A brief history of Irish whiskey?
Some say Ireland is the birthplace of whiskey. There are arguments to support this theory, but there is no definitive answer. We do know that at one point, Irish whiskey was the most popular whiskey in the world.
To get to where we are, we need to start where it began the 1400s. Aqua vitae ("water of life"), translated to Gaelic, is uisce beatha. Roughly pronounced "ish-ka b'ah" then shortened to "ish-ka" and years of drinking translates to whiskey.
Whiskey might be an overstatement for what the Irish were making in the 1400s. Yes, it was being made from fermented grain, but it is not aged and rough. To smooth it out, they would add spices, honey, and who knows what. Aging in barrels did not happen for quite some time.
During the 15th and 16th centuries, distilling became an adjunct to farming. This is a common way to use excess grains harvested, so they do not spoil. The unofficial drink poitin or "little pot" was primarily made from malted barley. In 1682 the government enacted a tax (malt tax) on the amount of malted barley used. To avoid tax, distillers combined unmalted grains with malted barley. The practice used any type of grain the distillers could find. It has now settled on a combination of malted and unmalted barley. This is known as Pot Still Whiskey and is unique to Ireland (more on this later.)
There are three names synonymous with modern Irish Whiskey: Jameson, Powers, and Roe. Peter Roe opened his small distillery in the mid-1700s. Quickly followed by John Jameson and James Powers. Over the years, other Irish distillers opened their doors.
During the 1850s, the phylloxera plague almost decimated the French wine/brandy industries. If history tells us anything, people want booze and will find alternatives. It turns out Irish whiskey was the best replacement for brandy drinkers. Making Irish whiskey the number one selling whiskey. The world's desire for pot still Irish whiskey, including the Americas, continued to grow.
What goes up must come down.
By 1966 only four Irish Distillers remained. Jameson, Powers, and Cork Distillers (Midleton.) To save the industry, they consolidated into one company: Irish Distillers Ltd. The fourth Bushmills joined in 1972. So what caused the fall?
The Irish are an independent bunch. So when Aeneas Coffey introduced his double column still in 1830, they rejected it. Why? Because they thought it would produce an inferior spirit. The Scots embraced it, allowing them to make more whiskey.
Then there is the war for independence and establishment of the Irish Free State. When you leave the British Empire, you lose access to their export markets. America still loved Irish whiskey, but then prohibition happened. Oops, your largest export market went dry overnight.
Even after prohibition, people's taste buds began to change from whiskey. The entire whiskey world suffered, but it was the straw the broke the camels back for Ireland. All of these and more led to the decline of the Irish whiskey industry. The consolidation into one company allowed them to survive.
Now, there is a resurgence similar to our craft whiskey boom. In 1987 Cooley Distilling opened its doors, which was the first since the consolidation. Since then, a dozen more have opened, with the majority happening in the last 10 years.
The new Irish distillers are innovating through distillation techniques, equipment, wood management, and cask finishing, all while paying homage to their past. From single malts maturing in five different wine casks to the Irish Pot Still Whiskey's revitalization, there is something for everyone.
Again this is a brief summary to give you an idea of where the industry came from and where it currently stands. There are some great Irish Whiskeys on the market, and I hope you will take some time to explore a few.
