Irish Whiskey Renaissance,
or La Balade Irlandaise.

By Dr. Do'g

It's only fitting to have a French subtitle when discussing the newfound
popularity of Irish whiskey. The story gets into a bit of
cloak-and-dagger mystery. However, the end result was that in January
1989, almost every brand of Irish whiskey became the property of a
French firm, Pernod Ricard SA. "Keeping the spirit Irish" was a catch
phrase during negotiations for the sale of Irish Distillers Group,
owners of Midleton Distillery, the updated complex where over 90% of the
whiskey distilled in Ireland is made. (note: Bushmills Distillery is
located in Northern Ireland and is also a subsidiary of Pernod Ricard
SA.)

Irish whiskey has had a long and illustrious history, competing with
and, from 1870-1920, outselling scotch whisky worldwide. In the United
States, Irish whiskey was replaced as the liquor of choice by blended
scotch after the repeal of prohibition in 1933. By 1966, the gradual
decline in sales caused the Irish whiskey industry to consolidate into
the Irish Distillers Group. Even forming a group didn't solve the
problem of marketing. Some twenty years later, with Irish whiskey sales
still foundering, the spirits industry in Ireland looked in a new
direction for help: France and drinks giant Pernod Ricard.

The biggest problem for Irish whiskey was advertising. As in: no
marketing campaigns had an effect on increasing whiskey sales. With the
takeover by Pernod Ricard in 1989, Jamesons, Powers, Bushmill and Paddy
brands have been aggressively marketed to the point where, in 2000, they
represented nearly 80% of the Irish whiskey sold around the world. The
single biggest change has been a network of distributors pushing Irish
whiskey as a varied and reasonably priced drink. Unlike scotch whisky,
Irish whiskey is easily purchased for under $20, with numerous specialty
bottlings costing from $25-$50 . Which is not to say you can't spend
$200-300 for a 25 year old Midleton or Red Breast whiskey! But it's not
necessary as there are some very interesting special bottlings now
available here in the US.

Aside from the usual suspects in your local tavern (Bushmills, Jameson,
Tullamore Dew), there are a wide range of styles of Irish whiskey to
choose from. Take Powers for example. Long known for it's light
profile and smooth taste, this brand is now readily available in many
Irish bars, along with a 10 and 16 year old Bushmills single malt (a bit
more body and freshness to the taste than, say, the more rounded Black
Bushmills.) Jamesons 1780 is a favorite of drinkers who prefer a more
forceful, slightly fruity style of whiskey. On the lighter side,
Kilbeggan and Tyrconnel show a bit of grain in their profile.
Connemara, a pot still whiskey, rivals most Speyside scotch whiskies for
smoothness, depth and long, lingering finish. A newcomer to the Irish
whiskey scene is Knappogue Castle, owned by Mark Andrews, which can be
purchased for under $30 and has a distinctive taste which changes
slightly with each year produced. Knappogue also offers an incredible
1951 version which rivals any 30 year old scotch whisky on the market
(both in taste AND in price!)