2. Irish whiskey
“where it all started”
Ireland is a land where time and character go hand in hand. Nobody can talk for long
about Europe’s drinks heritage without mentioning the monastic tradition that
underwrote it. And, most would agree, it is impossible to mention this tradition without
considering the special role Irish monks played in it. Ireland has inherited the art of
distillation from the technique brought by Christian monks in their travels in the Middle
East. Ireland’s living drinks tradition, born when those enterprising monks set up the
world’s first distilleries dated back to the sixth century. The beautiful, sinuous pot still
(which is what the Arabic alembic morphed into in Ireland) spread across the continent
and became the foundation technology which made vodka, gin and brandy possible.
Whiskey, then, is not just the ‘water of life’ as it was originally christened but Europe’s
mother spirit.
The different phases of Irish emigration across the world resulted in opening up the
world whiskey market. Despite this, when Ireland left the United Kingdom it lost the
access to the Commonwealth market and the USA Prohibition in the 30’s, lead to a sharp
decline in Irish whiskey sales. In the 70s, a large number of distilleries were closed. But
the consistency and effort a few diehards have allowed the development of legendary
brands and the Irish whiskey category is the spirits with the strongest growth rate in the
world past ten years with over 57 million bottles sold per year !
Whiskey ingredients
“The three Ts”
Its ingredients could hardly be simpler, barley and water, but the end result is full of the
life-enhancing complexities, subtle variations and meadow and heather flavours that
delight connoisseurs to this day. Each Irish distillery has its own secrets but all can be said
to depend on the three Ts: Technique, Timber and Time. Whiskey, refreshingly, cannot
be hurried and one of the most important roles of a distillery is its simplest: to be a
storehouse where aged oak cask rest and breathe.
3. Irish whiskey today
Today, after a century of fierce competition from its Celtic sister and American bourbons,
Irish whiskey is finally reasserting itself. It is a tribute to the complexity of whiskey that
it is differentiated by its country of origin to a degree no other spirit is. The distinguishing
mark of Irish whiskey is that its barley is dried in smokeless kilns and triple distilled and
the differences are easily noted on the palate. Having spent much of the 20th century
on the sidelines, the new energy and pride in Irish whiskey has brought about a huge
revamp in its fortunes since the early 1990s. Today, Ireland’s top whiskey brands rate
among the best performing and most highly regarded in the global spirits industry.
Around the country, old distilleries have been reopened and some almost forgotten
varieties and techniques revived. Today, a new generation is discovering the secrets of
this golden liquid, born of Ireland’s golden age, and savouring complex mellow taste of
the eternal Irish countryside.
Irish whiskey has been the fastest growing brown spirit category for the past 10 years
and continues to grow by over 10% per annum. The worldwide sales of Irish whiskey
stand at approx. 4.5 million 9 litre cases.
Irish Cream Liqueurs
It is also in Ireland that the first brand of cream liqueur, the meeting between the
centuries-old whiskey and cream was developed. The most famous Irish cream brand was
launched in Ireland in 1974 and since then many other cream liqueur brands have been
marketed all over the world. The mix of cream and Irish spirits has been a very popular
drink and the category is one of the leading areas with the international spirits industry.
As well the original flavoured creams, several flavour extensions e.g. mint, coffee etc
have been launched and have gained popularity. Several Irish cream liqueur
manufacturers are also important suppliers of private label Irish cream liqueurs to
international retailers and supply customers with products designed and developed to
their specific requirements.
Irish beers and ciders
Ireland is also a land of brewers. As well as the world famous dark beer,
several microbreweries are now well established in Ireland. These small
to medium sized companies breweries produce a range of craft beers and
ales and appeal to the growing market of consumers who are looking for
something different and products that are artisan and produced in small
batches. These products are available on draught and bottles in selected pubs
and shops in Ireland and in export markets. Cider is amongst the oldest
beverages known to man and is primarily derived from the fermentation of apples.
Irish cider is made from traditional methods and is now established as a successful
category of the alcoholic drinks industry. Irish cider is also growing in popularity and is
gaining sales and recognition in international markets such as the US, UK and Australia.
As well as leading international branded cider that is available in both apple and pear
based variants, several other ciders are now coming on to the market from small Irish
artisan manufacturers.
.
4. Sláinte
All these popular drinks are enjoyed in the 7176 pubs found in the Republic of Ireland
(for a little over 4 million people!), symbols of the Irish conviviality Irish pubs have spread
throughout the world,
As we say in Gaelic, Sláinte!
BORD BIA Contact:
Embassy of Ireland - Hovslagargatan 5 - 11148 Stockholm - Sweden Nicolas Ranninger
Tel: +46 8 54 50 40 58 Nordic Market Manager
www.twitter.com/bordbia nicolas.ranninger@bordbia.ie
www.facebook.com/bordbia
www.bordbia.ie
