Greenore (Gaeilge, Grianfort) is a new name from the Cooley distillery, located in County Louth, north of Dublin. Cooley was founded in 1987 and is currently the only independently owned Irish distillery. They've introduced a number of whiskies over the years, including a number of former names on the Irish whiskey scene that had closed down over the years, such as Lockes of Kilbeggan (that's one for another article).

Greenore 8, one of the milder fillies in the stable, is a nice small nuzzling whiskey that says, "Your place or mine?" (try to ignore the mixed imagery there). It wants you to give in to it. The initial smells of light honey and heather give way to warmer hints of tobacco and coffee. It's not too strong and won't give you the kind of hangover that makes you reconsider joining that juice-sect that works out of the abandoned house down the road.

But in a way it's too easy. And that’s the beauty of it. It is the über-Irish whiskey — smooth and warm and great with a pint. Although some drinkers find it too soft, lacking the spice of Red Breast or Green Spot, for me this one is all about pleasure. Keep an eye out for the 15 year old. It's limited as so many whiskies are these days but it's surely one to watch. Then drink.