Some Of The Best Irish Craft Spirits Around

Ireland is a country that is famous for its music, hospitality, its people and rich history, with many visitors to the country every year, taking in the sights and sounds that are truly native to it. However, there is one other thing that Ireland is famous for around the world. Yes, their alcohol!

Irish distillers and brewers create world-class beverages which have become very popular around the globe, taking a little bit of their Irish culture everywhere they go. Lately the Irish have also become a part of the global craft spirit movement with their classic creations of craft gin, beer, whiskey and many other types of true artisan beverages for the craft spirit lovers out there.

Here are some of the best Irish craft spirits available that truly portrays Irish culture:

• Irish Craft Gin – Many Irish distillers who have been producing whiskey all their lives, have now turned to producing some of Ireland’s best gins as a product that will build their brand name in both the local and global market. These distillers have started creating their gins while they wait for the whiskeys to mature, and through this process have introduced some excellent flavourful and aromatic gin which definitely deserve a chance. Here are some of the more popular craft gins of Ireland.

• Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin – Gunpowder tea and other oriental, as well as local Irish botanicals have gone into the distilling of this unique beverage.
• Bertha’s Revenge Irish Milk Gin – Named after the legendary cow of County Kerry that lived to a ripe old age of 49 years and had her name in the Guinness Book of Records, this unique beverage is distilled using whey (a bi-product of cheese making) and special yeast that helps ferment the milk sugars.
• Ha’Penny Rhubarb Gin – This rhubarb-infused, refreshing gin is the ideal drink for the summer months, and best paired with some Rhubarb Crumble.

• Irish Craft Whiskey – There is no doubt about it that Ireland is famous around the world, for their whiskeys. Irish craft whiskeys have not only made it in the local market, but are gradually making their way to the international market as well, and may soon overtake some of the major whiskey distilling nations of the world. Here are some classic Irish craft whiskeys that are worth talking about.

• Knappogue Castle 1951 Pure Pot Still – Commercially released from some of the rescued casks of the closed down Tullamore Distillery, this old whiskey is full of spice and oak flavours, and can be an acquired taste.
• Spade and Bushel 10-Year-Old Cask Strength – The initial release of this whiskey was of just 5,000 bottles, each individually numbered, delivering the best flavour and a pronounced kick.
• Celtic Cask Sé Single Malt Cask 1916 – This is a double distilled single malt whiskey that offers fruity and spice flavours such as figs, apricots, mace, pineapple and citrus.

• Irish Poitín – Poitín is the Irish version of Moonshine, and is a drink that is etched in history and folklore. It was initially distilled in homes in pots, and is a beverage that is fermented and distilled using cereals, grain, whey, sugar beet molasses or potatoes. It has a very colourful history in terms of being legal, then made illegal, and again made legal again in Ireland, and offers some very distinct tastes. This beverage is not only good all on its own, but goes well with cocktails as well. Here are a few of the more notable Irish Poitín brands.

• Teeling Spirit of Dublin Irish Poitín – This triple distilled spirit uses both malted and unmalted Irish barley, producing a very sweet beverage, with a soft and creamy finish and mild fruit flavours. Ideally consumed neat or on the rocks, this is a refreshing drink that can certainly pack a punch.
• Micil Irish Poitín – Made using Irish grain and flavoured with local bog-bean plant, this drink has an earthy flavour and a sour initial bite, with hints of banana and honey.
• Glendalough Mountain Strength Poitín – This Irish Poitín made by one of the more famous local distilleries, uses sugar beet, malted barley and is aged in virgin Irish oak casks before bottling. It offers a very fruity, blackcurrant and buttery flavour, with aromas of soft vanilla, and has a high ABV of 55%.

• Irish Craft Beer – When it comes to Irish food and drink, there is nothing more famous than a glass of Irish brewed beer, and recent years has seen a large number of small independent breweries coming up all over the country. Here are some top favourites when it comes to Irish craft beer.

• Metalman Brewing Company – This brewery has been successful in creating many seasonal beers, that have become quite famous in their local area, with their first Pale Ale being launched in 2011.
• Carlow Brewing Company – This independent brewery uses only water, malt, hops and yeast for producing their beers, and are famous for their stouts, lagers and ales.
• Franciscan Well Brewery – This brewery built on the site of an old Franciscan Monastery offers natural, and chemical and preservative free beers, stouts, lager and ales.

Ireland has a lot of variety and flavour to offer the world in terms of craft spirits, and the popular belief is that they are some of the best you will ever find in taste, aroma and of course strength. Many of the breweries and distillers use locally sourced ingredients for their production process, with only a handful of them importing ingredients from outside, although these too are infused with a few of the local favourites.

If you are looking for some Irish craft spirits near you, try ordering them online, because many ecommerce stores carry a variety of Irish branded spirits and offer doorstep booze delivery in London. Once you get your favourite beverage, dry drinking them in various different ways; neat, on the rocks, or mixed with other ingredients in a delicious cocktail. They are sure to offer a refreshing and new flavour for your palate.