03/18/2024
Without Irish whiskey, there would be no American whiskey. Aside from the fact they invented the spirit (though many Scottish may have something to say about that), and in the 1840’s, half of the immigrats entering to America were from Ireland, bringing many of their traditions with them, including distilling whiskey. Many early distillers in Appalachia were of Irish decent, who eventually moved to more readily available grains for their spirits, including corn and rye.
Ireland has a long-standing tradition of whiskey-making, dating back centuries. The Irish lay claim to the invention of whiskey, citing evidence of distillation techniques being practiced as early as the 12th century by Irish monks.
It is believed that they originally brought the technique from their travels to southern Europe. There it was used for distilling perfumes. The Irish, however, modified it to create a drinkable spirit.
They used the early distillations primarily for
medicinal purposes, known as “uisce beatha,” meaning “water of life” in Gaelic. The term is also the origin for the name whiskey. Today, the name Irish whiskey is only granted to whiskeys that are distilled and matured in wooden casks in Ireland for a minimum of three years and one day.
It might be, that the extra day derived from Scottish Whisky having to be matured for three years.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day from the American Whiskey Preservation Society! Take this opportunity to appreciate where our great American spirit comes from, and try something a little different from your typical pour.
Sláinte.
