A Bit of the Irish

Vancouver is becoming a hotbed for discerning whiskey drinkers.

By Christina Burridge

ST. PATRICK'S DAY has the reputation of a hard-drinking, knock ’em back festival. But it could just as easily be an elegant sipping festival. Just forego the green beer and go for some good Irish whiskey instead.

A century ago, Irish whiskey was more popular than Scotch, with hundreds of distilleries exporting to the U.S. and the British Empire. War, Depression, Prohibition, politics, taxes and trade did just about all of them in until, by the late 1980s, there were only two left—Midleton in the South and Bushmills in the North. The last couple of decades have brought a revival, and Sean Heather at the Irish Heather and Shebeen has made sure Vancouver is part of it, helping to revitalize Gastown in the process.

Born in Toronto of Irish-Newfoundland parents and brought up in Limerick, Heather travelled the world working in bars and restaurants. He ended up in Vancouver because it was the closest Canadian city to San Francisco, working the graveyard shift at Benny’s Bagels in Kits even though he barely knew a bagel from a breadstick. Ten years ago, he opened the Irish Heather on Carrall, followed five years later by Shebeen, tucked behind it. Now he’s on a restaurant roll, opening Salt and Lucky Diner last year, a hot dog cart on Water Street in January, and, soon, Pepper in Railtown.

He will happily talk whiskey. For hours. He thinks we might be more sophisticated drinkers than Dubliners. “It’s become de rigueur to drink whiskey in Vancouver—just come to Shebeen on a Sunday night and you’ll be amazed by how much we sell.” And it’s not just traditional hard-core drinkers—women love whiskey and so does a whole new generation. “In Dublin, they’re still drinking triple vodka with Red Bull and ice in pint glasses; here people might stop in for a drink before they go somewhere else or finish up here afterwards.”

Of the more than 130 whiskies at Shebeen, Irish is Heather’s choice for those just developing a taste for the hard stuff. “It’s triple distilled, compared to twice for Scotch and once for Bourbon, so there’s no impurities left.” With few exceptions, there’s no peat used in making it so Irish whiskey is generally smoother and sweeter than earthy, smoky Scotch.

He chooses three bottles from Shebeen’s shelves to show off the range of today’s Irish whiskey. Power Gold Label with its three swallows (a visual pun on the three swallows needed to drink down a miniature bottle) is the working man’s whiskey. “My dad drank it,” says Heather. “It’s what you get in Dublin if you order a pint and a small one—Guinness and Gold Label.” He likes the traditional Redbreast, “a great whiskey, and a bargain in B.C.—it would cost twice as much in Dublin.” The Midleton Very Rare 2001 is just that, “maybe 4,000 bottles a year—lots of length and complexity and a lively tingle on the tongue.” At $27 a shot, he sells a surprising amount of it, but it’s made for contemplation, not partying.

“At the end of day,” Heather says, “if I’ve managed to turn someone on to a Redbreast, I’m happy.”

THREE OF THE BEST

Sean Heather's top Irish picks from the 130 whiskeys at Shebeen.

John Power & Son Gold Label Irish Whiskey
Smooth and straightforward, this is a Dublin whiskey with a ton of tradition behind it. Drink it on its own or use it for Irish Coffee or a hot Irish. Heather sometimes uses it in classic cocktails like a Michael Collins or a Dublin Sidecar, orin new ones like his favourite, Ginger Lady, a tribute to the Pogues’ Shane MacGowan. Specialty listing, $36.99

Midleton Very Rare Irish Whiskey 2001
Signed and numbered by master distiller Barry Crockett, this is super smooth with layer on layer of flavours and a length that’s well on the way to infinity. The fruit is apricot, apple and peach set off with almond fruitcake and spice. It’s almost like brandy, so save it for after dinner when you don’t have to drive home. Specialty listing, $188.67

Redbreast 12 Year Old Irish Whiskey
A traditional copper pot still whiskey, making it the Irish equivalent of single malt. The flavours are vanilla, licorice, nuts, orange peel and gingery spice. A big whiskey with a good, long finish. Heather says it’s hard to find in Ireland, and twice as costly, so make the most of it here. Specialty listing, $47.99—C. Burridge