Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/188061
Midleton's new Master Distiller, Brian Nation, leads the World of Whiskey Tasting. A Category on a Roll Irish whiskey really is on a roll right now, and nowhere more so than in the U.S., where flagship brand Jameson seems unstoppable. The new pot still expressions will help connoisseurs and enthusiasts trade up as Irish Distillers aims to grab even more premium sales and take some market share from single malt scotch. The elegant Garden Stillhouse is one the innovations at Irish Distillers' revamped Midleton facility. And there is going to be a lot of whiskey on the way. With the enlarged—and very elegant—Garden Stillhouse, Midleton can produce a staggering 60 million liters annually. It's a huge investment, matched by an expansion of warehousing capacity to make this one of the largest whisky/ whiskey production sites anywhere in the world. But for all the modernity and sale of the distillery, the company hasn't forgotten its roots. In fact, they are now celebrating them with the creation of the Irish Whiskey Archive, which provides an extensive history of the rise, fall and renewed popularity of this widely misunderstood category. As well as opening to the public the Archive will shortly be searchable online, so provides a great educational and research resource. It's complemented by the Academy, where trade and PHOTO COURTESY OF IRISH DISTILLER T he Irish have a gift for throwing a party. The sun shone, the music played and the whiskey flowed when guests of Irish Distillers assembled at their Midleton distillery last month for what the company styled a 'Homecoming.' But this was no routine celebration. In fact, matching the triple distillation that marks out Irish whiskey, there were three things to justify the carnival atmosphere: a giant new still house, an Academy of Irish Whiskey and, for the first time, an Archive covering whiskey's neglected history. And, if that wasn't sufficient excuse, the company has recently rolled out some new expressions (see my review on page 26) and committed itself to release two new pot still whiskies annually for the next ten years. There were suggestions that Blue Spot and Red Spot products might soon join the existing Yellow and the iconic Green Spot; even hints of an older Redbreast product, possibly a 21 year old. consumer groups can learn more about the nature of pot still distillation by observing working glass stills in an Old World classroom environment that encourages serious study. It's intended to offer a range of courses here. Room for All All this costs money—lots of it. In fact, Irish Distillers (part of the giant Pernod Ricard group) has spent in excess of $130 million on this upgrade, with a long-term aim of growing the Irish whiskey category from 4% to 10% of total global whisky sales. It's an investment that their competitors are also making: Beam, which acquired Cooley Distillery in 2011, and Diageo, owner of Bushmills, are both supporting their brands. William Grant & Sons is putting its weight behind Tullamore Dew spending nearly $50 million to build a new Tullamore distillery and the Teeling family, former owners at Cooley have started again, seeking as they put it to revive the "independent spirit of Ireland." There are also a number of plans, some well advanced, for small craft distillers to ride the boutique spirits wave and take Irish distilling back to its farmhouse roots. But Irish Distillers are confident that everyone can come to the Irish party. According to Anna Malmhake, their CEO, "The industry is alive, it's innovating and investing." "We are so tiny [as a category], it would be ridiculous to start elbowing one another," observes Malmhake. Others may take some share, she observed, "but on the other hand, if together we can make Irish whiskey over time 10% of the world's whisk(e)y market . . . there's plenty of room for all of us." But for all the celebratory mood at the Midleton Homecoming, it did also mark a passing of the baton as Master Distiller Barry Crockett, one of the few industry figures genuinely deserving of the tag 'legendary,' retired from the company after 47 years continuous service. While Crockett will continue to advise at the Archive, he will be succeeded by Brian Nation. Nation inherits an industry, distillery and brand in great shape. It's a huge challenge but an enviable legacy as this once-great spirit fights back and restores its reputation as one of the world's finest whiskies. The luck of the Irish! october 2013 / the tasting panel / 65 TP1013_034-65.indd 65 9/23/13 10:36 PM