Powers Whiskey

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Issue 1791, May 2019 www.PowersWhiskey.com

PowersWhiskeyNI

WHISKEY FACTS DID YOU KNOW?

Irish whiskey is currently the fastest growing spirit category in the world.

IRISH WHISKEY gets a lot of its flavour from the casks in which it is aged . Many of these casks will have been seasoned with other drinks like bourbon or sherry .

The Irish method of whiskey distillation is di…erent to that of any other country. The quintessential style of Irish whiskey making is known as ‘pot still’ distillation . This is achieved by mashing a blend of both malted and unmalted barley . The liquid produced is then distilled in large traditional copper pot stills . The resulting whiskey is characterised by rich , complex flavours and a creamy mouthfeel .

To meet the legal definition of Irish

Spirits containing two OR MORE types of Irish whiskey are referred to as ‘blended’ Irish Whiskey.

Whiskey, spirits must be distilled and aged in Ireland . It MUST be aged in wooden casks for at least three years .

In Ireland whiskey is spelt with an ‘e’ before the ‘y’. This spelling was originally introduced by Dublin Distillers as a way of differentiating their whiskey from their country cousins. Whiskey or Whisky?

A portion of whiskey evaporates during the process of maturation. This is known as the ‘Angel’s Share’. Midleton Distillery estimates that they lose over 30,000 bottles worth of whiskey per day through the ‘Angel’s Share’.

The word ‘whiskey’ actually comes from the Irish ‘uisce beatha’ , which originates from the Latin ‘aqua vitae’ meaning ‘water of life’ .

A SHOT OF WHISKEY

In the old west a .45 cartridge for a six-gun cost 12 cents, so did a glass of whiskey. If a cowhand was low on cash he would often give the bartender a cartridge in exchange for a drink. This became known as a “shot” of whiskey.

Scotch whisky is usually distilled twice and Irish whiskey generally three times. For this reason, the Irish claim their whiskey is a smoother and purer whiskey. Do you agree?