Need some advice - good Irish whisky

[Rich]

Our neighbors invited us over next Sunday for after the St. Patrick's Day parade when they always have a get together and lots of awesome food. St. Patrick's Day is VERY BIG in this Irish town and, being the token Italian, I'm not up on the finer Irish whisky but would like to bring over something nice to contribute (they'll already have TONS of food).

I was thinking Bushmill's Black Bush which I've had before and I think is excellent (plus I like the name of it ). Any other suggestions? I'll go $50 or so and I'm willing to spend more, but I don't want to come off like some snob or cork sniffer or insult anyone by giving the impression that I drink only fancy lad whisky. Something nice and special, but not pretentious.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Caretaker]

Bushmills is great or Jamisons.
Go to your local store. There might be sales. Both have 3 or 4 types. The top or 2nd in line will suffice.
Guiness is also acceptable. LOL

 

[acstorfer]

I would get them scotch whiskey, but I like to live a little dangerously

 

[MooCheng]

this could set the tone for the evening

 

[Ed B]

Is this something you're bringing as a gift or something that will be cracked for the party? The clientele would dictate my choice.

For a gift going with a $50 bottle is a great idea. For the party grab 2 bottles of regular Jameson or Bushmills. That stuff doesn't get old.

IMO there's nothing worse than bringing a nice bottle to a party just to have lushes do shots and pound the bottle. IME the people who tank it are never those you brought it for.

 

[THDNUT]

Jamison 12 year old. It runs about $33/ 750ml here in AZ at Total Wine. Absolutely delicious!

 

[acstorfer]

Is this something you're bringing as a gift or something that will be cracked for the party? The clientele would dictate my choice.

For a gift going with a $50 bottle is a great idea. For the party grab 2 bottles of regular Jameson or Bushmills. That stuff doesn't get old.

IMO there's nothing worse than bringing a nice bottle to a party just to have lushes do shots and pound the bottle. IME the people who tank it are never those you brought it for.

Hell, for a party then only Wild Irish Rose will do .

 

[realjimjim]

We always have a traditional St. Paddy's at my house which begins March 1st and runs through the 31st.

Anything with alcohol is good Irish whiskey here and that includes Budweiser too!

 

[Rich]

Is this something you're bringing as a gift or something that will be cracked for the party? The clientele would dictate my choice.

For a gift going with a $50 bottle is a great idea. For the party grab 2 bottles of regular Jameson or Bushmills. That stuff doesn't get old.

IMO there's nothing worse than bringing a nice bottle to a party just to have lushes do shots and pound the bottle. IME the people who tank it are never those you brought it for.

This is going to be a mixed crowd of maybe 15-20 people, mostly folks 40-50 and over so I'm not worried about that... too much. I hear ya about wasting good liquor on pounding shots and, believe me, there will be some who will in the interest of getting faced, but if some folks want to do that, I'm okay with it. They invited us over for what I know is an awesome spread of food and I just want to reciprocate with some gratitude.

Considering the crowd and town (hard working blue collar for the most part) and there WILL be bagpipers in kilts there from the parade, I'm just not sure what the line is between "Fookin' great stuff! Good on ya, ya I-talian bastard! Cheers and luck o' the Irish to ya!" and "Well, you sort of went overboard but cheers anyway, ya snob!" My neighbors rock and it's gonna be a good time.

 

[RedSkwirrell]

Irish Beer.
Scotch whisky.

 

[danohat]

Got a good St. Patrick's day story for you. I was completely shit faced from starting drinking at 7 am. Still at the bar, some girl starts taking off her shirt and rubbing her nipples on my face. Enter the boyfriend. He starts giving me a hard time and getting ready to strike my teeth when BAM! I go down like a sack of flour with never a punch being thrown. Ha! I ruined his day. I knocked myself out with booze.

 

[Ed B]

This is going to be a mixed crowd of maybe 15-20 people, mostly folks 40-50 and over so I'm not worried about that... too much. I hear ya about wasting good liquor on pounding shots and, believe me, there will be some who will in the interest of getting faced, but if some folks want to do that, I'm okay with it. They invited us over for what I know is an awesome spread of food and I just want to reciprocate with some gratitude.

Considering the crowd and town (hard working blue collar for the most part) and there WILL be bagpipers in kilts there from the parade, I'm just not sure what the line is between "Fookin' great stuff! Good on ya, ya I-talian bastard! Cheers and luck o' the Irish to ya!" and "Well, you sort of went overboard but cheers anyway, ya snob!" My neighbors rock and it's gonna be a good time.

I hear ya. It's a gift, it really doesn't matter what happens to it after it is received. It will be well appreciated either way. I highly doubt you can do anything to be deemed a snob.

All you have to say is "I don't drink this crap" and start singing "Bottle o' red, ooooh bottle white". No wait, they'd call you a snob.

 

[HenryHill]

Jamesons or Bushmills.

I'm very happy with even the first in the line of each, they are that smooth.

My favorite is Bushmills, because it has a little more earthy, fuller flavor, and then Jameson, which to me, is a more plain, simpler, but very nice flavor.

That's me though, I prefer a reposado tequila to a blanco....

But the higher priced ones tend to have a more complex and fuller taste, and the popularity actually goes down in relation to the price.

IMO, people taste the marketing of the name more than taste the quality of fine liquor, and Jameson is by far more popular; and not coincidentally, I think, more advertised.

If you don't think the recipient has the depth of taste to appreciate a more expensive version, don't bother, they probably won't like it as well as the entry level one.

And really, if you are thinking people are gonna put the hurt on the level in the bottle, than the good shit will be a waste anyway.

Ya know?

 

[Jim]

Aquafina

 

[Chascat]

A friend of mine raves about Bushmills 10 year old Malt. Over here it's about £25 - not sure what that translates to in dollars.

 

[Rich]

Thank you, folks! Much appreciated! I think some sort of Bushmills is going to be the party favor.

 

[Ozzy Mandeus]

Get some potato peelings and a bathtub, make them some potcheen. They'll thank you when their eyesight comes back.

 

[Caleb]

Red Breast is phenomenal. Middleton's is great too, if you're willing to part with a few more bucks.

 

[Ermghoti]

Blackbush is very nice. If it's available, I like Power's nearly as well, and it's cheaper than regular Jameson. It's generally not available in the states.

We have a liquor chain in MA that carries Powers, so I'm lucky. My brother and I were in NYC, and visited a legit Irish, as in "owned and staffed by immigrants," bar, and asked if they had the stuff. Bartender got all dreamy-eyed, but regretfully informed us they didn't stock it.

That's when I discovered Blackbush.

 

[six-string]

well hate to bring up the obvious...
are your friends Catholic or Protestant?
its a touchy subject with Irish folks.

Jameson's is catholic
Bushmills is protestant