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These days, Irish whiskey is considered one of the greatest styles of whiskey in the world. Despite not having strict rules of Scotch Whisky Association, Irish distilleries still focus on the quality and variety of the spirit. Irish whiskey’s dictums stand to encourage experimentation, not suppress it. Maybe that’s the reason it’s been getting more and more attention fromwhiskey lovers lately. Surprisingly, many people still have very limited knowledge about the spirit. Don’t worry, that’s about to end!
By the 1850s, Irish whiskey was the most popular spirit in the world. After that, many unfortunate events pretty much wiped out the industry and left it no more than a shadow of itself. In 1887, there were around 28 distilleries making whiskey. By the 1980s, there were only two left. While its popularity has declined dramatically in the last century, the past decade has been its renaissance. Nowadays, you can find Irish whiskey in any bar or liquor store. Due to the increasing worldwide demand, more distilleries are popping up all over Ireland. Alright, so what’s different about Irish whiskey?
There are four types of whiskey -Irish Malt, Grain, Pot Still and Blended whiskeys. The first two kinds and the last one are pretty much identical to the general definitions of grain andmalt whiskey. Irish Pot Still Whiskey, on the other hand, is the traditional Irish style of distilling the spirit that wasn’t common outside of the country until a decade ago. It uses a mixture of malted and unmalted barley and other grain. Everything has to be distilled in pot stills. The recipe must include a minimum of 30% of malted and unmalted barley and a maximum of only 5% of other grains.
It’s a common belief that all Irish whiskey is triple distilled. Is this true? Well, most Irish whiskey is triple distilled indeed, turning it into a much lighter style of spirit than double distilled Scotch whiskey. However, it’s legal for Irish distillers to double distill if they wish.
Have you ever noticed how sometimes whiskey is spelled with an “e” and sometimes without it? Well, that’s because a lot of Irish distillers wanted to stand out fromScottish distillers who spelled the name of the spirit as “whisky.” It took them a few decades to accomplish, but as of now, all Irish whiskey makers use the E.
If you are aScotch whiskey enthusiast, why not try something different? Irish whiskey is matured for three years and distilled three times, as opposed to Scotch that’s been aged for two years and distilled twice. As a result, the spirit is much smoother, with a more mellow style. On the other hand, if you are at the very beginning of your journey into the world of whiskey, the milder Irish spirit is an excellent first step. Buy a bottle of the finest Irish whiskey in our stores in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, or buy online. Remember, save time and shop online at ZYN.ca!
