Let’s just take a moment to speak about Irish Pure Pot Whiskey.
Before the rise of Premium Single Malt Scotch Whisky in the 1980s, before Japan had developed her first still, before Prohibition ruined American Rye for nearly a century, it was Irish Pure Pot that was on top of the world. In fact, it were the Irish who changed the spelling of the spirit – adding an “e” – in order to differentiate their whiskey from what they considered an inferior product from Scotland.
Oh, how times have changed, eh?
Luckily, a liquid time-capsule allows you to travel back and enjoy a taste from the past – Irish Pure Pot Whiskey.
In the mid-19th Century, Pure Pot – legally known as Single Pot – was the most sought after whiskey in the world.
Like Scottish Single Malt, Pure Pot is the product of a single distillery. But unlike Single Malt Scotch, it can be made from a combination of malted and unmalted barley. And, it is traditionally triple-distilled, while most (but not all) Single Malt Scotches are double distilled.
Triple-distillation gives the malt a light, floral profile. This profile made it the easiest-to-drink in terms of 19th Century drams. Thus, demand was through the roof.
So what happened?
With the invention of the Coffey Still in the 1890s, Blended Scotch became a more cost-effective competitor for Irish Pure Pot. Most Irish distillers thumbed their noses at what they considered a cheap distillation novelty. And their name recognition alone kept many brands viable for the next few decades.
But American Prohibition in the 1920s took Ireland’s biggest market away while at the same time Cocktail Culture took hold of the European market, demanding light and smooth whiskies to be blended with mixers. Blended Scotch took off, and by the time repeal came along in 1933, there were only a few producers left in Ireland.
One producer who has withstood the test of time is Green Spot Single Pot Whiskey, produced at the Middleton Distillery in County Cork. Renewed interest has made this particular selection available throughout much of the United States. I recently picked up a bottle.
The first thing I noticed is that the mouth was super-wide. Unfortunately, I found this out by spilling precious liquid all over the front of my shirt and the gorgeous parchment-leaf label. Like a noob.
It is bottled at 80-proof.
Nose: The nose is heavenly. Vanilla. Floral. Gentle barrel notes – is that cedar I smell? Crème Brule and banana.
Tongue: That’s very nice. Creamy vanilla. Marzipan. Almonds, vanilla, caramel, honey.
Finish: Short, clean with lingering baking spice.
That nose, though. I might have fallen in love with it. If you are a fan of floral Highland Single Malt Scotches like Glenmorangie, I would highly recommend treating yourself to a dram of Green Spot.
