Yes, he is an Irish Wolfhound and such a fine, kindly fellow. His name,
Huckleberry Finn McCool, is a happy blend of American and Irish heroes;
much happier, we [The Whiskey Distillers of Ireland] think, than William
Jennings Brian Boru. If he seems a trifle out-size it is because Irish Wolfhounds
are the largest dogs in the world; although H.F. McCool is only eight months old
and will not attain his growth for another year yet. Originally they were bred to
hunt wolves and so they did until the last wolf in Ireland was despatched around
1745. They have had little to do since except be charming, flahoolick, and
statuesque. Now, this has little to do with Irish Whiskey or with its burnished
emphatic flavour (somewhere between Scotch Whisky and American Whiskey).
However, there is a story goes with it. One day, then, Mr. Billy Pearson, the art
collector & gentleman jockey who rode many's the race Over Here, volunteered
he would be highly pleased to put in a good word for his favourite drink:
Irish Water. That is to say Irish Whiskey with the water added. So we arranged
to have his picture taken. But at this point our H.F. McCool wandered in and
Mr. Pearson decided nothing would do but the cameraman snap him too. That
was a bad decision. For while, as you can see, H.F.'s portrait turned out
marvellously well, Mr. Pearson scarcely got in the picture at all. Still, his left
hand is apparently quite photogenic.
