A toast to ancient Irish monks — and modern Irish distillers — for perfecting the drink that saved the world.
By Kathleen M. Mangan
Scholars say Irish monks saved civilization by copying manuscripts, but the truly civilized credit the monks’ other medieval invention: whiskey. The Irish soon gave Uisce Beatha, or Water of Life, near-holy status; by the mid-1800s the Emerald Isle was the world’s top producer, with some 2,000 distilleries. But Irish independence, American Prohibition, and an inability to modernize nearly killed the industry. By the 1980s there was just one whiskey company with two distilleries remaining. Many Americans considered Irish whiskey only for dumping in Irish coffee.
But Irish innovation has led the way out of the dark ages to a new era of whiskey enlightenment. Cooley Distillery started niche bottlings in 1987, leading an array of producers to offer such rarefied libations as single malts, specialty wood finishes, and aged whiskeys in the 15-to-21-year range.
Irish whiskey is a lighter, mellower drink, typically triple-distilled (bourbon is distilled once; scotch, twice). “Scotch tends to be smoky and malty with a richness of body,” says Alastair Alpine, owner of Dublin’s Celtic Whiskey Shop. “Bourbon is sweet, with flavors of oak, spice, and vanilla from aging in new barrels.” Irish whiskey imparts pure grain infused with complex, slightly sweet flavors after aging in bourbon and sherry barrels.
In head-to-head tastings, the Irish are cleaning up. In 2008, Cooley won World Distiller of the Year, scoring an impressive nine gold medals, including one for its Kilbeggan 15-year-old. “Older whiskeys taste better,” says Alpine. “They’re smoother, fuller, with a complex array of flavors, and should be consumed uncut with just a dash of water to bring out their flavor.”
Five Worth Seeking Out
Tyrconnell 10-Year-Old Madeira Finish
Named Irish Whiskey of the Year by Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible. Aged 10 years in oak and finished in Madeira casks, adding hints of spice. $100
Bushmills 1608
This limited-edition blend is made with crystal malt, lending a sweet aroma and a creamy toffee taste to an exceptionally smooth finish. $100
Kilbeggan 15-Year-Old
Named World’s Best Blended Irish Whiskey at the 2008 World Whiskies Awards. $125
Jameson Rarest Vintage Reserve
Blends Midleton’s oldest grain and pot still whiskeys, aged in port pipes. The port-infused flavor suggests toasted wood and chocolate. $250
Knappogue Castle 1951
Distilled in 1951 and aged in sherry casks for 36 years, this rare whiskey has an oily sweetness and a chewy finish of vanilla and licorice. $1,200
This article originally appeared in the April 2009 issue of Men’s Journal.
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