Irish Whisky a 1000 years of tradition

[jmrl]

By Malachy Magee (he'll be Irish I think) 1980

I thouroughly recommend this as an introduction to the Irish industry's history. Can't compare it to other titles as I'm not well read in the Irish stuff but imagine there will be others with a bit more of the Blarney than this which is thankfully free of the rose tinted spectacles approach. Plenty refrences to the Scotch industry to help explain the differences and inter-relations between the two. I didn't appreciate just how popular and populous the Irish distillers were. Nor how big their pot stills were! What is needed is an update. Plenty to report since publication date. Other titles are mentioned in the bibliography but don't know if they have been brought up to date.
Can anybody recommend other titles?

[Willie JJ]

Mark the new issue (70) of WM has an article on Cooley and it refers to the monster stills at Kilbeggan. They are still usable perhaps, but you get the feeling that It would be a huge commitment to resurrect them. Fascinating stuff though.

By the way the issue also has tasting notes on Longrow c.v.

[irishwhiskeychaser]

Hi jmrl, that book is not bad at all and gives a decent account of Ireland glorious but unfortunately receded past in whiskey. Just bought a first edition original on ebay so happy days



I can also thoroughly recommend The Lost Distilleries Of Ireland by Brian Townsend available fairly cheaply on ebay.

Also for a more focused look on Irish Whiskey and the different aspects (Making, History, Brands) look no further than Peter Mulryans

The Whiskeys of Ireland

Both well worth a read

believe it or not the Kilbeggan stills were only medium still com[pared to some of the others ... Midleton (now Distilling HQ for Jameson Powers and Paddy) had the biggest still in the world is on display in the grounds and this still is still the biggest still (excuse all the stills )

[Willie JJ]

Hey they should rent that out as a party room. What a monster.

[Ian Buxton]

Peter Mulryan will have a new book out soon on Bushmills to tie in with the 400th anniversary.

(And, of course, Classic Expressions will soon be reprinting Truths About Whisky which was written by the 4 big Dublin distillers in 1878. http://www.classicexpressions.co.uk
For goodness' sake, will someone just order the last 5 Founder copies then I can stop plugging it on this forum.
I feel such an old tart.)

[jmrl]

RE biggest still in the world. Am I right when I calculated this to be a shade under 120, 000 litres?!

Willy I think a distillery in US has converted old stills into booth for swallying.

soon as I find £50 before the wife I'll get one of the books Ian.

Thanks IWC think I may have Peter's book..must check. Do have Irish Drink, a celebration (I think this is title but haven't read yet)

[irishwhiskeychaser]

The Still had a 31,000 gallon working capacity

or

248,000 pints

or

140,930 liters

or circa 1220 barrels

[jmrl]

To put that in perspective Glenfarclas have pretty big stills, their wash are at 24. 000L and Edradour (made by Palitoy) at just over 4, 000l

[irishwhiskeychaser]

Never seen the Glenfarclas still but I know the Bunnahabhain wash stills are monsters but no idea what size

[Aidan]

There's a nice book on whiskyauction I'm bidding on about Kilbeggan.

Jim Murray's Classic Irish Whiskey is also good, if a little dated.

[IainB]

There's a nice book on whiskyauction I'm bidding on about Kilbeggan.

Jim Murray's Classic Irish Whiskey is also good, if a little dated.

What about your book? I know you haven't actually agreed to write it yet but we still hope to persude you!

[Aidan]

And what about my website? I have every thing in place, but have not gotten around to publishing it yet. Hopefully next week...

I wish I had the energy to write a book.

[IainB]

And what about my website? I have every thing in place, but have not gotten around to publishing it yet. Hopefully next week...

I wish I had the energy to write a book.

Maybe I'll print off your website pages and try and sell them as a book!

[irishwhiskeychaser]

I have a HP jet printer that I actually can print off in both colour and black and white (for the old style look)

A few A4 sheets a fold in the middle and bobs your uncle

[irishwhiskeychaser]

And what about my website? I have every thing in place, but have not gotten around to publishing it yet. Hopefully next week...

I wish I had the energy to write a book.

Let us know when it goes live... looking forward to it

[IainB]

I have a HP jet printer that I actually can print off in both colour and black and white (for the old style look)

A few A4 sheets a fold in the middle and bobs your uncle

I think we should reassure John at this point that, after we've made a few bob from this we'll buy him a nice bottle of Powers or something - maybe even a litre bottle if it does well.

[cathach]

For goodness' sake, will someone just order the last 5 Founder copies then I can stop plugging it on this forum.
I feel such an old tart.)

Excellent I can't believe I'm Ian Buxton's 74th punter!!
And with the help of God not the last neither!

[Wendy]

There's a nice book on whiskyauction I'm bidding on about Kilbeggan.

Jim Murray's Classic Irish Whiskey is also good, if a little dated.

I have recently been leant a copy of Jim's Classic Irish Whiskey. Quickly leafing through it, he has described a number of Irish whiskies that I am unfamiliar with. I am looking forward to sitting down with an Irish dram in hand and reading through it.

John, let us know how the auction turns out for you!

Cheers,
Wendy

[irishwhiskeychaser]

I just got my hands on a 1st ed hard back of this book from 1980 .

Quite different in layout to the soft back version with bigger pictures in some cases and looks more approachable (The soft back version looks more word heavy even though they are basically the same book ).

The soft back version from 1991 says revised edition but I gave it away so quickly I did not get a chance to check if there are major differences