Whiskey in the Jar: Ireland Sees New Growth in Longstanding Industry
Among my most fascinating finds was the recent growth in one of Ireland’s longstanding traditions: whiskey. The spirit’s smoothness is legendary, of course: it’s triple distilled, which, for many of us, offers it the flavors, aromas and soft mouth feel that makes it an easier commitment than Scotch or bourbon. And a new batch of distilleries is putting a new, modern spin on this timeworn tradition.
In County
Meath, and located about 30 miles northeast of Dublin County Meath, 18th-century
Slane Castle now offer a most forward-looking approach to whiskey making. This
historic property has been owned by the Conyngham family for generations, and
the decision to turn to crafting Ireland’s most famous spirit “was a way to
take us well into the future,” Lord Henry Conyngham told me last week, during a
rare one-on-one audience. “We have the water,” he said, referencing the famous
Boyne River that runs through his estate, “and we have the land.” The new
modern production facility transformed from old stables and barns takes
visitors through the beginning-to-end production process and offers a taste of
a unique blending process. “We achieve complexity through the blend of three
unique casks,” son Alex Conyngham tells me, “including Oloroso sherry casks
from Jerez, Spain” that lend flavors of raisins and spice. Seasoned Tennessee
bourbon casks are used, too, for plum and butterscotch flavors, as well as
virgin casks, for notes of tasted oak and vanilla. The end result of blending
all three components, as I discovered last week during a late-night whiskey-and-cheese
pairing session, is a delicious beverage with honey colors, a vanilla and brown
spice aroma, layered flavors of caramel and dried fruit and lingering finish of
wood and vanilla overtones. Myriad tour options, including a two-hour experience
with Alex Conyngham, can be booked through the company’s website. Slane Whiskey
($30) is distributed by Brown-Forman and is widely available.
My latest
work trip to Ireland in October 2019 was fueled by food. The island nation was in the
throes of a new three-month festival, Taste the Island, spotlighting its current
culinary renaissance and luring international travelers with myriad foodie
events. I spent the week doing recon by following my taste buds, and by happily
gaining a few pounds along the way.
Among my most fascinating finds was the recent growth in one of Ireland’s longstanding traditions: whiskey. The spirit’s smoothness is legendary, of course: it’s triple distilled, which, for many of us, offers it the flavors, aromas and soft mouth feel that makes it an easier commitment than Scotch or bourbon. And a new batch of distilleries is putting a new, modern spin on this timeworn tradition.
An industry
that began to grow in the late 18th century and flourished in the
mid-19th century found itself languishing by the mid-1900s. Indeed,
only two distilleries were functioning in Ireland when the industry began to
see its comeback – what many in the know call Ireland’s Whiskey Renaissance – in
the late 1980s, a movement driven by new investment and a new focus in its
ability to attract foreign interest. This year, as global sales continue to
surge, Ireland’s whiskey industry is humming along nicely, driven by no less
than 24 distilleries across the country.
One of Ireland’s
newest whiskey-inspired experiences can be found Powerscourt Distillery, which
opened the doors to a gorgeous state-of-the-art whiskey-making facility and visitor
center in May. Located on a beautiful 1000-acre estate in County Wicklow, about
15 miles south of Dublin, the property is also home to a luxurious resort,
sprawling gardens and even Ireland’s tallest waterfall. Under the tutelage of
world-renowned master distiller Noel Sweeney, Powerscourt’s Fercullen line of
whiskeys – a trio that includes a premium blend ($49), a 10-year-old single
grain ($64) and a 14-year-old single malt ($104) are “quite approachable for
anyone starting out in whiskey,” brand
marketing manager Caroline Gardiner tells me. “But they also offer the layers
of complexity and texture that would appeal to the higher discerning end of
whiskey drinkers,” she adds. With all production and aging done onsite, and
with six tasting rooms and a series of tasting options available to the public,
Gardiner calls it “a fully immersive experience.” Fercullen is a nod to the
Gaelic word for the ancient land that is the Powerscourt estate today,
solidifying that link between old and new. Visits to Powerscourt can be
scheduled online.
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| Sipping with Slane Whiskey's Alex Conyngham |
Other Irish
distilleries worth a visit on your next trip to Ireland include Jameson, both
at its facility in Dublin and its distillery in Midleton, County Cork; the
historic Teeling Whiskey Distillery in the Liberties area of Dublin; and Dingle
Distillery in the eclectic and beautiful town of Dingle, a Santa Barbara sister
city.
Check out ireland.com for more information on the
Whiskey Trail that will have you exploring whiskey all over Ireland.
Cheers!
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