Irish Whiskey
Over the last decade or so, Irish whiskey has enjoyed a huge rise in popularity worldwide. The boom has been led by Jameson, now one of the best-selling spirits in the world, and Midleton Very Rare, the most sought-after luxury Irish whiskey. This follows a century of decline that saw Irish whiskey wither and almost die out.
In the late 19th century, Irish whiskey (Irish whiskey always has an ‘e’, Scotch doesn’t) sold more than its rival just across the water and was also held in higher esteem. Then a series of disasters befell the industry. Firstly, the Irish distilleries banned the new far faster continuous still (invented by an Irishman) while the Scots embraced and it and were able to distil more quickly and cheaply. Then, after the War of Independence, the Irish lost access to the British market and empire. In the 1920’s the American market closed due to prohibition. This was followed by a trade war with Britain in the 1930’s and World War 2.
In the mid 1970’s the last remaining distilleries came together to form one consolidated company, Irish Distillers. One of the group, Bushmills, continued to produce whiskey from its base in Northern Ireland, while the remainder, including Jameson, Powers, and Paddy, were all made in the same distillery in Midleton, East Cork. So, by the mid-1970’s these were the only two operating distilleries left in Ireland. In 1988, Irish Distillers was taken over by French drinks group Pernod Ricard.
In the 21st century, renewed interest in whiskey led to a whole new generation of distilleries being set up around the country. There are now in excess of thirty producers, some creating very exciting, small batch artisnal whiskies. As their stocks mature, they can only get better. In the meantime, there has been plenty of experimentation, with producers using different cereals, such as rye, oats, unmalted barley, as well as finishing whiskey in every kind of barrels, including Japanese Mizunara oak.
So how does Irish whiskey differ from Scotch ? Irish whisky is usually distilled three times and can be made from a combination of different cereal grains. Scottish whisky is produced solely from malted barley and generally distilled twice. In the past, Scotch tended to have smoky, peaty flavours, whereas Irish was said to be smoother and have more orchard fruits and spices. The distinctions have blurred in recent years as distilleries on both sides of the Irish Sea experiment with new styles.
Many of the better Irish whiskies are single pot still, a unique Irish style. This means it is produced in a single distillery and made from a mixed mash of malted and unmalted barley. The unmalted component gives the whiskey a spiciness and richer texture.
In the past, Irish wine merchants imported wines in barrel from France, Spain and Portugal. When empty, these barrels were filled with young unoaked whiskey. So, a whiskey might be aged in a mix of Port, Sherry and Bordeaux casks, before being blended at bottling time. Today the vast majority of Irish whiskies are first aged in one-year-old Bourbon casks (Bourbon must be aged for a year in new American oak barrels) before being finished in various wine casks for a year or two.
The most sought-after Irish whiskey is Midleton Very Rare, small quantities of which are released twice a year. It sells for around €280-300 a bottle but the price frequently climbs to €500 or more. Older vintages have sold for up to €11,500 for a bottle. First created in December 1984, it has been released every year since then. It is always a blend of grain and malted whiskies and does not carry an age statement, being blend of whiskies that are anything from 12 – 40 years old.
Below five different Irish whiskies to try out. Most will be available in France. If not, Irish specialists Mitchellandson.com and Celticwhiskeyshop.com offer a huge range and can arrange delivery. Prices are approximate. Remember that, if you make it to Ireland, most distilleries welcome visitors and offer tours and tastings.
• Teeling Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey
• Redbreast 12-year-old Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey
• Powers John’ Lane 12-year-old Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey
• Mitchell & Son – Yellow Spot 12-year-old Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey
• The Irishman 12-year-old Single Malt Irish Whiskey, Walsh Whiskey