Irish Whisky Flashcards
Irish Whisky: history.
- Pot still distillation since the 13th century. Even with the arrival of two column Coffey still around 1830, the four main Dublin distilleries refused to embrace it.
- Other factor of Irish whisky export decline: Prohibition in USA (1919-33) and a damaging trade war with Britain in the 1930s. After the WWII, Irish whisky continued to decline as Scotch conquered USA and went global. By 1975, just two distilleries remained (Middleton and Bushmills) under the single ownership of Irish Distillers Ltd (IDL).
- Things have changed. Cooley opened in 1987, then Kilbeggan. In 2005, IDL sold Bushmills to Diageo. In recent years, renaissance of Irish whisky thanks to the Jameson brand.
Irish Whisky: Production.
Two important points to note about Irish whisky industry:
1) Compared with Scotch, Irish whisky has far fewer regulations.
2) As IDL has such a dominant market position compared with its competitors (Bushmills, Cooley/Kilbeggan), its style has become synonymous with Irish whisky as a whole. This style = triple-distilled, unpeated whisky often with some unmalted barley inside. Whiskies from both Bushmills and Cooley diverge from this style to some extent.
Irish Whisky: Midleton production.
All IDL whiskey is made in Midleton in Cork, in a plant producing a large number of distillates to make up over 20 whiskey brands (Jameson, etc.). Unlike Scottish distillers, IDL do not buy in whiskey. So the distillery owns four huge pot-stills, a three-column still and a two-column still so that they can make all of the spirit they need.
1) UNMALTED BARLEY
• One important element in creating the Irish signature in IDL whiskeys is the use of unmalted barley in the mashbill of the pot still spirits. It gives a flavour often described as spicy, fruity and oily.
• Use of unmalted barley started in 1850s as a way to reduce distiller’s tax bill. Not only was the tax bill less, but the mix gave higher yields of alcohol as more starch is present.
• IDL always uses a percentage of unmalted barley (20% to 60% of the mashbill).
2) POT STILL DISTILLATION
• 1st distillation in the wash still producing low wines of 22-50% abv.
• This is redistilled in the feints still to a strength of 50-78% abv. This distillate is split into heads, hearts and tails.
• Heads and tails (the “weak feints”) redistilled with the low wines; hearts (“strong feints”) sent to the spirit still for the 3rd distillation. This distillate is divided into heads, hearts and tails. The heart is collected as new-make spirit.
• Triple distillation is a more selective process than double dis, and produces spirits lighter in flavour compared with other pot still spirits. However, it is an incredibly dynamic system with many combinations of different strengths and final cut points to make a wide range of flavors and styles.
• These spirits provide the backbone for blends (Jameson and Powers) and when used exclusively they produce IDL’s Single Pot Still Whiskeys (Redbreast and Green Spot).
3) COLUMN STILL DISTILLATION
Column stills are used to produce grain whiskies with high percentage of corn in the mashbill.
• The three-column still has a rectifying column, which removes heavy alcohols, and a final rectifying column > Produces a very light spirit.
• The double-column comprises an analyser and a rectifier. The low wines produced in the wash still can be sent into the analyser. By linking the still is this way, varying the mashbill and the strength of the final spirit > Able to produce a range of light and fuller flavoured spirits.
4) WOOD
IDL imposed from the late 1970s a new wood policy: greater use of bespoke first-fill European oak casks and first-fill American oak > Resulted in the blends having greater quality, weight, sweetness and complexity.
Irish Whiskey: Bushmills production.
- Bushmills only produces malt whiskeys, triple distilled following the Midleton template.
- Wash from 100% malted barley is triple distilled in pot stills to produce a spirit at 84% abv.
- The stills have tall, slender necks that encourage reflux and produce a spirit that is delicate, fruity and floral.
- Maturation in former Bourbon and Tennessee whisky barrels or in bespoke Oloroso sherry casks.
- Bushmills Original and Bushmills Black Bush blended whiskey is made using grain whiskeys supplied by Midleton.
Irish Whiskey: Cooley production.
- Established in 1987, operates in a different fashion. Two pot stills and a two-column continuous still produce Irish whiskies that are different than others.
- Pot still whiskeys are double distilled and one of their malt whiskey brands uses peated malt.
- The column still produces grain whiskey for blends as well as Ireland’s only single-grain whiskey made from corn (Kilbeggan Single Grain).
