History of Irish Whiskey Part 3: The Comeback

Irish whiskey was at a very low point in the mid-twentieth century. Ireland was still a largely rural and economically unsophisticated country. Virtually all of the whiskey distilleries had had closed, and many whiskey brands were forced to consolidate just to survive. Major names like Jameson and Bushmills were often the only Irish whiskey available in American bars. The scarcity of Irish whiskey in the USA had resulted in an entire generation that had virtually no contact with uisce beatha. However, just as a confluence of factors caused Irish whiskey’s decline, a number of events would help to bring it back from the brink.

The sixties, seventies, and eighties witnessed their share of historic and groundbreaking events in America. As far as the alcoholic drinks arena was concerned these decades were real low points. People didn’t much care what they drank at bars and restaurants, by and large. Hardly anyone knew to “swirl and sniff” their wine, micro-brew beer was unheard of, and it didn’t matter how many years the scotch was aged. In the nineties, the drinking landscape really began to change for the better. A gourmet culture in food kicked into high gear, ushering in the nascent era of the celebrity chef. Americans wanted good booze to go along with their new taste for good food. Interest in wine, both domestic and international, took off with people learning the basic differences between grape varietals. The craft beer movement started as a very minor business in previous decades, but now began to grab major attention. Micro-brews became popular alternatives to standards like Coors and Budweiser. The spirits world also came along for the ride.

Starting in the 1990s the average American was looking to trade up from the usual liquor offerings. The basic call brands were no longer satisfactory; people wanted more interesting options. The rise of nationally known cocktail historians and celebrity mixologists, like David Wondrich and Tony Abou-Ganim, sparked an interest in quality drinks made with quality ingredients. Bartending became an exciting profession again, not just a dead-end job of popping beer tops and making endless gin-and-tonics. Of course, the phenomenal popularity of the HBO show Sex in the City led to an explosion of Cosmo-sipping young women. The launch of Grey Goose vodka created the trend of premium vodka for the masses. Newly affluent young men were turning to high-end scotch and small batch bourbon. Americans were drinking and drinking well.

As the saying goes, a rising tide lifts all ships, and Irish whiskey was certainly lifted in the rising tide of America’s alcohol renaissance. The drink of kings had been relegated to gathering dust on the back bars of America’s Irish pubs. But Irish whiskey came back in America; drinkers wanted more options at the bar and Irish whiskey was no exception. An expansion of interest in Irish heritage by a newly ascendant Generation X helped fuel the demand in both Irish beer and whiskey. Fortunately, the “Celtic Tiger,” the rip-roaring Irish economy, could satisfy America’s demand for uisce beatha. Ireland turned a major corner in the 1990s, with a modernized economy pulling the country full force into the 20th century. The Irish whiskey business took off as well, with new distilleries being built, old labels being revived, and new brands hitting the marketplace. International spirits behemoth Pernod Ricard bought the Irish Distillers Group in 1988, which included Jameson. Other, similar partnerships put Irish whiskies in the position to gain an unprecedented position in the market.

For those who remember the bad old days, the days when you could barely find anything besides Jameson or Bushmills outside of a major metro market, were thrilled to suddenly have access to so many new brands of Irish. Old standards in Ireland became new players in America; labels like Tullamore Dew, Powers, and Paddy. The Cooley Distillery, the only Irish-owned distillery, has been making its own original, award-winning whiskies for almost two decades now. Irish whiskey is a small segment of the overall American liquor market, but it is growing at a remarkable pace. Fans of uisce beatha are thrilled that it has come back so strongly and we hope that it continues to surge ahead. Just like the Irish people, Irish whiskey has been to the greatest heights, fallen to the worst nadir, only to climb back and impress its warmth and charm on whiskey drinkers the world over. Slainte!


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