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Picture
Picture

Uisce Beatha Eireannach
"​Irish Whisky" 

Legal Definition


To provide the best definition of Irish Whisky we have paraphrased and quoted when appropriate Ireland's Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in their “Technical File: Setting out the Specifications with which Irish Whiskey/Uisce Beatha Eireannach/Irish Whisky must comply”.  The full text  can be read here:  https://www.agriculture.gov.ie/media/migration/foodindustrydevelopmenttrademarkets/geographicalindicationsprotectednames/IrishWhiskeytechnicalfile141114.pdf
​


Definition
Irish Whisky is a spirit “distilled on the Island of Ireland, including Northern Ireland, from a mash of malted cereals with or without whole grains of other cereals and which has been: 
a) Saccharified (turned to sugar) by the diastase of malt contained therein, with or without other natural enzymes; 

b) Fermented by the action of yeast; 

c) Distilled at an alcoholic strength of less than 94.8% by volume in such a way that the distillate has an aroma and taste derived from the materials used; 

​d) Subject to the maturation of the final distillate for at least three years in wooden casks, such as oak, not exceeding 700 litres capacity. The distillate, to which only water and plain caramel colouring may be added, retains its colour, aroma and taste derived from the production process referred to in points (a) to (d).


The complete Ireland Ministry of Agriculture Legal definition can be found here:

Ingredients

Mash: Malted Barley is the predominant grain.  ​The mash may also include unmalted cereals of usually maize, wheat or barley.  The inclusion of these additional cereals depends on the class of Irish Whisky being produced.

Still Type

Pot Stills are required for Pot Still and Malt Whiskey Styles.  Column stills may be used to produce Grain Irish Whisky.

Classifications/Styles

  • Pot Still
  • Malt
  • Grain
  • Blend
<
>
Pot Still Irish Whisky
 
Mash of a combination of malted barley, unmalted barley and other unmalted cereals. The mash must contain a minimum of 30% malted barley and a minimum of 30% unmalted barley.
 
Distilled in pot stills in such manner that the distillate has an aroma and taste derived from the materials used.
  • Individual distilleries adhere to specific practices to maintain uniformity of flavour characteristics for varying types of “Pot Still Irish Whiskey” styles. One of these practices is the approach taken to address residual alcohol remaining on completion of the standard distillation sequence. Still residues may be collected and redistilled in column stills with the resulting feints subsequently distilled along with recycled pot still feints in a pot still. The final spirit is assessed by a trained quality control panel before release for subsequent maturation. This guarantees a uniform quality check on the consistency of the distillate. 
 
  • The traditional practice is to triple distil “Pot Still Irish Whiskey” although this practice is not exclusive and double distillation may also be employed. Triple distillation results in a higher strength final spirit and contributes to a particular ratio of ‘total higher alcohols to ester’ concentration. This is manifested by a spirit which is light in aroma yet particularly sweet in taste.
     

Mash of 100% malted barley 
Distilled in pot stills in such manner that the distillate has an aroma and taste derived from the materials used. 
  •  Malt Irish Whiskey may be double or triple distilled, the choice to double or triple distil depends upon the tradition of individual distilleries.
Mash of malted barley (not exceeding 30%) and includes whole unmalted cereals usually maize, wheat or barley. 
 
Distilled in column stills in such manner that the distillate has an aroma and taste derived from the materials used and the column distillation method. 
  • Most “Grain Irish Whiskey is currently triple distilled, the choice to double or triple distil depends upon the practice of individual distilleries. The spirit, typically around 94% alcohol, is reduced with local water to typically 63-70% alcohol.”
Blended Irish Whisky
A blend of any of the following styles: Pot Still, Malt, Grain

Finishing

  • Barrel Aging
  • Chill Filtration
  • Caramel Color
<
>
Barrel aging

“The maturing “Malt Irish Whiskey/ Irish Malt Whiskey” is stored for a minimum of three years on the island of Ireland. The whiskey is contained in wooden casks, such as oak, which may have been previously used to store other alcoholic beverages, for example Madeira, Sherry, Port or Bourbon. ”
Chill filtration 

“All Irish whiskey is filtered prior to bottling to remove any particles of wood which have accumulated in the spirit during the maturation process. It is also common, but not always the case, that Irish whiskey will be chilled filtered prior to bottling. The purpose of chill filtration is to remove what is referred to as ‘haze floc’.


If so desired and prior to bottling, the blender may use the only additive which is permitted for Irish whiskey, namely plain caramel colouring (E150a).

Featured Brands

Irish Whisky Under $30 Available in Hawaii

9/17/2019

1 Comment

 
Picture
Most Irish Whisky, including everything in this article comes from one of three large distilleries making the category more similar than different.  We found that Sexton particularly stands out at this price point because it’s the only Single Malt available, and the taste does in fact reflects this production difference.  The other production “category” to note is the, Bourbon Barrel aging only (Dubliner, Power’s Gold, Red Bush,).
​

​A printable PDF is available for Subcribers
Notes about this table
  • To better understand the sub $30 (MSRP) available in Hawaii, we searched for the differences between the production processes to make sense of the category.  
  • Suggested retail price/ Average Retail price for 750ml​
  • Outliers: For under $30, The Sexton Irish Whiskey is the only Pot Still Whiskey available.  The remainder are blends.
​Distilleries are Listed in Alphabetical Order
  • Bushmills Distillery
  • Cooley/Kilbeggan
  • Middleton Distillery
  • Other Distilleries
<
>
Picture
photo by Bushmills
Value
Bushmills
Bushmill's
​Red Bush
Bushmills
​Black Bush
​The Sexton
​Proper 12
Average Retail Price
$19.99
$19.99
$19.99
$21.99
 
Supplier
Proximo
Proximo
Proximo
Proximo
Proximo
​Style
​Blend of
55% Single-Malt and
​45% Grain Whisky
(from Midleton)
Blend of Malt Whisky and Grain Whisky
​(From Middelton)
Blend of 80% malt and 20% Grain Whiskey
​(From Middelton)
Single Malt Irish Whiskey
​Blend of Pot and Grain
Ageing
Bourbon and Sherry Casks
Minimum 5 years in American Oak
​Ex-Bourbon Casks
70% matured 8-10 years in former Oloroso Sherry casks with the remainder ex-bourbon
Four years in in European oak and former sherry casks
​N/A
Hawaii Distributor
​​Young's Market Co
​​Young's Market Co
​​Young's Market Co
​​Young's Market Co
​Young's Market Co
Picture
 
2 Gingers
Hellcat Maggie
​Wolfhound Irish Whisky
Average Retail Price
19.99
21.99
20.99
Supplier
Beam Suntory
Phillips Distilling
Prestige
Style
​Blend
Blend
Blend of Malt and Grain
Ageing
​N/A
N/A​
​N/A​
Hawaii Distributor
Southern Glazer's Wine and Spirits
Johnson Brothers’ Wine Merchants
​Johnson Brothers
Picture
 
Jameson
Powers Gold
​Paddy's
Average Retail Price
​27.99
27.99
29.99
​Supplier
Pernod Ricard
Pernod Ricard
Sazarac
​(Purchased from Pernod Ricard in 2016)
Style
Blended of Pot and Still and Grain
70% Pure Pot Still to 30% Grain
Single pot still, single malt and grain
Ageing
Bourbon and Sherry Cask
Ex-bourbon barrels, Non-chill filtered
N/A
Hawaii Distributor
​SGWS
​SGWS
​SGWS
Picture
Tullamore D.E.W. Distillery Photo: William Grant & Sons, Ltd.
 
Tullamore D.E.W
Slane
The Dubliner
Average Retail Price
$24.99
$23.99
​Under $30
Supplier
​William Grant & Sons
Brown-Forman
Quintessential Brands/ Prestige Beverage Group
Style
Blend of Pot Still, Malt and Grain (soon to be Irish Wheat specifically)
Blend of Pot Still and Grain
Blend of Pot Still and Grain
Ageing
Ex-bourbon and sherry casks
Blended together after being aged in one of the following casks: Virgin Oak, Ex-American Whiskey (Jack Daniels and Woodford Reserve), Oloroso Sherry Casks
Aged in Bourbon Casks
​Hawaii Distributor
Young's Market Co
Young's Market Co
​Johnson Brothers
1 Comment
Maria Chase link
2/24/2021 01:08:22 pm

Great bblog post

Reply



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