He must be using a different definition of "continuously operating" than most people. Kilbeggan was shut from 1954 to 2007, and has yet to produce any new whiskey for sale. The products labeled "Kilbeggan" today are distilled at the Cooley Distillery (which is itself relatively new).

That's not a criticism; it is in fact wonderful to see a revival of Irish distilling. For too long almost all Irish whiskeys aside from Bushmills in Northern Ireland have been made at a single distillery, New Midleton. That's right -- Jamesons, Powers, Redbreast, etc. are all made in the same place by the same company. Cooley and Kilbeggan are owned by Jim Beam, so it's not exactly leprechauns making the stuff, but it's more diversity than before. One hopes that other independents will eventually reappear.

Also: started 1757, not 1557. Still, that makes it the first licensed distillery in the world, though not continuously operating.

Still: great report, do more booze reports!

Those whiskey rocks are a total scam. Everyone knows the chill produced by ice is not from the temperature compared to the solution it is in, but its phase change from solid to liquid. It takes a lot of energy to melt ice- energy that is sucked out of your Manhattan as heat. The stupid rocks just warm up as your drink cools down until they reach equilibrium- no phase change.

This is the first SLOG post (and associated comment, #1) in which I feel the authors are fully versed in the subject matter and speak with authority from their own opinion, not as the mouthpiece of some other directed agenda.

No doubt some suitable brainwashing will be applied before this internship ends.

"Ivar's - no, really." Wind it back, kid. Yeah, there are no doubt many more hip places to drink in Seattle, but I've never had a bad drink or a bad meal at the Acres of Clams or the Clam Digger Lounge (which is a godsend to the marine engineer cursed with a palate and a budget - I've gone away from their happy hour more than once quite sated in both alcohol and tasty food, and with plenty of cash remaining in my wallet.)

"Old" and "touristy" does not necessarily equal "bad."

@2: Regarding whiskey rocks, there is the also the fact that adding ice to whiskey is an abomination in the eyes of God. (And I don't even believe in God.)

@5: May we see your 'Professional Scotsman' (or Irishman, given the spelling) card before this goes any further?

And @Intern: This is kinda nifty to see. Almost 20 years ago I did video duplication work for a large winery that actually gave a crap about the pairing of wine and food, and produced training films for the restaurants that stocked their wines - and reading your piece was very familiar.

@6: Hrumph hrumph, no True Scotsman, etc. etc.

This was a really well-written review, and made me eager to attend one of these events.

@5 THANK YOU. When I want whiskey, I want whiskey not increasing amounts of water. If you have 2 oz. of whiskey and even 1 ice cube, you're significantly watering down a good drink.

Whiskey rocks are nice just to cool it down a bit without watering it down or making it so cold that you kill the taste.