Irish Whiskey Flight: Whisk(e)y Wednesday presented by Lock & Key

by Blair "B-Rex" Loup

Irish Whiskey Flight featuring Green Spot, Redbreast 12 Year, and Jameson Black Barrel at Lock & Key $18

One of my favorite things about Lock & Key Whiskey Bar is how approachable they make things. If you're not a whiskey aficionado, chances are you're lost in a place like Lock & Key. With over 200 different whiskeys, it's easy to feel intimidated. Fret not, under the wings of their knowledgable and helpful staff, you can easily find your next whiskey obsession. If I'm not getting one of their delicious whiskey cocktails, I go for one of their incredibly affordable flights. Each flight has different levels of complexity; you'll get to try some stuff you're used to and try some stuff you've never had before.

This month, Lock & Key is featuring an Irish Whiskey flight for $18 you really won't want to miss. Featuring Jameson Select Reserve Black Barrel, Redbreast 12 Year, and the hard-to-find Green Spot, this Irish Whiskey Flight is available throughout March.

The Jameson Black Barrel and Redbreast 12 year are always available, but the Green Spot is what makes this flight a deal, so you'll definitely want to stop by and give it a whirl.

I got the chance to sit down and taste these three whiskeys with co-owner and whiskey-pedia, Arthur Lauck. What I love most about drinking whiskey with Arthur is he lets your draw your own conclusions and feel your way around before he lays down his infinite whiskey knowledge.

He suggested I try the Jameson Black Barrel first. Heavy vanilla on the nose, it was initially super balanced and smooth. After adding a few drops of water, the flavor expands into taller vanilla and toasted oak notes and moves the taste to the back of the palate. It kind of coats your mouth and lingers for a while, but none of the flavors are overpowering. It's also only a few dollars more than a regular Jameson and is far better tasting.

Moving along the tasting board, next up is the Redbreast 12 year. Being a single pot still distilled three times is what sets the Redbreast and Green Spot apart from the Jameson Black barrel. While the Black Barrel is from one distillery, it's still made up from different mashes. The Redbreast is slightly sweet, creamy, and full bodied. It instantly makes you feel warmer and has similar tasting notes to the Jameson Black Barrel, but is about 6 levels above that. You can really see where the single pot still makes a difference.

Green Spot is very hard to come by and has limited allocation, luckily Arthur was able to snag some. Instantly, I'm in love. It's super drinkable. It has an extremely clean finish, a little creamy, fresh and dried fruit notes, and strong on the peppermint. It's soft and delicate, but has a really great flavor. I loved it so much, I ran to Ben Q Liquor on my way back to the office to snag a bottle.

This is a really fun way to pre-celebrate the St. Paddy's festivities with three delicious whiskeys. Be sure to follow us on Twitter and Instagram @biteandbooze, and "like" us on Facebook and let us know which Irish whiskey in the flight was your favorite!