The Rise And Rise Of Irish Whiskey

You’re probably here reading this because you’re a fan of Irish whiskey. Perhaps you’re interested in Irish whiskey distilleries, perhaps learning more about the whiskey making process is more your thing; either way, you’ll probably know that, in recent years Irish whiskey has seen a significant rise in popularity - a movement of which we’re very excited about, and pleased to be a part of here at Lough Gill Distillery.

People often talk about luck of the Irish, but we can assure you, Ireland’s whiskey industry has much less to do with luck, and much more to do with hard work and passion for the spirit and all it encompasses. Oh, and it has quite a lot to do with beautiful Irish whiskeys, too.

It may be hard to think of a time when Irish whiskey wasn’t popular, but sadly, in the not-too-distant past, our favourite beverage was facing a tough and uncertain future. Thankfully, it seems those days are firmly behind us, and we can move forward to toasting a brighter future for Irish whiskey, and one thing’s for certain - we won’t be the only ones.

Don’t just take our word for it though - in a report by Drinks Ireland & Irish Whiskey Association last year, it revealed that Irish whiskey is the world’s fastest-growing spirits category of the past decade, growing volumes by 140%. In 2010, global sales of Irish whiskey were at 66million, but by January 2020 this had reached 144million bottles.

The biggest market for Irish whiskey is by far the US, who accounted for 42% of sales in 2020, and 51% over the decade. And, according to data from the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, in 2020, over 5 million 9 litre cases of Irish Whiskey were sold in the United States, generating $1.1 billion (around €931 million) in revenues for distillers.

The conception of whiskey may have originated in Ireland, where early records show it was first distilled by monks in 1405, but just 90 years later it also began to be made in Scotland, and since then the popularity of Scotch has been pretty much unrivalled globally, with perhaps the exception of Jack Daniels. Well, until now that is. In the report, it stated that in 2010 sales of Scotch were up 470% ahead of Irish whiskey, but by 2019, this gap had lessened to just 76%. The report predicted that in the next 10 years we could see sales of Irish whiskey overtake sales of Scotch whiskey for the first time since before prohibition in the 1920s.

One of the challenges noted was that in order to keep up with the demand for Irish whiskey, more barley must be planted. In a bid to be as sustainable as possible here at the Lough Gill Distillery, this year we planted our own barley in 25 acres of meadowland on the Hazelwood Estate, which, once grown, we’ll harvest and use to make our Athrú single malt Irish whiskey.

In 1980 there were just two operational Irish whiskey distilleries, and just 300,000 cases sold - a far cry from where we are today, with Ireland now boasting over 40 distilleries, including our very own Lough Gill Distillery. Not only is this great news for lovers of Irish whiskey across the world, it’s also great news for the Irish economy - the opening of these distilleries has created jobs, investments and helped with local economic regeneration.

Irish Whiskey’s Past

It’s safe to say that Irish whiskey is booming now, but this hasn’t always been the case, and it’s been a lot of hard work to bring the category back on top.

In the late 1800s, Irish whiskey was thriving, and around 70% of the world’s whiskey was Irish. Even in Scotland, Irish whiskey outsold Scotch, but sadly, this wasn’t to last.

A number of issues led to Irish whiskey’s demise; blended whiskies from Scotland gaining popularity, prohibition in America and bootleg distillers in Ireland passing off their own home concoctions as ‘Irish whiskey’ all saw a steady decline in the popularity of the spirit which had once been a world favourite.

But, as we know, the tale’s ending isn’t a sad one - in 1966 things began to pick up when the only three remaining Irish companies, John Jameson, John Power and Cork, merged to form Irish Distillers. Then, in 1988 Irish Distillers was acquired by globally-renowned drinks company Pernod Ricard, and with access to their marketing and audience, interest in Irish whiskey began to revive.

In 2015, Teeling opened the first new distillery in Dublin for 125 years, and all around Ireland, new distilleries began to open and create Irish whiskeys again. Now, there are as many as 50 distilleries in Ireland, in various stages of operation - a far cry from two that existed just 40 years ago.

What’s Distinctive About Irish Whiskey?

First and foremost, to be classed as Irish whiskey, the drink must be made (produced and matured) in Ireland. That means that each distillery’s offering will be unique, dependent on factors like climate and storage. Here at the Lough Gill Distillery, our positioning on the Wild Atlantic Way, with its sea salt air and its own microclimate, means that there are flavours in our Athrú single malt whiskey which you wouldn’t find elsewhere.

It’s not only the location that’s important to distinguish Irish whiskey, there’s also several other factors to consider, many of which are stipulated by the Irish Whiskey Act of 1980.

Unlike some other countries, who have different regulations, in Ireland, all whiskey must be barrel-aged for a minimum of three years before it can be classed as a whiskey. It must also only be made from cereals and water, and caramel colouring is allowed to be added to darken the liquid, but this is flavourless and odourless so will not affect the taste profile of the whiskey.

When it comes to flavour, these regulations also stipulate that when distilled, the whiskey must retain the characteristics of its raw materials - so it still needs to smell and taste like the grains used to make it.

The ABV is also important in the distilling of Irish whiskey. Regulations dictate that the whiskey must not be distilled to more than 94.8% ABV, and it must be bottled at no less than 40% ABV.

Perhaps one of the most significant ways many Irish whiskeys differ from their counterparts around the world, is that traditionally many are triple-distilled, whereas whiskeys you’ll find in Scotland, Japan and America are often distilled twice rather than three times.

The act of triple distillation results in a lighter, smoother flavour - this is because at each stage of distillation, heavier compounds are left behind each time.

There is no regulation for Irish whiskeys to be triple-distilled, and many aren’t, but it’s a method we choose to use here at the Lough Gill Distillery to perfect the flavour and aroma of our Athrú single malt whiskey.

What’s The Difference Between Irish Whiskey and Scotch Whisky?

The first thing you might notice when comparing Irish and Scotch whiskey/whisky is the addition of the ‘e’ in Irish whiskey. There are various theories for why this is - whiskey comes from the gaelic ‘uisce beatha’, meaning ‘water of life’. When this became known as ‘whiskey’, it’s believed Ireland adopted the ‘ey’ because of the dialect, whereas in Scotland it was more natural for it to just be a ‘y’.

It’s also been theorised that the adoption of the ‘ey’ in Ireland was a way to distinguish the two; in the 1800s, Irish whiskey was believed to be the superior spirit, so it could be that this nomenclature was down to a desire to differentiate the two globally.

As we touched on above, Irish whiskey is traditionally triple-distilled, whereas Scotch whisky is usually twice distilled. However, there are no regulations in either country to require that this must be the case, and you can find triple distilled whisky in Scotland and double distilled whiskey in Ireland.

There are, however, some regulations that differentiate Scotch whisky from Irish whiskey. For example, Scottish law requires ‘malted barley’ to be used in distilling, whereas Irish law just states that the whiskey must be fermented from a mash of ‘cereals.’ Both must be fermented with yeast and both must be aged for at least three years, but Scottish regulations state that their whiskies must be aged in oak barrels, with Irish law only saying ‘wooden barrels’ (although oak casks are typically used).

How Can I Invest in Irish Whiskey?

If we do say so ourselves (and, we do!) there’s never been a better time to invest in Irish whiskey. As the category continues to grow and the spirit increases in popularity both here in Ireland and across the globe, demand will increase, too. So why not consider getting in on the action while you can?

At Lough Gill Distillery, we offer a cask reserve program, where you can lay down your own personal supply of single malt whiskey for the future. This provides you with the opportunity to have your own personal supply of our ultra-premium whiskey, matured in sync with Athrú, either for yourself, a celebration, or a gift.

Witnessing a whiskey cask develop from new make spirit to full maturity is an experience unlike any other, and if you’re a whiskey lover, it’s a journey you might just want to take. When you buy a cask of our whiskey, not only are you becoming part of the story in the resurgence of Irish whiskey, you’re also buying directly from us, rather than a broker. This means that at least 10% of the sale price of each cask goes directly to the renewal of Hazelwood House and the surrounding estate.

There are plenty of perks for you, too - included with your cask ownership is an annual visit to the distillery with up to 3 guests for a VIP tour. You will also get private access to our bonded warehouses to taste sample(s) and experience first-hand the angels' share. In addition, we periodically organise private onsite or online sampling occasions and tasting events to which you will be invited.

Oh, and you’ll also receive pre-release access to single cask bottlings (on a first-come-first-served basis), and 15% discount on all purchases from our online store.

Interested? We offer specially selected single cask bottlings, the chance to invest in a new fill cask or you could own your own single malt expression; the choice is yours.

To be a part of the Irish whiskey resurgence and see the industry continue to grow, (with you involved!) just get in touch with us.