Guest Curated Flight - Number 1 - '@bogstandardram aka Greg Szczepkowski

Since we launched our website, the most popular items sold have been our Tasting Flights. Putting together tasting flights can be a very interesting experience. You get to try and pick whiskies that will complement each other in a favourable way. It can be hard to get right. You set a budget, a theme, and a desired outcome and away you go. However, it can be challenging to choose when there is such huge variety and quality out there at the moment. I have noticed that it’s easy to lean towards the whiskies that I personally like when trying to curate a flight. What is needed is some external influences. 

As you all know, the Irish whiskey community is a vibrant and active place to be. On social media, the whiskey community comes to life! With online tastings, tweet tastings and people just sharing, it is awash with opinions, facts, tasting notes and plenty of GIF's. Just look for #fridaynightdram, #saturdaynightsip or #sundaynightsup each weekend and you get a snapshot of what is 'trending' in Irish whiskey. Over the last number of years, I have come to know and interact with so many Twitter handles without actually knowing the persona behind it.

Recently, after an interaction with @bogstandarddram in which he had picked out Writers Tears Double Oak, Teeling Black Pitts and the new Dingle Single Malt as a 'Big Trio - (Same price group, same premier league that is engaging for newbies and connoisseurs out there), I had an idea. I replied to his tweet and we started a conversation in DM's which has resulted in the first Tiny Tipple 'Guest Curated Tasting Flight'.

I have never met @bogstandarddram in real life, and I only know him through his enthusiasm for Irish Whiskey. Greg Szczepkowski is the creator of the first Guest Flight, and he has set out his reasons why each bottle was chosen. In his own words.

'Hi, my name's Greg Szczepkowski, I'm the person behind @bogstandarddram on Twitter where I talk about whiskey and other spirits. I came to Ireland in 2005 and I love it over here. Engineer by day, whiskey is my passion and I'm truly committed to taste a lot of different styles of this amazing spirit.

Name: Quattro. Named after the classic Audi Quattro, an icon of the 80s, one of the coolest cars ever made. It also reminds me of the famous Vivaldi's violin work "Le Quattro Stagioni" or "Four Seasons", another famous classic. This leads me to the main stars of this pack, the four samples of Irish whiskeys, each displaying slightly different skills of people making them, from finishing to blending and balancing. 

I dare to say, the classic skills presented in a classic set.

Please allow me to share some of the greatest, yet affordable and widely available whiskeys that, in my opinion, work well for people who are just beginning their journey and seasoned aficionados alike. Slainte!'

1. Writer's Tears Double Oak:

This marriage of single malt and single pot still whiskeys shows extra dimension when it comes to spirit finishing. By using French oak casks from Cognac, the fruitiness of Irish distillates is brought to a higher level. And if you are brandy drinker, you instantly recognize these signature sweet juicy oaky notes from the Cognac barrel.

2. Dingle Single Malt:

The west coast of Ireland is one of the most beautiful places in the world. Wild Atlantic Way requires Wild Atlantic Whiskey and the most recent expression from Dingle Distillery hits the stage big time! Balanced superbly, with strong PX cask influence of spice and chocolate notes, this single malt will keep you captivated sip after sip.

3. Knappogue Castle 14:

Distillers in Ireland have a special talent when it comes to maturation and cask management. Knappogue 14 displays this in the most rewarding way: orchard fruit character balanced with wood spices from casks of the highest quality. I think this whiskey is underrated but we shall never ignore a triple distilled single malt of this quality sourced from a certain Northern Irish distillery.

4. Teeling Blackpitts:

"I don't like peaty whiskey" is a typical reaction of people who simply didn't taste enough of it! The first peated Teeling single malt, the Blackpits is a testament of how youthful Irish whiskey works well with peat, especially if finished in sweet Sauternes wine casks. The smoke is pleasant and not overwhelming, gradually fading to unravel a layer of tropical fruits beneath. If you want to challenge your peat-peeves, this whiskey is the best place to start.'

'Quattro' is available in our Tasting Flight Section from now.

 https://www.tinytipple.com/collections/tasting-flights/products/quattro-guest-curated-tasting-flight-number-1-4-x-50ml

The result is a brilliant tasting flight, chosen by someone who really knows and is really interested in their whiskey. These guest curated flights may become staples on our website or may be more limited depending on the spirits chosen, either way, they will all tell a story and let some of the best whiskey minds around express themselves.

Along with Greg, I have been working with Shamini Charlie T from the freedomandwhisky.no blog, after she got in touch. Her chosen flight will be revealed in the next while. 

If you have an idea for a tasting flight, feel free to get in touch on hello@tinytipple.com

All the best,

Ivor.