In the world of whiskey, there is Scotch, bourbon, and regional variations like Canadian, American, and Japanese, and as a whiskey fan you would know and have tasted them but what about the drink that started it all?
Despite being the inventors of whiskey, with a legacy stretching back many many centuries, Irish whiskey has often been overshadowed by its younger counterparts – even nearly fading out of existence entirely due to the hardships the small nation has faced.
One of the survivors was Jameson, which remains the world’s best-selling Irish whiskey. First made at the Bow Street Distillery Dublin, Jameson has been distilled in Cork since the 1970s. It’s made from a blend of grain whiskey and single-pot still whiskey. Another, Bushmills, is made in Northern Ireland, as it has been since 1608. All Bushmills whiskey is made from water taken from a tributary of the River Bush, which flows through County Antrim.
Today, it is exciting to see that there is an explosion of interest in Irish whiskeys and numerous new distilleries opening.
According to the Irish Whiskey Association, in 2013, there were four distilleries in Ireland producing and selling Irish whisky. By August 2017, the number of operational whiskey distilleries in Ireland had increased to eighteen with plans for another sixteen in the works.
It is no secret that this kind of whiskey is currently experiencing a resurgence and growing traction, as well as a fascination from its drinkers.
This is good news because there is nothing as smooth and silky as the legendary Irish whiskey. It’s good to see new whiskies like Teeling making their mark in the industry. Founded by Jack and Stephen Teeling, and head distiller Alex Chasko, Teeling Whiskey opened its distillery in 2015 and has received more than 130 international awards so far.
Their approach to making their whiskey was based on using the delicate base of Irish whiskey as the perfect canvas upon which to layer flavour and character.
The whiskey takes you on a journey of single-malt perfection. You can smell a touch of citrus fruits and sauvignon blanc. There’s a warm undertone of ginger and vanilla in the mouth, and the texture is impressive all in all, it’s exceptionally well-balanced.
Elaborating more on what makes Irish whiskey the real deal is that it is smooth, if you want to get into the world of whisky try Irish whisky first. ‘Smooth' is an overused term, but you cannot avoid it when you talk about Irish whiskey. Start with Jameson - one of the whiskies many people have tasted and by far the best-selling Irish whisky in the world.
When I first started drinking whisky, I would pour it into a glass with some ice, sit back, relax, and feel like a boss all day.
The only problem was that I was never dedicated to it. I only enjoyed one type of whisky, the smooth Jameson original, this ‘water of life’ is everything.
I like how it’s smoother and suits my palate. Jameson original is light and a little fruity and there is also the Jameson Caskmates (an Irish whisky finished in stout barrels), it also has grassy fruitiness, a light mouthfeel, and a smooth finish.
Generally, Irish whiskies as a whole are often smooth and fruity, many being pot stilled.
How to drink it? There is really no wrong way to enjoy it. While some people like mixing it into cocktails like an Irish coffee or a whiskey sour, most consumers agree that it is really fantastic on its own, neat or with an ice cube or two.