Irish whiskeys

It’s impossible to think of Ireland without thinking of its exceptional Irish whiskey know-how! This typically Irish invention has literally conquered the rest of the world…
A true pioneer of the genre, it was Irish whisky (or whiskey) that later inspired the Scots to produce the same beverage. Today, local distilleries, some of them centuries old, are still striving to produce top-quality beverages… and are open to visitors wishing to discover the secrets of triple distillation and taste some of the country’s most emblematic beverages!

History of Irish whiskey

An invention dating back to the 5th century, quickly suppressed by the British!

Saint Patrick – jaqian – cc

While little is known about the exact origin of the beverage, many believe that it was Saint Patrick who, in 432, after a trip to Egypt, brought a still back to the island of Ireland. He is said to have spread the use of this equipment around him, giving birth to a now-famous beverage: whisky!

Unfortunately, the beverage soon encountered turbulence in the course of its history. As early as the 12th century, the British invaded Ireland and discovered this strange Irish beverage. Known by the Gaelic name of “Uisce Beatha”, this terribly-named spirit greatly frightened the British. They were convinced that it gave powers to Irish fighters, giving them increased strength and courage.

In fact, it was the English who came up with the name Whiskey through a series of deformations: uisce, fuisce, uiskie, whisky (or whiskey).

Noting the drink’s growing popularity, Elizabeth I (1533-1603) levied a tax on it. Sir Thomas Philips obtained one of the first official licenses in 1608, and immediately opened his Old Bushmills distillery.

In 1661, the government raised the tax to 4 pence per gallon of whiskey, which led to a considerable increase in illegal whiskeys (known as poteen or poitin), so much so that in 1761, the Excise Department, a British body responsible for collecting taxes on alcohol, was ordered to stop the proliferation of Poteens.

A time of repression

Jameson whiskey – © bizoo_n – stock.adobe.com

A great wave of repression began, lasting several centuries, and aimed at cracking down as severely as possible on illicit whiskey production. It was then that some of the great houses decided to regularize their situation, including John Power, John Jameson, George Roe and William Jameson.

The misdeeds of repression considerably slowed down the production of both legal and illegal whiskey, and put the Irish product at a distinct disadvantage. Whiskey soon lost its reputation under the Immature Spirit (Restriction) Act, which required distillers to age their product for 3 years to obtain the official “label” of Irish Whiskey. This measure forced many establishments to close their doors, due to a lack of funds and the loss of markets such as the United States, then in the throes of Prohibition.

The trade-in

When Eire joined the European common market in 1966, 4 distilleries on the brink of collapse decided to unite around Irish Distillers, a new group comprising Jameson, Cork Distilleries, Power and Old Bushmills (in 1972). The strategy paid off, and Irish whiskey quickly conquered market share around the world, to such an extent that 2 major British houses tried to take over the group. Allied-Lyons and Grand Metropolitan even launched an unfriendly takeover bid in 1988, which failed and was won by the French group Pernod Ricard.

At the same time, the Cooley distillery was born. This independent distillery, some 80 km north of Dublin, produces whiskey distilled only twice, in contrast to the triple-distillation techniques used in other Irish distilleries.

Since that day, Irish whiskey has been enjoyed by whiskey lovers the world over.

Drinks to try at the pub or distillery!

Old Bushmills Distillery – Yves Cosentino – cc

If you’d like to discover the best Irish whiskies and local know-how, we invite you to visit the island’s Irish pubs and local distilleries.

You’ll have the opportunity to discover how this spirit is made. You’ll also have the chance to get advice and taste some of the country’s most famous beverages!

Don’t hesitate to ask the bartenders or tour guides for advice. You’ll learn a lot and expand your knowledge on the subject!

Good to know: the difference between whiskey and whisky
Many people ask what the difference is between whiskey and whisky. It’s not just a question of spelling, but of the manufacturing process.

In general, whiskey is of Irish origin, as it is made using a triple distillation technique (typically Irish), and often from Pure Pot Still: a blend of malted and unmalted barley.

Whiskey, on the other hand, is often of Scottish origin. It is not distilled 3 times, and single malt uses only malted barley.

This results in very marked differences in taste. Whiskey is often lighter and fruitier than whisky. A phenomenon amplified by the triple distillation technique.