Summary
Immediately following our afternoon tasting session of the offerings from the Guinness Storehouse, which can be referenced in part 1 here and part 2 here, we returned to our hotel, which was understandably adorned in elaborate festive decorations.
Perhaps it had simply been a prolonged period away from London, but it appeared evident that the Irish populace—especially the residents of Dublin—approach Christmas with a notably greater seriousness compared to those in London. Every venue was elaborately decorated, truly a sight to behold.
After a foiled attempt at a nap—thanks to a previous post—we prepared ourselves for what promised to be an exhilarating evening.
Our first destination was the Teeling Whiskey distillery.
Our companion, Niamh, had received an invitation; thus, we decided to accompany her—after all, a visit to Ireland would be incomplete without sampling some whiskey.
During our walk toward the distillery, we navigated past enticing cake shops and numerous signs that appeared to beckon to us, as we searched for whiskey and, hopefully, some mince pies.
The notion of indulging in mince pies lingered on my mind throughout the walk. By the time we reached our destination, it was the only thought in my mind.
Fortunately, a plentiful supply of mince pies awaited us, and I must admit, I quickly set my manners aside to indulge in as many as possible.
Additionally, I even obtained some extra pies for Lloyd, who had briefly stepped to the restroom; however, they were simply too delicious to resist.
As it turned out, they were not heavy in the slightest, but I believed prioritizing the enjoyment of pies over managing restroom visits was entirely justified—after all, we all had to go at some point, some simply persevered longer for the sake of indulging.
Reflecting on my extended discourse regarding mince pies, it’s time to transition swiftly to the next topic.
As we arrived at the distillery, we were greeted by a trio of carolers harmoniously serenading us while we explored the premises.
At that moment, I had not anticipated that guided tours of the distillery would be available. My indulgence in food had taken precedence, but once my appetite was somewhat quenched, I focused on the realization that we could participate in a guided tour.
I have no recollection of where I obtained that candy cane from. All I know is that I discovered three more in my pockets the following day.
The tour was truly enlightening, but in all honesty, I am unsure if I am any more knowledgeable regarding whiskey production. I was simply captivated by the machinery and the intricate process that creates what many would refer to as a ‘fun night in a bottle.’
The primary point of interest was a unique bottle labeled as Poitin, an alcoholic beverage distilled from potatoes. I characterize it as a distinct drink rather than specifying a type of alcohol, given its unique categorization.
Historically, Poitin was potent enough to approach pure alcohol concentrations of 90% ABV, making it one of the strongest spirits globally. The strength led to government prohibition, which has only recently been relaxed, permitting variations that do not exceed 80% ABV. The version we encountered contained 61.5% ABV, which, while subdued by traditional Poitin standards, remains robust by contemporary measures.
I felt compelled to taste this unique beverage and explore its flavor profile.
Finally, our evening drew to a close as we had to bid farewell and proceed to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Guinness Storehouse.
