Irish whiskey almost decease in the 1970s . To survive , it needed a little luck .
Scotland may slip today ’s European whiskey spotlight , but for centuries , Scotch was very much the underdog fighting against the full-bodied fruit of Ireland ’s pot hush . Throughout the 19th C , Irish whiskey ’s smooth approachable feeling made it the option of European toper ; as Irish immigrant flocked to the United States , they fetch the taste of rest home with them . Irish whiskey was so democratic that Scotch distiller shipped casks of their booze to Ireland and had it relabeled as Irish whiskey to fetch a higher price .
But then Irish whisky distillers fell on a roseola of bad fate . As the 20th hundred began , their Scottish counterparts harness more efficient stills to create lighter , milder whiskeys to attract to more drinker . American Prohibition , World War I , and the Irish War of Independence further curb need . Irish whiskey kept decline past World War II . By the seventies , only one company was making it and much of the country ’s output was consumed in Irish coffees , an American concoction .
Other countries might have packed it in at that point in time , but not Ireland ! After weathering this slump , Irish whisky came roar back in the 1980s and ’ XC . After the crepuscule of communism , Eastern Europeans were eager to sip anything besides vodka , and once spheric spirits giant Pernod Ricard acquire the Jameson brand , Irish whiskey ’s pernicious , smooth flavour became voguish again . In fact , according to the International Wine & Spirit Report , Irish whisky has been the earth ’s quickest - growing spirit for each of the last 23 years . On March 17 , do n’t settle for another dry pint of Guinness ; elevate a deoxyephedrine of Irish whiskey and find out what all the stir is about .
5 to Try…
1. Kilbeggan
Kilbeggan Distillery
Smooth grains and refined , leathery flavors recognise less experienced drinkers with a musical note of " Hi , I ’m whiskey . It ’s so nice to suffer you ! "
2. 2 Gingers
Liquor Barn
Perfect for cocktails , this is touchy and pillowy enough to toast neat ( making a facial expression ) but brash enough to go toe - to - toe with pep ale .
3. Jameson Select Reserve Black Label
Drink Up NY
Jameson ’s refined sr. brother does n’t punch you in the jaw — it offers you whiskey ’s solvent to yield salad .
4. Tullamore Dew Phoenix
Wine - Searcher
Vanilla and brittle give way to the spritzy , lively citrus and solid pungency of an angry leprechaun draw a lemonade viewpoint .
5. Redbreast 12-Year-Old
This nutty , peppery pour handle to be both floral and bold , like a marigold that ’s really into kickboxing . It ’s a sipper ’s dream .
