An independent Ireland?

[Audley Strange]

I'm sorry but as long as the ignorant aboriginals of that island continue to think Whiskey is remotely as good as whisky...

JUST NO! FUCK YOU! YOU NEED TO BE OPPRESSED FOR YOUR OWN GOOD! CHECK YOUR FUCKING VICTIMHOOD!

[Jason]

Deal: They may keep their drech 'Whiskey' provided they continue exporting Guinness and Kilkenny.

Irish whiskey is awesome especially tullamore dew (and their 12 yo is nom too) and jameson 12 yo.

Rubbish! Gibson's finest (not available outside Canada and one of the most widely sought after Canadian Whiskeys, or "Ryes", outside the country) is far superior to anything else, Irish or otherwise.

[Blind groper]

The spelling 'whiskey' is appropriate for American and Irish grain spirit, while 'whisky' is appropriate for scotch.

Spelling is, of course, a function of usage, and varies from place to place. It is good not to be parochial, and accept that someone somewhere else may spell your favorite word a little differently, and still be correct.

[Jason]

Americans spell it 'Whisky', while Canadians spell it 'Whiskey', however Americans call Canadian 'Whiskey' Rye, while Canadians just call it 'Whiskey' although a few Americanized Canadians do call it 'Rye'. So if you're speaking of American 'Whisky' you spell it 'Whisky', but if you're speaking of Canadian 'Whiskey' you spell it 'Whiskey', unless you're American or a complete tosspot (or dealing with an American or a complete tosspot) in which case you call it Rye. Whether the Irish or Scots spell theirs 'Whiskey' or 'Whisky' I don't know. I only drink whiskey.

Confused? Good. It's good not to be haughty, self-assuming and ignorant.

[mistermack]

Deal: They may keep their drech 'Whiskey' provided they continue exporting Guinness and Kilkenny.

Irish whiskey is awesome especially tullamore dew (and their 12 yo is nom too) and jameson 12 yo.

Rubbish! Gibson's finest (not available outside Canada and one of the most widely sought after Canadian Whiskeys, or "Ryes", outside the country) is far superior to anything else, Irish or otherwise.

Hmm.
The difference is highly overrated to me. If Gibsons is so great, you'd think more people would buy it.
I like straight rye, probably MY favourite. But I find the difference pretty insignificant in brands of whiskey.
I haven't bought rye for years. Jim Beam straight rye was the last, I think. Nice, but not hugely better than Scotch or Irish.

Dunno why I drink it really.

[Svartalf]

Deal: They may keep their drech 'Whiskey' provided they continue exporting Guinness and Kilkenny.

Why won't the world drink real Smithwick's?

[Svartalf]

Deal: They may keep their drech 'Whiskey' provided they continue exporting Guinness and Kilkenny.

Irish whiskey is awesome especially tullamore dew (and their 12 yo is nom too) and jameson 12 yo.

Funny, the Irish whiskey I like most comes from the area still under colonisation : I love me a good Black Bush (or the other colors than white)

[Cormac]

Deal: They may keep their drech 'Whiskey' provided they continue exporting Guinness and Kilkenny.

Why won't the world drink real Smithwick's?

If I was to tell the truth - Irish beer became a sad caricature of itself over the course of the last century.

Thankfully, we now have some microbreweries making reasonably decent stuff.

Smithwicks is not great. I don't think it is the same as Kilkenny - a beer that is not sold in Ireland at all, for some inexplicable reason.

I could be wrong here!

[Svartalf]

Kilkenny is the export version of Smithwick's, which used to be my brew of choice when I wasn't up for a stout.

[mistermack]

Thankfully, we now have some microbreweries making reasonably decent stuff.

The microdistilleries used to knock out some interesting stuff.
I've had poteen that was truly aweful, and some that was genuinely great.

The bad stuff used to get used on sick animals. The good stuff really was worth drinking.
Not easy to get though, and I never feel 100% safe drinking it.

[Cormac]

Thankfully, we now have some microbreweries making reasonably decent stuff.

The microdistilleries used to knock out some interesting stuff.
I've had poteen that was truly aweful, and some that was genuinely great.

The bad stuff used to get used on sick animals. The good stuff really was worth drinking.
Not easy to get though, and I never feel 100% safe drinking it.

Yep.


Putcheen - "Sure I only make it to rub into my greyhounds legs your honour!".

[Svartalf]

Some of it is not fit to drink... lasdt time I had real poteen (as opposed to tourist stuff), it tasted like paint remover.

[klr]

Some of it is not fit to drink... lasdt time I had real poteen (as opposed to tourist stuff), it tasted like paint remover.

That's what it probably was ...

Turpentine has a fierce kick to it.

[Svartalf]

Well, it's not my tipple of choice.

[Cormac]

Kilkenny is the export version of Smithwick's, which used to be my brew of choice when I wasn't up for a stout.

Hmmm. I have it in my head that they are distinct beers. Apart from anything else, Guiness used to produce a "Killkenny Cream Ale" here in Ireland (and in other locations) which was nothing like Smithwicks.

Also, I had Kilkenny Red when I was in Boston circa 1991, and in my memory is was different to Smithwicks.

But I'm open to correction - perhaps a taste testing is required. Of course, we'd need to make sure it is scientifically rigorous, with control samples in addition to the tested samples...