Whiskey Or
Whisky?
By Patrick Delaney
Have you ever wondered why Scotch common to Scotches are not present.
and Irish versions of the same drink
There are notable exceptions to these
have a different spelling? Are they
rules in both countries; Connemara
really that different?
Peated Irish Malt (double distilled)
whiskey from the independent
Irish whiskey is distinctive from its Scottish cousin Cooley Distillery in Co. Louth
and has been made in Ireland for hundreds of is one of those exceptions.
years. There are several types of whiskey common
to Ireland: Single Malt, Single Grain, Pure Pot Still Whereas there are nearly one
and Blended Whiskey. The word whiskey is an hundred Scotch Whisky
Anglicisation of the ancient Gaelic term "uisce distilleries all over Scotland and
beatha" which translates as "water of life". It isn't the Scottish Isles, there are
just the spelling that gives Irish Whiskey its actually only a handful of Irish
distinction - it has a very different flavour and the distilleries producing a range of
brewing process does differ. Irish Whiskey. Irish Whiskey
comes in several varieties
Although it is similar to Scotch whisky in that it including single malt whiskey,
was distilled primarily from barley, traditional Irish which is made from 100% malted
whiskey is distilled from a mash of mixed malted barley distilled in a pot still, and
and unmalted grains (referred to as "pure pot-still" grain whiskey made from grains
whiskey) whereas Scotch is either distilled distilled in a column still. Grain
exclusively from malted grain or from unmalted whiskey is much lighter (both in
grain. That brewed from unmalted grain is colour and flavour) than single malt
generally then mixed with malt whisky to create and is rarely bottled as a single grain.
blended whisky. Most Irish whiskey is blended It is more commonly used to blend
from a mixture of pot still whiskey and cheaper with single malt to produce a lighter
grain whiskey. blended whiskey.
The most common myth is that most Irish 'Pure pot still' whiskey is unique to Irish whiskey.
gives the traditional pure pot still whiskey a
whiskey is distilled three times, unlike Scotch While single malt from both Scotland and Ireland
spicy, uniquely Irish flavour. Similar to single
Whisky and that this is the main distinction is distilled only in a pot still, the designation 'pure
malt, pure pot still is sold as a specific
between the two varieties. Irish whiskey also pot still' refers to Irish Whiskey that is made from
classification of whiskey. It can also be blended
differs in that peat is almost never used in the 100% barley (mixed malted and unmalted) and
with grain whiskey. Usually no real distinction is
malting process, so the smoky, earthy overtones distilled in a pot still. The 'green' unmalted barley
made between whether a blended whiskey was
made from single malt or pure pot still. Only
Redbreast, Green Spot and some premium
Jameson brands are regarded as pure pot still
whiskies.
The more common Irish Whiskeys such as
Jamesons, Paddys, Bushmills Original and Millars
Special Reserve are readily available from most
good spirit retailers, but some of the rarer
varieties can be difficult to locate outside their
native Ireland. However the Internet has given
Irish Whiskey lovers access to some of the more
exotic blends and pure pot still whiskeys,
including limited editions such as Kilbeggan 15
Year Old, which was launched to mark the
restart of distilling at the Kilbeggan distillery
and was recently voted Best Blended Irish
Whiskey at the World Whisky Awards.
Irish Whiskey makes a wonderful gift for a
special occasion or as an exclusive business gift
and continues to grow in popularity amongst
whisky drinkers all over the world.
29
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44