 | |
| Type | Distilled beverage |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Ireland |
| Introduced | 13th–15th century |
| Alcohol by volume | 40–94.8% |
| Proof (US) | 80–189.6° |
| Colour | Pale gold to dark amber |
| Flavour | smooth, sharp, hint of vanilla |
| Ingredients | Malt, water |
| Variants |
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| Related products | |
Irish whiskey (Irish: Fuisce or uisce beatha) is whiskey made on the island of Ireland. The word 'whiskey' (or whisky) comes from the Irish uisce beatha, meaning water of life.[1][2][3] Irish whiskey was once the most popular spirit in the world, though a long period of decline from the late 19th century onwards greatly damaged the industry,[4] so much so that although Ireland boasted at least 28 distilleries in the 1890s, by 1966 this number had fallen to just two, and by 1972 the remaining distilleries, Bushmills Distillery and Old Midleton Distillery (replaced by New Midleton Distillery), were owned by just one company, Irish Distillers.
The monopoly situation was ended by an academically conceived launch of the first new distillery in decades, Cooley Distillery, in 1987.[5] Since 1990, Irish whiskey has seen a resurgence in popularity and has been the fastest-growing spirit in the world every year since. With exports growing by over 15% per annum, existing distilleries have been expanded and a number of new distilleries constructed. As of December 2019,[update] Ireland has 32 distilleries in operation, with more either planned or under development.[6]
- ^ "'Whiskey' and 'Whisky' and Alchemy". www.merriam-webster.com. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
- ^ Micallef, Joseph V. "Is It Whisky Or Whiskey And Why It Matters". Forbes. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
- ^ Sood, Suemedha. "A guide to the lingo and history of whiskey". bbc.com. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
- ^ Barry O'Halloran (8 November 2013). "Distillers in high spirits as the whiskey sector enters golden era". irishtimes.com. Retrieved 8 November 2013.
- ^ Allan, M. Carrie (16 March 2018). "Irish whiskey is back from the abyss – and booming. Here's why". The Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
So did John Teeling, who in the late 1980s, after years of planning and work, ended Irish Distillers' longtime monopoly when he launched Cooley Distillery.
- ^ Association, Irish Whiskey (11 June 2019). "Congratulations to IWA member @DiageoIreland..." @IrishWhiskeyAsc. Retrieved 13 June 2019.