Irish whiskey

Irish whiskey is made from malted cereals, with or without other grains, distilled and aged in wooden casks of up to 700 liters for at least three years. The color ranges from light golden to amber. The Irish name, uisce beatha, means water of life, and the word whiskey derives from it.

The technical specification of the geographical indication, submitted by the Department of Agriculture of Ireland to the European Commission in 2014, recognizes four types. Pot still is made from a mix of malted and unmalted barley distilled in copper pot stills, a style unique to the island. Malt uses only malted barley; grain is column-distilled; and blended combines two or more of these types. Many Irish whiskeys are distilled three times, which typically produces a light, smooth spirit.

The geographical indication covers the entire island of Ireland. The rules require that distillation and maturation take place on the island, which includes both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom. The technical specification was also published by the British government, and distilleries on both sides of the border use the same name. Therefore the drink represents the island as a whole, not a particular county or city.

Distillation on the island is old, and Irish whiskey was one of the world’s best‑selling whiskeys in the 19th century, before decades of decline. Since the early 21st century, the number of distilleries has grown again in several parts of the island. Whiskey is served neat, with a little water or ice, and is an ingredient of Irish coffee, with hot coffee, sugar and cream.