Fighting Irish: The Wild History of Whiskey

From prosperity to poverty and back again, Irish Whiskey has been battered and bloodied, but survived the perils of history and is back for another round.

Much like the tumultuous past of the country, Irish whiskey has had its fair share of ups and downs. Going from the choice drink of the Queen of England to nearly wiped out with Prohibition and World War 1, the fact that Irish Whiskey is still here, and even gaining in popularity, is no small feat.

Monday marks St. Patrick’s Day, so we thought we’d take this opportunity to look at the history of Irish Whiskey; a short thumb through the dusty, long-forgotten notes of our somm school days quickly brings back a story of intrigue, power and struggle. It would probably make a very good movie.

First appearing on the scene around 600, when Irish Monks bring the knowledge of distillation from the Middle East to Ireland, it took another 800 years before any documentation of Irish Whiskey is known. By 1541, Irish Whiskey is the preferred poison of the Queen of England.

When the great potato famine devastated Ireland in the mid-1800’s forcing millions to seek a more prosperous life in North America, the thirst for Irish Whiskey emigrated with them, and by 1880 more than 160 brands are enjoyed around the world with 400 distilleries operating to keep up with the demand.

But those high times were not to last. 1919 marks the bleak start to 14 dark years of Prohibition in the US which nearly decimated the previously prosperous Irish whiskey industry; inferior black market Irish Whiskey hurt whiskey’s reputation, and even when Prohibition ended in 1933 the fractured industry couldn’t respond to the renewed interest.

In 1921, distillers got a second crippling blow when the fight for Irish independence resulted in England imposing a trade embargo on Irish whiskey to the British Empire. Finally, the start of WWI in 1939 delivered the all-but fatal knock out punch, as the Irish government forbid Irish distilleries to sell to enemy countries. After three economic catastrophes in 20 years, there were only a handful of distilleries left, and they were left limping.

Finally in 1966, with nothing more to lose, and the future in serious doubt, remaining distillers, John Jameson & Sons, Powers & Sons, and the Cork Distillery joined forces to create the Irish Distillers Group and the slow climb for the handful of remaining distillers began. But something worked: according to 2013 numbers, sales of Irish Whiskey increased 400% since 2002. It appears Irish Whiskey is finally enjoying the wind at its back.

Whiskies to Try

Irish Whiskey is generally a kinder, gentler way to get acquainted with whiskey or whisky. It’s triple distilled (Scotch is only double distilled), which offers a sweeter, smoother taste. Here are some bottles you can try sipping solo, or if you’re not quite there yet, we’ve got a few fabulous Irish Whiskey cocktails from some of our favourite bartenders.

Bushmills Malt 10 Year Old Irish Whiskey $41.95
Soft and rich with a nutty, spicy note.

Jameson Select Reserve Irish Whiskey $49.95
Rich and assertive with notes of fruit and spice.

Writers’ Tears Pot Still Irish Whiskey $51.05
Complex and fruity with vanilla and honey notes. 

Irish Whiskey Cocktails

McNulty
Shaun Layton, the head barman at Vancouver’s L’Abbatoir named this cocktail after a character in the wire, smokey, sweet and slightly bitter, it’s an elegant choice for after dinner or cocktail hour.

1.5 oz Greenspot Irish Whiskey
1 oz Cocchi Americano
1 tsp Green Chartreuse
3 dashes Angostura bitters

Stir with ice in a mixing glass, and train into a chilled cocktail coup granish with a lime twist (Like Shaun’s fancy lime skin clover).

The Boondock Saint
This fruity, spicy cocktail comes from Mike Fortier; bartender at Drake 150 in Toronto. “I’m a huge St. Patrick’s Day fan but I’m more of a Guinness and Jameson guy then green beer and shooters. But I’ll be serving this cocktail up Monday to my guests looking for a boozy glass of Irish goodness with a classy twist,” he says.

1.5 oz Redbreast 12 year old Irish Pot Still Whiskey
3/4 oz Cherry Heering
1/4 oz Fernet Branca
Splash Dolin Sweet Vermouth
2 dashes Jerry Thomas’ Decanter Bitters

Serve in a chilled coupette with three cherries.