# Irish Whiskey help, please **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** liquor-alcohol\ **Created:** [September 1, 2010, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irish-whiskey-help-please/552258 "2010-09-01T14:31:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irish-whiskey-help-please/552258/1 "2010-09-01T14:31:57Z")
The recipe calls for Irish Whiskey. I know nothing about whiskey. When I go to the liquor store, what brand(s) should I ask for? And it’s a truffle recipe, so it doesn’t have to be top shelf stuff, and I only want to buy a pint. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irish-whiskey-help-please/552258/2 "2010-09-01T14:34:44Z")
Jameson. It’s likely the only one you’ll find in a smaller bottle, and it’s quite good. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irish-whiskey-help-please/552258/3 "2010-09-01T14:39:03Z")
There’ll also likely be an off brand. It’s not terrible. Depending on how much your recipe calls for, you can probably just get one of the flask-sized bottles they have behind the counter, especially if you don’t see yourself drinking it anytime soon. You’ll pay more per ounce, but you won’t have as much sitting on your shelf for the next 19 years. ---
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irish-whiskey-help-please/552258/4 "2010-09-01T14:42:45Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Jameson. It’s likely the only one you’ll find in a smaller bottle, and it’s quite good. Oh! That’s what my son drinks…I’ve bought that many times and never paid attention! Of course, he doesn’t live close enough any more to borrow some…lol ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irish-whiskey-help-please/552258/5 "2010-09-01T14:43:47Z")
That solves the problem of leftovers then, doesn’t it? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irish-whiskey-help-please/552258/6 "2010-09-01T14:54:14Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Jameson. It’s likely the only one you’ll find in a smaller bottle, and it’s quite good. Yeah. The only other one I’ve regularly seen is Bushmill’s. Apparently your preference should differ based on whether you’re [Protestant or Catholic](http://grizzlygrowler.com/2009/03/17/bushmills-or-jamesons-its-a-big-difference/). I’m guessing that’s an American thing though; pretty sure they don’t really make that distinction in Ireland (or so I’ve heard, I could be wrong). ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irish-whiskey-help-please/552258/7 "2010-09-01T15:06:24Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > Apparently your preference should differ based on whether you’re [Protestant or Catholic](http://grizzlygrowler.com/2009/03/17/bushmills-or-jamesons-its-a-big-difference/). I’m guessing that’s an American thing though; pretty sure they don’t really make that distinction in Ireland (or so I’ve heard, I could be wrong). For Catholics who have developed a taste for Bushmill’s, the defense is usually “well, a Catholic stirs the mash”. I actually asked this on the Dope years ago - I can’t remember what the conclusion of that inquiry was… ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irish-whiskey-help-please/552258/8 "2010-09-01T17:14:46Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > > [@silenus](#): > > > > Jameson. It’s likely the only one you’ll find in a smaller bottle, and it’s quite good. > > Yeah. The only other one I’ve regularly seen is Bushmill’s. > > Apparently your preference should differ based on whether you’re [Protestant or Catholic](http://grizzlygrowler.com/2009/03/17/bushmills-or-jamesons-its-a-big-difference/). I’m guessing that’s an American thing though; pretty sure they don’t really make that distinction in Ireland (or so I’ve heard, I could be wrong). I think both brands are now owned by international conglomerates. [Powers](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Powers_(whiskey)) is #1 in Ireland & pretty tasty. But any brand would work for cooking. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irish-whiskey-help-please/552258/9 "2010-09-01T17:35:12Z")
> [@Bridget\_Burke](#): > > I think both brands are now owned by international conglomerates. [Powers](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Powers_(whiskey)) is #1 in Ireland & pretty tasty. Yes, it would seem that Jameson (and Powers) is owned by [Pernod](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pernod-Ricard), a French company, and Bushmill’s is owned by [Diageo](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diageo), an English company, and at one point they were all owned by the same group. All still made in Ireland, though. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irish-whiskey-help-please/552258/10 "2010-09-01T17:35:55Z")
Tullamore Dew. ---
**Author:** ![Superfluous\_Parentheses](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8edcca/32.png) [@Superfluous\_Parentheses](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superfluous_Parentheses)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irish-whiskey-help-please/552258/11 "2010-09-01T17:47:10Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Tullamore Dew. Good choice, and IIRC fairly cheap. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irish-whiskey-help-please/552258/12 "2010-09-01T18:08:17Z")
Huh, that’s funny about Power’s. I mean I’d drink it but it would be well down the list of whiskeys I’d pick to drink. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irish-whiskey-help-please/552258/13 "2010-09-01T20:24:21Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > Huh, that’s funny about Power’s. I mean I’d drink it but it would be well down the list of whiskeys I’d pick to drink. Well, this article claims that [Budweiser Light](http://most-popular.net/beer-america) is the best selling beer over here. And it’s near the bottom of my list. Of course, I like our microbrew & craft beers, but I’d drink Miller Lite before Bud Light! There’s no accounting for taste. I don’t drink much whiskey (or whisky) at all, so I’m not a connoisseur. Powers is rare over here but quite reasonable at [Spec’s Warehouse](http://www.yelp.com/biz/specs-liquor-warehouse-houston). ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irish-whiskey-help-please/552258/14 "2010-09-01T20:25:34Z")
> [@Bridget\_Burke](#): > > > [@An\_Gadai](#): > > > > Huh, that’s funny about Power’s. I mean I’d drink it but it would be well down the list of whiskeys I’d pick to drink. > > Well, this article claims that [Budweiser Light](http://most-popular.net/beer-america) is the best selling beer over here. And it’s near the bottom of my list. Of course, I like our microbrew & craft beers, but I’d drink Miller Lite before Bud Light! > > There’s no accounting for taste. I don’t drink much whiskey (or whisky) at all, so I’m not a connoisseur. Powers is rare over here but quite reasonable at [Spec’s Warehouse](http://www.yelp.com/biz/specs-liquor-warehouse-houston). I also meant to say Jameson seems more ubiquitous than Power’s. I tried Greenore Whiskey lately and it was just divine. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2010, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irish-whiskey-help-please/552258/15 "2010-09-02T02:49:03Z")
The elephant man broke strong men’s necks when he’d had too many Powers. ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2010, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irish-whiskey-help-please/552258/16 "2010-09-03T18:58:46Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > Apparently your preference should differ based on whether you’re [Protestant or Catholic](http://grizzlygrowler.com/2009/03/17/bushmills-or-jamesons-its-a-big-difference/). I’m guessing that’s an American thing though; pretty sure they don’t really make that distinction in Ireland (or so I’ve heard, I could be wrong). It’s the first I’ve heard of it, if my (very much a Catholic) Grandfather were still alive to read that he’d shrug and polish off his glass of Bush. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2010, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irish-whiskey-help-please/552258/17 "2010-09-03T19:18:38Z")
Is there really any point in buying a top shelf whiskey like Jameson or Bushmill for cooking? When I use wine or liquor in a recipe I buy generic brands - I figure the sutleties would be lost in the cooking anyway. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2010, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irish-whiskey-help-please/552258/18 "2010-09-03T19:31:41Z")
> [@Pushkin](#): > > > [@DCnDC](#): > > > > Apparently your preference should differ based on whether you’re [Protestant or Catholic](http://grizzlygrowler.com/2009/03/17/bushmills-or-jamesons-its-a-big-difference/). I’m guessing that’s an American thing though; pretty sure they don’t really make that distinction in Ireland (or so I’ve heard, I could be wrong). > > It’s the first I’ve heard of it, if my (very much a Catholic) Grandfather were still alive to read that he’d shrug and polish off his glass of Bush. I first noticed it in an episode of The Wire. Bushmills is described as Protestant whiskey by McNulty. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2010, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irish-whiskey-help-please/552258/19 "2010-09-03T19:33:46Z")
Cooking will concentrate the flavors, both good and bad. “Never cook with anything you would be unwilling to drink” is a good general rule of the kitchen. _Cooks Illustrated_ has done numerous testings on this subject. The cheap plonk always loses. ---
**Author:** ![Saintly\_Loser](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saintly_loser/32/4045_2.png) [@Saintly\_Loser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saintly_Loser)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2010, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irish-whiskey-help-please/552258/20 "2010-09-04T00:02:15Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > Huh, that’s funny about Power’s. I mean I’d drink it but it would be well down the list of whiskeys I’d pick to drink. It’s my favorite. Top of the list. Irish whiskeys are my favorite, more than scotch or bourbon, and Powers is my favorite Irish. It seems the fullest, most flavorful of Irish whiskeys to me. Redbreast and Middelton are great, but too expensive to keep around the house for everyday drinking, or to order at a local pub (which wouldn’t have them anyway). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irish-whiskey-help-please/552258.md?page=2)