The trending spirit in the world of enthusiasts is Irish Whiskey. It’s the liquor Instagram equivalent of the Kardashians, Dwayne Johnson, and Ric Flair. #Wooooo!
Simply stated, Irish Whiskey is the fastest growing spirit in the world.
A large reason for this growth is its popularity in the U.S., its largest importer. Yes, we love our beloved Jameson every day plus St Patty’s Day! In fact, the U.S. consumes more Irish Whiskey than its homeland population…and by a handsome margin.
Like other whiskies, the Irish has its particular requirements:
- Must be produced in Ireland
- Aged in wooden casks for at least 3 years
- Made from cereal grains
- Distilled at no more than 190 proof
- Bottled at 80 proof or higher
Despite being close in proximity to Scotland, Irish has a bit more freedom in the creation of its spirit. This flexibility lead to practices that evolved the taste of the whiskey throughout the last 2 centuries. Notably, the practice of using unmalted barley, triple distillation, and the absence of peat in the malting process.
There are 5 types of Irish Whiskey:
- Single Pot Still: whiskey made from malted and unmalted barley and distilled in a pot still. (Single refers to one type of still).
- Single Malt: whiskey made from malted barley and water in pot stills from a single distillery. (Single refers to one distillery)
- Single Grain: whiskey made from malted barley and additional grains in a single distillery. (Single refers to one distillery).
- Grain Irish Whiskey - made from unmalted grains in a column still.
- Blended Irish Whiskey: a blend of whiskeys made from both pot and column stills.
In short, the Irish do pretty much whatever the hell they want to just as long as they use grain and make it in their homeland. Over the next 6 days we will break down its history and 5 types of Irish Whiskey. #getyourpopcornready
Boom! Another Daily Shot of Knowledge!