Hell-Cat Maggie Irish Whiskey is produced and bottled by Ed Phillips and Sons located in Princeton, Minnesota. Examining the label, I determine that this Irish Whiskey is produced at the Cooley Distillery in Louth, Ireland. It is apparently distilled three times from a mash of un-malted and malted barley and aged for at least three years. The company’s website does not reveal a great deal more about the whisky. All I could find was this statement which spoke to the brand name and the copper pot distillation:
Hell-Cat Maggie was a member of the notorious Dead Rabbits gang that roamed the Five Points area of Manhattan in the 1840s. A feared streetfighter, Maggie wore razor sharp brass talons on her fingers and filed her teeth into points. Hell-Cat Maggie is an exceptionally smooth whiskey that is distilled in Ireland using the traditional single copper pot still method.
Here is a link to my full review:
Review: Hell-Cat Maggie Irish Whisky
I hope you enjoy this review which kicks off a short series of Irish Whiskey postings.
Chimo!








With that in mind, here is a mixed drink that combines Irish Whiskey with Sweet Vermouth and Bitters. The libation is called the Emerald, and it is a close relative of the popular North American cocktail, the Manhattan. It is important, when mixing an Emerald, to consider the pairing of Sweet Vermouth and Irish Whisky as each spirit has a multitude of brands, and the flavour profiles of each can differ significantly. As I happen to be mixing with a flavourful copper pot distilled Irish Whiskey, I chose the bold Cinzano Rosso which also has a complex flavour profile, one which I felt would pair well with my chosen Irish Whiskey, Hell-Cat Maggie.