Galway Whiskey Guide

Early Beginnings:

The art of distillation likely arrived in Ireland with Christian monks during the early Middle Ages. There’s debate over whether distillation came to Ireland or Scotland first, however the earliest recorded reference to whiskey in Ireland predates Scotland by almost 90 years, so the Irish lay claim to its invention.

The techniques they picked up were originally used for medicine or perfume, however the Irish decided to do something characteristically Irish with this: make alcohol. This resulted in the emergence of what is essentially a precursor to whiskey: “uisce beatha” which was quite different to what we know as whiskey today. Because of the difference in ingredients and technique, it would have been a lot more floral and herbaceous; without the woody notes as the barrel aging process emerged much later. 

Monastic Influence  

Monasteries played a crucial role in Irish whiskey’s early development. To put it plainly, monks were the scientists of their day, and monasteries were their laboratories. They didn’t just focus on spiritual matters—they engaged in research, preserved knowledge, and developed techniques that laid the foundation for many fields we study today. These centers of learning and culture facilitated the growth of the spirit, further backed by the abundance of resources they had.

This can also be seen when examining the monastic influence of many other distilled spirits in Europe, with the term “aqua vitae” or “water of life” being common origin. This term, which was a catch-all for almost any distilled spirits made in Europe during this time was translated in various ways: In Ireland/Scotland it was translated as “uisce beatha/ usquebaugh” while Slavic countries invoked the word as “woda” which later turned into “vodka”. In Nordic countries, they called their spirit “aquavit” which is the same word they use to this day. Regardless of interpretation, however, this act of distilling was seen almost as holy. The idea of transforming something into a spirit was like an act of God.

Taxation and Regulation

As whiskey production grew, so did the interest of the Crown in regulating and taxing it. This happened almost everywhere the British went, the irony however was that it inadvertently led to many spurts of growth and innovation in the world of whiskey. In Ireland, various laws and taxes were imposed on Irish whiskey, leading to the rise of illicit distillation and smuggling operations. Most notably, the Malt Tax of 1682 on malted barley led to distillers experimenting with different grains and eventually malted/ unmalted barley, resulting in the uniquely Irish style of the Single Pot Still.

Outside of Ireland, the Malt Tax of 1725 in Scotland spurred on a horde of illicit stills numbering as high as 14,000 while in America the Molasses Act of 1733 switched the tide from rum to grain distillation, leading to the invention of bourbon and rye. Even one of Canada’s most popular whiskeys, “Canadian Club” was started by an American grocer who crossed the river from Michigan to Ontario to pay less taxes. While Canadian Clubs origin occurred when America was free of British rule, the fact that attempts to subjugate and tax people led to so many instrumental innovations in the world of whiskey is still interesting.

Growth and Innovation

Despite taxation and regulation, the Irish whiskey industry flourished in the 18th and 19th centuries. Distilleries multiplied across the country with 94 officially licensed and an estimate of over 8,000 illegal stills and by 1845. It was during this period that Irish whiskey became one of the most popular spirits worldwide, outselling Scotch at a rate of 3 to 1 and becoming the Victorian drink of choice. Dublin was seen as the distilling capital of Ireland in this time (almost like our version of Kentucky/ Speyside) with many of Ireland’s most famous brands originating here including Jameson, Powers, Redbreast and Mitchell and Son. Blends and triple distillation then became more prominent here and then throughout the rest of the country, mainly due to the success of John Jameson. Interestingly, production was concentrated in a particular area of Dublin called the “Golden Triangle”, made up of distilleries, brewers, bonders and grain mills. Of this core group, only the Guinness Brewery still functions to this day while the old Jameson distillery in Bowe Street exists more as a museum.

In the north of Ireland, Bushmills became one of the most globally recognised brands, while Midelton carried the whiskey scene down south. In the midlands of Ireland was Kilbeggan Distillery and further west was the Persse Distillery in Galway (which has been closed since 1908).

Challenges and Decline

The late 19th and early 20th centuries were a particularly challenging for the Irish whiskey industry due to a combination of factors. The reputation they had gained for quality resulted in stubbornnes and reluctance to embrace innovation in the form of Aennus Coffeys Column Still. This type of still was seen as producing an inferior “silent spirit”, i.e., a bland and less flavourful product that the Scots embraced to increase their output (and consequently their profit margins). Around the same time a Trade War with the UK and the Prohibition in the States resulted in two of Ireland’s biggest exports effectively being off the map while bootleggers in the United States further tarnished the reputation of Irish whiskey by labeling their cheap imitation spirit as “Irish”. Later on, in the 19th century, America and Scotland continued to innovate and promote their product while Ireland lagged behind. As a result, many distilleries closed during this period, and by the mid-20th century, the industry had declined significantly to two main distilleries: Bushmills and Midelton.

Adapt or Die

The last two standing: Bushmills and Midleton had to choose to either adapt or die when the Irish whiskey industry began to perish. Bushmills survived by “selling out” to a bigger company, Irish distillers who were under Pernod Richard. This allowed for investment in their distillery, which was modernised to increase both the quality and quantity of their spirit. Operations still remained largely the same for Bushmills however, unlike the prominent brands of Dublin (Jameson, Powers, Redbreast, Mitchell and Son) who joined together and moved operations down to Midelton in Cork. This more radical shift was quite successful with a new purpose built diatillery built, which turned Cork into the distilling capital of Ireland.

The issue, however, remained that a monopoly had been formed in Irish whiskey of only two distilleries, who were both under the umbrella of Pernod Richard. Here, there is an argument to be made that John Teeling saved the whiskey industry in Ireland (or at the very least played a major role in its revival). When Teeling, an entrepreneur, opened the Cooley distillery in Louth in 1987, it broke that monopoly. To start, Teeling began by acquiring old Irish brands to lend credibility to his distillery, namely Tyconnel and Kilbeggan, eventually producing Connemara, the first peated single malt done in Ireland in almost a 100 years. What Teeling had done in my opinion is not recognised enough: by breaking that monopoly, reviving old Irish brands and a style of whiskey which had remained largely absent, Irish whiskey was slowly going back on the map.

Modern Revival

Since the 2000s, Irish whiskey has made continuous progress, which can be reflected in 2 ways:

1.) new distilleries opening and 2.) a corresponding increase in exports.

The revival of Dublin’s whiskey scene can be marked by the founding of Teelings Whiskey Company, sons of aforementioned John Teeling, who started production in 2015. Following Teelings were the likes of Pearse Lyons, set up in a repurposed church and Jack Ryan/ Roe & Co. all following in pursuit.  In the west, two new distilleries have opened in Galway since 2020 (Micil and Clan Colla), who pay homage to Galways heritage with their use of peat/ peated casks. Up North, Dunvilles have set themselves as major players while Silkie and Croithlí in Donegal are offering brilliant craft options. Meanwhile, in the south, Dingle Distillery has gained acclaim for its artisanal, small-batch releases, adding competition to Midleton.

Going by figures, since the 2000s, there have been 40 new distilleries opened in Ireland, with exports increasing 220% from the early 2000s to 2015. This new wave of distilleries embodies a modern yet deeply rooted Irish whiskey scene, with each region adding its distinct character to the revival.

References:

1. Early Beginnings:
– “Irish Whiskey Earliest Recorded Date.” https://archive.org/details/annalsofkingdomo04ocleuoft.
– “Scotch Whiskey Earliest Recorded Date.” https://archive.org/details/rotuliscaccariir10grea.
– “Barrel Aging.” Jameson Whiskey Guide. https://www.jamesonwhiskey.com/en/whiskey-guide/whiskey-barrel-ageing/.

2. Monastic Influence:
– Robinson, Robin. World of Whiskey Course. Pg 183, Chapter 7.
– “On Uisce Beatha/ Usquebaugh.” Master of Malt. https://www.masterofmalt.com/blog/post/why-did-whisky-mean-water-of-life-in-scotland.aspx/?amp=1.
– “On Vodka and Woda.” Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/vodka#:~:text=While%20the%20name%20vodka%20is%20a%20diminutive%20of%20the%20Russian%20voda.
– “On Aquavit.” Liquor.com. https://www.liquor.com/articles/10-facts-about-aquavit/.

3. Taxation and Regulation:
– Robinson, Robin. World of Whiskey Course. Pg 7, Chapter 1, “The Taxman.”
-Robinson, Robin. World of Whiskey Course. Pg 155, “Golden Triangle.”
– O’Connor, Fionán. A Glass Apart. Pg 162, “Against the Grain.”
– O’Connor, Fionán. A Glass Apart. Pgs 189–190, “Golden Years: A Story of the Fall.”

4. Growth and Innovation:
– O’Connor, Fionán. A Glass Apart, Preface, Pg 7.
-Robinson, Robin. World of Whiskey Course, Class 6, Pg 155.
-“Stories and Sips on John Jameson.” https://storiesandsips.com/courses/learning-lab/lessons/4-key-historical-whiskey-figures/.
– Barnard, Alfred. The Whisky Distilleries of the United Kingdom. https://g.co/kgs/589PW65.

5. Challenges and Decline:
– “Truths About Whisky: About the Silent Spirit by Roe.” Google Books. https://books.google.ie/books/about/Truths_about_Whisky.html?id=KmmixEAAAAYAAJ&redir_esc=y.
– Robinson, Robin. World of Whiskey Course. Pg 108.

6. Adapt or Die:
– McLean, Charles. World of Whiskey. Pg 160, “Ireland and the Two Main Distilleries.”
– Chandler, Barry. Instagram post. https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cx5chmDM4nt/?igsh=bGJtbjk0NHdrcWdv.

7. Modern Revival:
-Teeling Whiskey. “Homepage.” https://www.teelingwhiskey.com

– Pearse Lyons Distillery. “Homepage.” https://www.pearselyonsdistillery.com.
-Jack Ryan Whiskey. “Homepage.” https://www.jackryanwhiskey.com.
– Roe & Co Irish Whiskey. “Homepage.” https://www.roeandcowhiskey.com.
-Micil Distillery. “Homepage.” https://www.micildistillery.com.
– Ahascragh Distillery. “Homepage.” https://www.ahascraghdistillery.com.
– Silkie Irish Whiskey. “Homepage.” https://www.silkiewhiskey.com.
– Croithlí Distillery. “Homepage.” https://www.croithlidistillery.com.
– Dunville’s Irish Whiskey. “Homepage.” https://www.dunvilleswhiskey.com.
– “On The Growth of Irish Whiskey Growing.” TheTaste. https://www.thetaste.ie/irish-whiskey-distilleries-a-snapshot-of-irelands-distilleries-where-history-meets-innovation-in-every-drop-by-derek-king.
– “Irish Whiskey Exports Up 220% Since 2003.” ShelfLife. https://www.shelflife.ie/irish-whiskey-exports-up-220-since-2003/.