Contents
Paddy (Paddy) is ranked fourth in the ranking of the popularity of Irish whiskey. A drink according to this recipe has been made for about a quarter of a millennium. In the 30s of the XX century, the brand was already well known in 80 countries of the world and was sold even in Shanghai and Bangkok. The brand belongs to the Sazerac company, production is located in the Irish city of Middleton, County Cork.
Historical information
A strong drink using the old technology was produced by a company founded in 1867 under the name Cork Distilleries Company Old Irish Whiskey. The firm united four large distilleries for the production of Irish whiskey and was based in Cork. Soon a fifth company joined the group – in Middleton. The general administration made life easier for small producers, since at that time the social movement for temperance and the Great Famine sharply reduced the consumption of alcohol in the country.
Patrick O’Flaherty, better known as Paddy, joined Cork Distilleries in 1882. The young man’s duties included concluding contracts with pub owners and advertising the brand. Sociable, cheerful and witty, he easily got along with people. Paddy managed to get to know and befriend most of his clients. One of his favorite advertising gimmicks was giving free treats to bar patrons.
Because the name of the company where O’Flaherty worked was long and complicated, soon the merchants, who were running out of stock, began to ask the supplier to send “Paddy Flaherty’s whiskey.” Cork Distilleries highly appreciated the merits of their representative, so the 30th anniversary of his work in 1913 was marked by the renaming of the distillery to Paddy Flaherty’s Whiskey. In total, O’Flaherty worked for the company for 40 years.
In 1966, due to hard times for Irish whiskey, the firm merged with two Dublin distilleries to form Irish Distillers, which was later taken over by the major French alcohol producer and distributor Pernod Ricard. In 2016, the rights to the Paddy brand were sold to the American company Sazerac.
Production features
Whiskey Paddy is made according to the recipe of 1779. The company keeps all the details of production a secret. The distillery buys raw materials from Irish farmers. The wort is brewed from grain, malt and green unsprouted barley, which gives the drink a creamy and honeyed hue. The blend consists of spirits obtained as a result of triple distillation. Whiskey matures for at least 7 years in three different types of oak barrels.
Awards
The prototype of Paddy whiskey won world recognition at the end of the 1878th century, having received gold medals at exhibitions in Philadelphia, Sydney and Cork. The drink won in its class at the World Exhibition, which was held in Paris in 2013. Modern awards include silver medals at The Spirits Business in 2018 and XNUMX.
Interesting Facts
- In the 20s, factories sold whiskey in barrels to merchants, and they already poured alcohol into glassware and sent it to retail chains. Quite often, drinks reached the end customer already heavily diluted. Cork Distilleries was the first company in Ireland to start bottled whiskey to maintain the quality of the product. Later, other manufacturers followed suit.
- In 2019, Ireland hosted a series of events in honor of Paddy Flaherty called The Spirit of Paddy. At festive evenings, guests could taste the Paddy Cocktail, which became popular in the 30s, and listen to songs dedicated to the famous sales representative.
Characteristics of Paddy whiskey, 40%
An amber-colored drink with a fresh aroma that combines malt, vanilla, hot spices and wood. The taste is buttery with hints of freshly baked white bread, toffee, barley and nuts. The finish is dry and long, with black pepper and burnt oak at the finish. Expert Jim Murray rates Paddy as one of the softest whiskeys in Ireland.
