Irish Whiskey
Whiskey traces its very origins to Ireland in the 1600s, and for centuries, Irish whiskey was the most popular spirit in the world. Only in the 20th century did Scotch finally surpass it, at which point Irish fell into decline. Irish whiskey differs from its Scottish cousin in several ways. To begin, the Irish spell “whiskey” with an “e.” More importantly, Irish whiskey is rarely made entirely from malted barley. Dating back to their efforts to dodge the British Malt tax of 1785, the Irish coupled raw, unmalted barley with malted barley to make their mash. This resulted in the development vanilla notes that remain more pronounced in most Irish whiskeys. Today, there are several notable single malt Irish whiskeys, but they remain the exceptions. As well, Irish whiskey is typically triple distilled whereas most Scotch is distilled only twice. To be labeled Irish whiskey, the distillate must be aged in wood casks for at least three years. Varieties of Irish whiskey include “single pot still” (which provides the most distinctively “Irish” spirit), “single malt,” “single grain,” and “blended.” Single pot still whiskeys, such as Redbreast and Green Spot, are made at a single distillery using a copper pot still and a blended mashbill that includes malted and unmalted barley as noted above. After years of decline, the popularity of Irish whiskey has exploded in recent years, and whereas there were only three distilleries in operation 20 years ago (Bushmills, Cooley, and Midleton), there are at least 18 today, all creating distinctive whiskeys that build upon and also challenge Ireland’s long whiskey-making tradition.
Top Irish Whiskey Posts:
On Toasts and Irish Whiskey for St. Patrick’s Day
A Visit to Dublin’s Teeling Whiskey
Tasting Report: Jameson Rare and Reserve Irish Whiskeys
Waterford continues to expand its diverse portfolio of terroir-focused Irish whiskeys. Today we’re taking a look at a recent addition to the Arcadian Farm Origin Series which, like last year’s peated offerings, showcases “maverick farming” with a focus on heritage grains. The second offering is an all cuvee expression of Waterford’s Organic Gaia. Let’s check…
New Hampshire is a thirsty state. For nearly a decade now, we’ve periodically covered the NHLC’s acquisition of single barrel American whiskey and tequila. Now, through a partnership with Bord Bia, Ireland’s Agency for Food and Drink, the Granite State is getting access to a wide selection of unique Irish whiskeys. Per NHLC: The New Hampshire Liquor Commission (NHLC) and…
Clonakilty continues to push boundaries when it comes to expectations around Irish whiskey — and with this release what it’s really pushing is age. This release hits a whopping 32 years of age, spending that time in oloroso sherry hogsheads, with 8 of those years in a maritime warehouse on the edge of the Atlantic…
This is our fifth round with a Puncher’s Chance whiskey release, and this time out we’re getting something different from the brand’s creators at Wolf Spirit: The Unified Belt is a blend of three whiskeys — two bourbons and an Irish whiskey. This is the first transcontinental blend from the brand, though Irish-American combos are increasingly…
Quick geography lesson for those who slept through it in school. The Iberian Peninsula is a region of southwestern Europe that includes most of Spain and Portugal, a tiny bit of southern France, and Gibraltar. Like Scotch, Irish whiskey has a long tradition of aging in ex-sherry casks that hail from this part of the…
It was another tough year for the whisky nerds among us – which is, well, all of us – as we tried to pare down the hundreds of options we reviewed throughout 2023 and come up with a list of the ten that excited us the most. Yes, we heard your cries from last year:…
Pineau des Charentes — grape juice tempered with young brandy, basically — has been on the rise both as a stand-alone aperitif and as an ingredient in spirit finishing. Next up to make use of these unique barrels is Ireland’s Teeling, which has put its latest ultra-limited release, which starts with a single cast of…
The Irish still seem to be warming up to the idea of cask strength whiskey. While the numbers are certainly growing, the pickings are comparatively slim when you look to the east where the Scots have embraced high octane expressions for decades. Of course, not nearly with the same enthusiasm and zeal as we rocket…
Take the softest style of whiskey in the world and meld it with one of the most rugged and what do you get? Clonakilty‘s bold experiment, taking a 7 year old Irish single malt and finishing it in Garrison Brothers Balmorhea whiskey barrels, attempts to answer that question. And while there are moments of greatness…
Like a lot of Irish whiskeymakers, Redbreast is cranking up the innovation engine of late, with new releases largely revolving around finishes of its classic single pot still whiskey. This round, installment #3 in the Iberian series, it’s time for Tawny Port, with non-age-statement Redbreast seeing its first round of aging in bourbon and sherry…