Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/271567
52 / the tasting panel / march 2014 COVER STORY t o put it simply, Irish whiskey is unequivocally, and undeni- ably, hot. The statistics are staggeringly impressive. According to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS), the category is up more than 460% since 2002. In 2013, 2.5 million cases were sold, up 17.5% from 2012. And the number of distill- eries in Ireland is poised to double in the next ten years. "The growth of Irish whiskey is part of a macro trend away from 'bling,' and towards unpretentious, work- ing class values," explains Paul Di Vito, Pernod Ricard's Vice President of Marketing for Irish and North American Whiskeys. Even before the current boom, he says, Irish whiskey has had firm roots in the United States, as Irish immigration has always been part of the fabric of America. Pernod Ricard acquired Irish Distillers in 1988, and has seen the category surge over the years. The company's current Irish whiskey port- folio includes products from Jameson, Powers, Redbreast, Midleton, Green Spot and PADDY. (See page 20 for our interview with Master Distiller Brian Nation. —Ed.) Legally defined, Irish whiskey is a spirit distilled from cereal grains and aged three years in wooden casks, all on Irish soil. Its very style makes the category accessible and easy to drink. "Irish whiskey is triple-distilled, which makes it smooth and approachable," Di Vito notes. "There is no smokiness, no sweetness and no burn." Its drinkability accounts in part, he says, for the uptick in popularity among multi-cultural consumers, women and others who may tend to find the whiskey category challenging. "The blending of this new Millennial movement transcends gender; you don't need to be a 'man's man' to drink Irish whiskey." Di Vito also cites its use in cocktails by bartenders in influential cities like New York and San Francisco as adding to its popularity. Irish whiskey's mixability Powers Irish Whiskey shines in award-winning mixologist Jack McGarry's Downtowner cocktail. The exquisite Green Spot is matured for six to ten years in American oak bourbon barrels and also deliv- ers a hint of sherry cask. Single pot–distilled RedBreast 21 rivals single malt Scotch in character and complexity.