Irish Whisky vs American or Canadian

[pistolero]

My all time favorite is Jack Daniel's but I only drink it every once in a while because it's kind of expensive. I have friends that drink a lot of Jameson and Bushmill's so I tend to drink a lot of that. When I'm home, I drink mostly Evan Williams because it's cheap and it tastes good. The only Canadian I have tried is Black Velvet and I just don't like it.

my brother bought me evan williams in a big ass jug and i thought, 'oh boy, this is gonna be bad.' i was wrong, quite wrong. another cheap one i really enjoy (maybe it's just me) but i think ten high is a great salon whiskey.

What they (and Xeno) said. Evan Williams is GREAT for the price. Simple but like the man said "it's cheap and tastes great" VERY smooth. The ABC here sometimes has killer specials on half gallon jugs around Christmas.
The Jim Beam stuff isn't bad.
When I'm feeling rich I prefer Maker's Mark for a treat.

Really good Carolina moonshine though, if I ever find any of that again I'm gonna stockpile a few gallons.

 

[Natch]

An old professor of mine (actually, he's younger than I am but he was on my dissertation committee, go figure?) introduced me to Tullamore Dew. I think it's a fine Irish whiskey, esp. their 12 year old version. But like many here I mostly drink bourbon, and Evan Williams is one of the least expensive down here and just fine for Manhattans or mixing.

About the only blends in that category that I don't particularly care for are the Jack Daniels varieties. Unless, of course, your buying, in which case it's one of my favorite blends.

Natch

 

[bluedigital]

An old professor of mine (actually, he's younger than I am but he was on my dissertation committee, go figure?) introduced me to Tullamore Dew. I think it's a fine Irish whiskey, esp. their 12 year old version. But like many here I mostly drink bourbon, and Evan Williams is one of the least expensive down here and just fine for Manhattans or mixing.

About the only blends in that category that I don't particularly care for are the Jack Daniels varieties. Unless, of course, your buying, in which case it's one of my favorite blends.

Natch

Natch the Tullamore Dew is superb, if you liked that try and get some Bushmills, the 16 YO is excellent!

 

[bluedigital]

I am planning on attending a Whiskey festival next week here in Cape Town and will have the opportunity to sample a few different whiskeys. Well the ticket allows 12 tastings to be exact. Some input into what to sample would be greatly appreciated.
The only Canadian whiskey at the show is:
Canadian Club Classic.

As for the American whiskeys:

Blanton's Gold Edition
Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Eagle Rare 10 Year Old Single Barrel
Elmer T Lee Single Barrel
Hancock's
Jack Daniels Gentleman Jack
Jack Daniels Old No.7 Black Label
Jack Daniels Single Barrel Fruity
Jim Bean Black
Jim Bean White
Knob Creek
Makers Mark Fruity
Rock Hill Farm's Single Barrel
Sazerac Rye Straight Rye Whisky
Slate Bourbon whiskey
Wild Turkey
Woodford Reserve

I won't list all the Scottish and Irish whiskeys, far too many, any input is appreciated gents.

 

[Greenleaf]

As Doc Manhattan pointed out, it depnds on what you need. I've been a bourbon drinker since I started off. It's good and strong, there's nothing finer in a shotglass than Jim Beam. Evan Williams is also pretty good and 86 proof, but I eventually got sick of it's sweetness. Old Crow was my old favorite becuase of the price and it will violate you good. Price being a consideration, I can seldom afford a sipping whiskey like an Irish, but Jameson would be my favorite for this purpose. Bushmills has a great alcohol taste, but not an abundance of flavor other than that.

Bluedigital, ever try Jim Beam Black? It's damn good and a practical choice given the price.

By the way, for any of you who spelled Irish whiskey without the "e," Ireland and America are the two countries that spell the word "whiskey."

 

[bluedigital]

Hey Greenleaf, thanks for the info I will give the JB Black a try ... man I'm so looking forward to the festival :drunken:

 

[pasq0321]

Jameson's has been my whiskey of choice for a long time now. Glad I came across this, I may end up looking for some of the other recommendations.

 

[whiskeywillow]

I don't wish to offend anyone, and I'm deeply sorry if I do, but I hate Canadian whiskey.

I'd have to say that the best is Laphroaig scotch whisky, but since you asked about Irish and American...

I prefer Irish whiskey over American in general, but I'll drink American whiskeys because hey...there are some damn fine American whiskeys. Like anything else, it's a matter of taste.

My favorite Irish whiskeys are Jameson and Knappogue Castle. Knappogue also makes this amazing liqueur called Celtic Crossing, which is whiskey, cognac, and honey blended into mouth-happiness.

As far as American whiskey it really depends what I'm in the mood for. If I want a nice rye (which I often do; it's kind of reminiscent of an Islay whisky like Laphroaig) I'll drink Wild Turkey Rye. As for bourbon, I like Jim Beam alright but prefer their Knob Creek variety when I can get it. But my favorite American whiskey is Jack Daniels, it has a great flavor which I gather is from the process of filtering it through maple charcoal before aging.

 

[IronKnight]

Well to make it short and sweet, Jameson is my drink of choice (a small shot in a cup of Twining's Irish Tea with a good bowl of Carter Hall). Bourbon you should really try Bulliet, hands down beats Jack Daniels in complexity, but drink it neat or on the rocks. As far as Canadian, I find it to be the master of mixing with cola, btw, Forty Creek Barrel Select always beats Crown Royal in my home. I keep Gentleman Jack Daniels and Jim Beam Black/White and a small fifth of Makers Mark as well, but thats mostly for my guests on poker nights.