travel feature Irish Whiskey continued Get West Coast Woman delivered FREE! Subscribe to our monthly e-magazine Read, click, turn pages — all at the convenience of your laptop, smart phone or tablet. Send your email addy to: westcoastwoman@comcast.net JoshProvides Epilepsy Assistance Foundation Helping Children Diagnosed With Epilepsy Epilepsy is a neurological disorder that can strike ANYONE, ANYTIME, ANYWHERE. In fact, 1 in 26 people will have a seizure during their lifetime. Seizures impact both the individual and the family. The stigma and social isolation; the inability to operate a vehicle to get to school, work or medical appointments; the uncertainty of when the next seizure might occur; and the fear of SUDEP (sudden unexpected death in epilepsy) are the frightening realities for many families in our community. JoshProvides pulls back the curtain on epilepsy, the fourth most common neurological disorder, through community awareness, education, offering a local monthly Epilepsy Support Group, and providing seizure detection & alert devices, transportation assistance and assistance with medical services to children, families and individuals. Our families are NOT defined by their disorder…they are warriors who will overcome these obstacles thanks to your support! Mission: To improve the quality of life for those living with epilepsy or other seizure disorders. (800) 706-2740 JoshProvides.org and natives. One couple brought their toddler who got a tiny bit fussy, but wasn’t quelled with a sip. They offer a sample after your tour and you can hang around and enjoy the atmosphere or buy gifts like candy which has, guess what, Jameson whiskey in the ingredients. This part of Dublin is less photogenic, but it also retains its rough 18th century vibe. Nearby is the Guinness factory which is also an enjoyable tour, but don’t dilute that great whiskey taste with beer. A distillery experience of a different type was at Roe & Co, also in the area. They’re new by comparison in their new home, an old power plant, but as George Roe & Co (in another location) they helped build the golden era of Irish whiskey in the 19th century. The tour we were on, unlike the one at Jameson’s, takes you through a working distillery where you walk past various vats and learn how whiskey is made. Different, too, was the tasting which was a class on cocktail making. There’s a teachable moment just like at Jameson’s where you learn the basic tastes such as sweet, sour, sweet, etc. and how to make cocktails according to your personal preferences. Then we suited up (apron on) and channeled Tom cruise in cocktail and made a concoction to our own preferences. I opted for a lemony version of a whiskey sour. These were two very different distillery experiences, but both complemented each other well. If you’re staying in the city centre ( downtown Dublin) it’s a 30 plus minute walk which includes a walk over the river Liffy. By taxi, it’s 15 minutes and you don’t have to worry if you overindulged in some great tasting whiskey. Irish Whiskey Ups and Downs Although Ireland boasted at least 28 distilleries in the 1890s, by 1966 this number had fallen to just two, and by 1972 the remaining distilleries, Bushmills Distillery and Old Midleton Distillery (replaced by New Midleton Distillery), were owned by just one company, Irish Distillers. Since the 1990s, Irish whiskey has seen a resurgence in popularity and has been the fastest-growing spirit in the world every year since 1990. With exports growing by over 15% per annum, existing distilleries have been expanded and a number of new distilleries constructed. As of December 2019, Ireland had 32 distilleries in operation. Irish whiskey was one of the earliest distilled drinks in Europe, arising around the 12th century. It is believed that Irish monks brought the technique of distilling perfumes back to Ireland from their travels to southern Europe around 1,000 AD. Whiskey Tours Today there is a resurgence of interest in Irish Whiskey and the Thomas Street area is once again becoming a vibrant hub of brewing and distilling in Dublin. Roe & Co Distillery, Dublin George Roe & Co helped build the golden era of Irish whiskey in the 19th century. Their old distillery at Thomas Street in Dublin extended over 17 acres and they were Ireland’s largest exporter of whiskey. Their new distillery claims to be the home of cocktail exploration and modern Irish whiskey. There are two tours you can do, each with a different theme. If you’re a cocktail enthusiast and blending whiskies is your thing, you can discover the secrets of the art of blending and enjoy an ‘Old Fashioned Master Class.’ We tried the Flavors Experience cocktail workshop which ‘unpacks the five pillars of flavor – sweet, sour, bitter, salty and umami – to help you understand your unique palate and whiskey preferences.’ There’s a tour of the distillery then another drink before heading out. More info and for a complete listing of all tours, visit www.roeandco whiskey.com Jameson Bow St Distillery, Dublin Jameson Irish whiskey has been produced in the Republic of Ireland since 1780. Made and matured in the iconic Midleton distillery, over 20 million bottles are sold globally every year, making it the most popular Irish whiskey in the world. At the Jameson Bow St. distillery, you can visit, take cocktail-making classes, premium whiskey tasting sessions or to learn how to blend your own whiskey then top it off with a tipple at their centerpiece bar. The basic tour walks you through the building and while you can see its stocky “bones” you can also see the great way they have modernized on top of them. There’s also a great gift shop. Visit and learn more at www.jamesonwhiskey.com You an find out more about the Whiskey Trail as well as travel ideas and tips at www.ireland.com STORY: Louise Bruderle 28 WEST COAST WOMAN <strong>JANUARY</strong> <strong>2024</strong>
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