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Irish Whiskey

There are four distinct styles of whiskey in the world - Irish, Scotch, American and Canadian - each with its own particular characteristics.

While all are produced in a broadly similar way, there are substantial differences between different countries' products including the choice of grains, number of distillations, type of stills used, maturation period and type of oak barrels used.

Irish and Scotch are often compared to each other just as American and Canadian have broadly similar characteristics.

No Smoking

Photograph of a ChimneyIrish whiskies are typically fragrant, with a roundness of body. Unlike Scotch, the malted barley used in Ireland is dried over coal fires rather than with peat smoke, maintaining the natural flavour of the barley as one of the defining characteristics of Irish whiskey.

Unmalted barley, distilled with malted barley in a pot still, is one of the most important components in Irish whiskey. This flavourful pot still whiskey is blended with both lighter grain whiskey and more flavoursome malt whiskey to produce the final, well-balanced blend.

Three times for Purity

Most Irish whiskies - including Tullamore Dew - are distilled three times for greater purity and smoothness. Other countries distil only twice.

The size of the pot stills used is also much larger than in Scotland and this certainly has some effect on the resulting whiskey.

Image of KilnWhile the distinctive character of Irish whiskey comes from the distilling rather than blending, the skill of the blender is still important in creating individual blends. To do this, the blender uses widely varying ratios of pot still whiskey, grain whiskey and malt whiskey, so that blends can range from full bodied to mellow. Variations are also achieved through the use of old and young whiskies and different barrel types for maturation, such as those previously used for sherry or rum.

The Main Features of Irish Whiskey

Ingredients

Image of BarleyThe main flavour of Irish whiskey comes from barley, and the differences between the brands lie in the proportions of raw and malted barley. Three styles of whiskey - pot still, grain and malt whiskey - make up blended Irish whiskey.

Drying the barley

The Irish use indirect heat to dry their barley so no smoke enters the production process.

Distillation

Irish whiskey is distilled three times compared with the normal two, to give extra purity and a smoother taste. No other whiskey in the world is distilled more than twice.

Time

Only time can complete the magic of Irish whiskey, and at least three years is needed to mature the whiskey in aromatic oak casks.