children. You have to raise these yeast and cultivate them to keep the same profile every time.” Following fermentation, the rye is distilled before being matured for six years in new, American oak casks. They then transfer it to casks that were previously used to mature rum and cognac. “We sourced and sampled more than 100 different rums before unanimously choosing one with extraordinary richness that perfectly marries with our rye whiskey,” says Henderson.
The finishing process, which lasts for 18 months, gives the rye a copper-reddish hue, along with an aroma of citrus, caramel, maple and rock candy. The rye’s initial notes of sherry, soft oak and cane sugar are complemented by touches of spicy rye, brown sugar and cinnamon, which lead to a warming finish.
3. Mashbuild Kona Coffee Finish Bourbon
Cooper’s Price $48.99
“I started Mashbuild to demonstrate that while the traditional “process first” distillers are incredible, there’s still room in bourbon for tastes, aromas, and aging techniques that we haven’t tried before, that there’s room for a “flavor-first” approach, that there’s a home for drinkers with experimental palates. I set out in 2012 to build a truly unique bourbon. I’m proud to say that we do that, literally every single time we bottle a batch.” — Richard Anders, Founder.
There are three ways to get bourbon for bottling: distill it yourself, source it from a company that makes it for you, or buy existing stock from a third party. Because blending is so core to our mission, we knew we needed product from a variety of stills, geographies, and mash bills. So if the question is, “Does Mashbuild distill whiskey, source whiskey, or buy whiskey?” the answer is, “Yes. All three.”
The bourbons you find in a bottle of Mashbuild came from Kentucky, Indiana, Tennessee, and Colorado, and they are wcorking on additional distilling operations and partnerships in Illinois, Missouri, and Nevada. The oldest stock aging in their warehouses was barrelled between 2000-2007, and includes juice from Four Roses and the old Seagrams distillery, among others.
The beans used in this batch were 100% Kona grown at 3,200 ft. Sorted by size, color, and density; this grading process ensured that smaller beans weren’t roasted with larger beans resulting in burnt flavors. The Kona region is currently on active volcanoes, therefore the soil is volcanic with great drainage guaranteeing a great taste. Hand picking each bean to promise ripeness, this Mashbuild specialty batch is one of a kind.
Flavors of coffee and chocolate, with hints of cherry, vanilla, and molasse
4. Five Farms Irish Cream Liqueur
Cooper’s Price $32.99
The dairy farming industry in Ireland dates back thousands of years. The importance of dairy farming to the Irish and their livelihood is mentioned even in Early Irish Law or “Brehon Laws,” which valued milk cows as the highest form of currency. The dairy farmers of Five Farms are members of a local dairy Co-op of over 500 farms. The Co-op helps guarantee that all farms within the group get a fair price for their output and provides a supportive community for the farmers.
Five Farms is a true farm-to-table product, crafted from single batches of fresh cream that are combined with premium Irish Whiskey within 48 hours of collection to become authentic Irish Cream Liqueur. The cream is sourced entirely from five family-owned farms in County Cork, run by families that have a deep connection to the land and a passion for their craft.
An inviting nose of butterscotch, caramel fondue, and vanilla bean jumps from the glass. The lush palate coats the mouth with flavors of coffee with fresh cream, dulce de leche, coconut, maple, and Belgian waffles. An intensely satisfying after dinner sipper in place of dessert.
