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Irish Mist is an Irish whiskey-based liqueur produced in Dublin since 1947. In addition to whiskey, the composition of the drink includes heather, clove honey and other herbs. The exact composition is kept secret, but the manufacturer claims that he took as a basis a recipe for heather wine, which is more than 1000 years old. The result is a strong 35-degree liqueur with a recognizable taste.
History
Irish Mist is the first Iranian liqueur to hit store shelves when the commercial production of alcohol was allowed in the country. The drink has been produced in Tullamore since 1947, the first and only manufacturer of the brand is the Williams family.
The history of the Tullamore Distillery company begins in 1829, when the distillery produced exclusively “living water”. In 1940, the head of the enterprise, Desmond Williams, thought about expanding the line and began to look for a product that could be made at the distillery. This is how Irish Mist appeared (translated from English – “Irish fog”).
Heather wine is the drink of the ancient leaders of the Irish clans. It is believed that the secret of wine was lost in 1691. Tullamore Distillery claims the recipe was discovered and revived by Desmond Williams. Most researchers believe that heather wine never existed.
Types of Irish Mist
Irish Mist Honey. The original triple distilled whiskey liqueur. Aged in oak barrels, warming notes of whiskey, honey, aromatic herbs, dark chocolate are clearly felt in the bouquet. The color of the drink is rich red-gold, the aroma is fruity, with notes of spices and vanilla, the finish is balanced, sweetish. The product was awarded a gold medal at the 2008 San Francisco competition.
Irish Whiskey Classic Blend. A blend of several triple-distilled four-year-old whiskeys. Aged in oak barrels, has the aroma of raisins, vanilla, pears, spices. The color is amber, the taste is sweetish, with hints of honey and creamy toffee, the finish is soft.
On sale you can find “issues” of different years, even the 1960s. The shape of the drink bottle has changed several times, so the old samples are not similar to modern ones, but the taste of the liquor has remained unchanged.
How to drink Irish Mist
Honey liqueur can be drunk neat with ice or mixed with coffee, vodka, cranberry juice, soda. Lunch is not included.
Cocktails with Irish Mist
- black nail. Mix equal parts Irish Mist and Irish whiskey in a tumbler, drink with ice.
- Rusty mist. Mix equal parts Irish Mist and Drambuie in a tumbler with ice.
- Cola & Lime. Pour Irish Mist into a highball glass, add cola to taste, squeeze the juice of a lemon wedge, drink over ice.
The difference between Irish Mist and Drambui
Irish and Scottish honey-herbal liqueurs are very similar and can successfully replace each other in cocktails, but apart from the country of origin, there are other differences between them.
Firstly, Drambuie is made on the basis of scotch, and for Irish Mist, only Irish whiskey is suitable, devoid of the characteristic smoky peat aroma. Secondly, the Scottish variation is dominated by notes of anise, saffron and nutmeg, while the Irish one is more vanilla and heather. Finally, Drambuie is a little stronger – the alcohol content in it reaches 40%.