Somewhat unusually, I had to work today, but in fact it was hardly work at all.
I was assigned to cover the visit of a group of American politicians and
business leaders to Cooley Distillery. I got to
go on a tour of the distillery, which has won numerous awards since it was founded
just 25 years ago, and had a very nice lunch.
Although I am not a whiskey drinker, it was interesting to learn how the whiskey
is distilled, blended and matured in casks such as these. The distillery founder,
Dr John Teeling, explained how the temperate Irish climate was ideal for growing
barley and maintaining the temperature of the casks as the whiskey matures. And
the weather obliged by being suitable 'soft'.