Some of the best whiskies start with a long day, a lot of tasting, and a bit of trial and error.
Some of the best whiskies start with a long day, a lot of tasting, and a bit of trial and error.
That’s exactly how JJ Corry Tomoka Chapter One came to be, a collaboration between Tomoka founder Shane and the team at JJ Corry in Ireland. Here’s how the day unfolded, in Shane’s own words.
Early start for this one, a longer flight into Shannon, then straight into the day with the team collecting me from the airport. No time wasted, we were driven down to the bonded storage yard almost immediately.
First up was meeting Louise from JJ Corry and getting the introductions out of the way. Then, sensibly, we sat down to eat, with a few whiskies alongside to ease us into the day properly.
From there we went on a tour that eventually brought us into the bonded warehouse itself, and this is where things got interesting. We spent a good two hours in there, working through different barrels and tasting our way to what felt like the right balance. We landed on a blend of 80% fino, 15% moscatel and 5% palo cortado, which gave us exactly the character we were after.
The result was well worth the trip. The finished whiskey went on to win ‘Best Irish 12yr and under’ and under at the World Whisky Awards, and demand has been such that we’re now completely sold out.
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