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In Scotland, whiskey is a drink of aesthetes and aristocrats, in Ireland it is a way to get drunk quickly and inexpensively. Here you will not find either a subtle “peaty” aroma or a golden-amber hue: this alcohol is not admired, it is not savored, but simply drunk.
However, there are exceptions to any rule: for example, double distilled whiskey with a smoky flavor is made in Connemara: if not for the region of production, this drink could be mistaken for scotch.
In addition, Irish whiskey appeared much earlier (according to the English-language Wikipedia – at least 100 years) than its Scottish counterpart, and there are both ups and downs in the history of the development of this drink, so talking about the definitely low quality of Irish whiskey would be an unforgivable mistake.
The term “whisky” itself is an anglicized uisce beatha (Irl. “living water”).
Historical reference. Irish whiskey would not have been possible without the art of distillation, which, according to legend, originated in monasteries and was brought to the land of Eire by St. Patrick in the 1405th century. This, however, is not documented (according to the Irish, they owe their heavenly patron virtually everything: not only whiskey, but also dances, culture and almost writing). But it is reliably known that the first mentions of Irish “living water” are found in the annals of 1608, and in XNUMX the Old Bushmills distillery received the first license to distill whiskey, and this date can be considered the official start of production.
Until 1761, taxation in Ireland was quite free, so most small producers did not register their business in any way, therefore, today we do not know anything about them, although large distilleries were well known. Then the British government came up with the idea of levying taxes on stills, and some of the already few companies went deep underground.
In the first quarter of the 20th century, no more than XNUMX registered enterprises remained, which led to relaxation in tax legislation, and ten years later there were more than a hundred distilleries in the registers. In those days, Irish whiskey was of decent quality and was popular not only in its homeland, but throughout Europe and even in America.
This idyll continued until the beginning of the 1950th century, when a series of political turmoil led to the weakening of Ireland’s position in the international market. The economic crisis, the First World War, Prohibition in America – all this resulted in the fact that Irish whiskey turned out to be of no use to anyone except the Irish themselves. In the 3s, only XNUMX distilleries remained in the country (and two more in Ulster).
Today, as a result of mergers, consolidations and various marketing reshuffles, 4 main manufacturers remain on the island of Ireland, not counting several young companies founded in 2012-2013, which have not yet got on their feet properly.
However, in the 1990s, a literal renaissance of Irish whiskey began. Today it is the fastest growing alcoholic beverage in the world. If in 2008 4.4 million barrels were produced, then in 2013 – already 6.5, and if this growth rate continues, then in 2018 more than 12 million barrels of excellent “living water” will appear on the market.
Irish whiskey production
The descendants of the Celts claim that their national drink owes its unique taste to pure Irish water, in which grain is soaked and germinated before making whiskey. The resulting malt is ground (in some cases together with unsprouted barley), poured with boiling water, separated from the grain sediment, yeast is added and the wort is left to ferment. Ready mash is subjected to double or triple distillation, poured into oak barrels and aged from 3 to 15 years.
To be considered a true Irish whiskey, a barley distillate must meet three criteria:
- The place of production and aging is the island of Ireland (Northern or Southern parts, it does not matter).
- The alcohol content of the distillate must not exceed 94.8%.
- Aging in oak barrels not exceeding 700 liters for 3 years or longer.
As you can see, there are far fewer rules than for bourbon or scotch.
Types and varieties of Irish whiskey
They differ from each other not only in raw materials (together with barley, other grain crops are sometimes added to the composition of the mash: wheat, rye, oats), but also in the manufacturing method – in addition to the traditional distillation cube, the Coffey column is also used in production (a continuous cycle apparatus with a distillation column, allowing to obtain alcohol with a strength of up to 95.6%).
- Single malt whiskey (Single Malt) – pure barley malt (without germinated barley and other grains) is distilled in a classic cube (distiller). Irish single malt whiskey is closest to scotch. This is the highest quality and most expensive variety, considered elite.
- single grain whiskey (Single Grain) – unmalted grain and a column distillation apparatus are used, pure alcohol is obtained with almost no smell and taste. This type is rarely drunk in its pure form – more often it goes to the production of blends (mixing with other types).
- «Pure still whiskey”(Pure Pot Still) – The “visiting card” of Irish alcoholic beverages: the raw material includes both malted and unmalted barley, the mash is distilled in a conventional apparatus.
- Blended whiskey (Blended Whiskey) – a blend (mixing) of previous varieties in any proportions. The most popular group of whiskeys, the quality of which depends on the percentage of expensive varieties Single Malt and Pure Pot Still in the composition.
The inscription on the label “pure malt” indicates that barley malt of different varieties was used in the production, and the drink was made by mixing the finished distillate from different distilleries, “single malt” – only one variety of barley from one distillery.
Irish whiskey stamps (brands)
To date, there are 12 registered distilleries in Ireland specializing in the production of “living water”, but most of them appeared quite recently, their alcohol is not yet “aged” enough to be considered whiskey.
The most famous are Cooley Distillery, Kibeggan Distillery, New Midleton Distillery (this is where the famous Jameson is produced), Old Bushmills Distillery. Popular brands include Tullamore Dew, Erin’s Isle, Greenore, Locke’s, Paddy, Millars and others.
How to drink Irish whiskey
In Ireland, it is customary to drink “living water” undiluted, but if such a drink is too strong for someone, you can put a few ice cubes in a glass.
Often, whiskey is added to coffee to get the famous Irish coffee, and cheeses are served as an appetizer for such a mild variation.
Pure Irish Whiskey is best paired with seafood, roasted game or roasted meats.