Irish Whiskey is famous throughout the world and not only is it a very popular drink on its own, it’s also used in Irish Coffee, hot whiskies (punch) as well as a number of cakes and puddings. Distilled from the finest barley, it’s not really a drink to knock back…it’s best to savour every last drop of this golden nectar.
Irish whiskey basically means ‘whiskey made in Ireland’. The word whiskey comes from the Irish term ‘uisce beatha’ meaning water of life’ So whether it be single malt, single grain, pure pot still or blended whiskey, make an Irish whiskey your tipple of choice. You can even have your own whiskey tasting experience to see which you like best.
Popular whiskey brand names include Jameson, Paddys, Powers, Busmills and Lockes. The Old Jameson Distillery is located in Bow Street, Smithfield, just a short walk from Dublin’s bustling city centre. If you’re in the area it’s worth a visit - you’ll even get to sample the produce!. The Old Midleton Distillery (also Jameson) produces most of Ireland’s whiskey. Again, at the end of the tour you get to become a whiskey taster. And if you’ve become over enthusiastic and sampled a little too much, there’s a restaurant on site where you can grab a coffee.
Bushmills Distillery claims to be the oldest in the world (dating back to 1608) and is located in Antrim, Northern Ireland. Paddys Irish Whiskey is distilled by the Cork Distillers Company while Lockes Irish Whiskey comes from a distillery in Kilbeggan, County Westmeath. Powers is probably the most popular whiskey brand in Ireland and also comes from the Midleton Distillery in Cork.
As well as being served neat, it’s nice with coke or lemonade or indeed with just a little cold water added. Irish Whiskey also has other popular uses. There’s nothing better on a cold winter’s day to warm you than a hot whiskey punch, also referred to as a hot toddy. It’s used to make Irish Coffee as well. This is a cocktail of caffeine and Irish whiskey and it certainly has a kick.
Irish Whiskey has a number of uses in baking as well. It’s ideal for keeping a Christmas fruit cake moist. Once it’s baked, every now and then, pour a few spoonfulls over the cake to prevent it from drying out. Another popular cake is the Irish Coffee Cake. It’s a basic sponge cake that’s soaked in a coffee and whiskey mixture and the butter cream filling is coffee flavoured of course!
Also why not have a look at our blog article on Irish coffee?
Recipe for Irish Hot Whiskey
1 generous measure of Irish Whiskey
A few cloves
A slice of lemon
2 teaspoons of white/brown sugar
Boiling water
Pour the whiskey into a heat proof glass. If the glass isn’t heat proof, it’s a good idea to put a teaspoon into the glass and rinse it out with the hot water first. This pre warms the glass and the spoon prevents the glass from cracking.
Add the cloves into the fresh lemon place in the glass.
Add the hot water and stir until the sugar has dissolved.
Recipe for Irish Coffee
1 generous measure of Irish Whiskey
1 teaspoon of sugar
1 dessertspoon of cream
Fresh strong black coffee
Pre warm a glass as above
Add the whiskey and ¾ fill the glass with the coffee
Stir in the sugar
Whip the cream an spoon it on top of the coffee/whiskey mixture
Don’t stir it after the cream has been added.
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