As soon as practically misplaced to historical past, single pot nonetheless whiskey is now having fun with a quiet renaissance. Not simply in its native Eire, however throughout the Atlantic in america.
Identified for its creamy texture, spicy character, and full-bodied complexity, this conventional Irish model has discovered new life with whiskey followers who need greater than the smoothness of a mix or the fruitiness of a single malt. And with American distillers like Talnua adopting its methods, it’s starting to determine a second house.
However what precisely is single pot nonetheless whiskey? How does it differ from different varieties of whiskey? And why are each connoisseurs and craft distillers turning to this once-forgotten model? Right here’s what it’s good to know.
What Is Single Pot Nonetheless Whiskey?
Single pot nonetheless whiskey is a conventional Irish model constructed from a mash of malted and unmalted barley, distilled in copper pot stills. By regulation, single pot nonetheless Irish whiskey should comprise at the least 30% of every, with as much as 5% of different grains like oats or rye. The inclusion of uncooked barley is what offers this whiskey its signature texture (creamy, oily) and a particular peppery spice.
This units it aside from single malt whiskey, which makes use of solely malted barley. Each are pot-distilled, however solely the Irish model contains uncooked grain, including weight and complexity.
The phrase “single” merely means the whiskey comes from one distillery. However “pot nonetheless” isn’t simply in regards to the gear. It refers particularly to this mixed-barley model that’s distinctive to Eire and guarded underneath EU Geographical Indication guidelines.
Single pot nonetheless whiskey may be double-distilled, however triple distillation is extra frequent and has turn out to be a cornerstone of Irish whiskey making.
A Whiskey Born from Tax Evasion
The story of single pot nonetheless whiskey begins with a tax, particularly, a malt tax launched by the British authorities in 1785. To chop prices, Irish distillers started substituting a few of the costly malted barley of their mashbills with uncooked, untaxed barley.
By the mid-1800s, this methodology had taken maintain. Pot nonetheless whiskey dominated Irish manufacturing. Distilleries in Dublin and Cork have been exporting it globally, and it made up the overwhelming majority of Eire’s whiskey output.
However the twentieth century introduced hassle. Commerce wars, Prohibition within the U.S., the rise of blended scotch, and a collection of distillery closures pushed pot nonetheless whiskey to the brink. By the Eighties, simply two expressions remained in common manufacturing: Redbreast and Inexperienced Spot.
Its revival started slowly within the Nineteen Nineties and accelerated within the 2000s, led by Irish Distillers. In 2011, the model was rebranded as “single pot nonetheless” whiskey (dropping the previous “pure pot nonetheless” label to adjust to U.S. labelling legal guidelines). At the moment, it’s a rising premium class, protected underneath Irish and EU regulation, and seen as essentially the most distinctive model in Eire’s whiskey heritage.
What Does It Style Like?
Single pot nonetheless whiskey is understood for its wealthy texture and layered taste. The unmalted barley provides a creamy, nearly oily mouthfeel and a definite spicy edge, assume white pepper, clove, or ginger. It’s fuller and extra textured than most single malts, but nonetheless clean because of triple distillation.
Every bottle varies, however throughout the board, you may count on a strong, spicy core wrapped in a clean, silky physique, a signature solely this model can ship.
The American Revival
For hundreds of years, single pot nonetheless whiskey was uniquely Irish. However now, a handful of American distillers are embracing the model, with a twist.
Main the cost is Talnua Distillery in Colorado, based in 2018. Impressed by a honeymoon journey to Eire, Talnua makes use of a 50:50 mash of malted and unmalted barley, triple-distilled in copper pot stills, identical to in Eire. However they age their whiskey in new American oak, giving it richer vanilla and caramel notes alongside the normal pot nonetheless spice.
Different U.S. distillers are following go well with. McKenzie Pure Pot Nonetheless from Finger Lakes, New York, contains oats for a tender, creamy texture. Ransom’s Emerald 1865 in Oregon recreates a Nineteenth-century Irish mashbill, full with toasted grain and citrusy spice.
Whereas the model remains to be new to American cabinets, its attraction is rising. These whiskeys retain the signature creamy weight and spicy brightness of Irish pot nonetheless, however with native grains and cask influences that give them a distinctly American accent.
🛈 Can American Whiskey Be Known as “Single Pot Nonetheless”?
In Eire and the EU, Single Pot Nonetheless Irish Whiskey is a protected time period underneath Geographical Indication (GI) regulation, solely whiskey made in Eire to particular guidelines can use it. However within the U.S., the place the time period isn’t legally outlined, American distillers like Talnua can use “single pot nonetheless” to explain the model, so long as they don’t declare it’s Irish.
Why It’s Gaining Floor Globally
As curiosity in premium whiskey grows, single pot nonetheless whiskey is discovering a wider viewers — and never simply in Eire or the U.S.
In markets like Japan, France, and Australia, pot nonetheless expressions similar to Redbreast, Inexperienced Spot, and Blue Spot are gaining shelf house and constant followings. Fans are drawn to the model’s distinctive mix of richness, spice, and heritage — a profile that stands aside from Scotch malts and American bourbon.
In Eire, new distilleries are embracing it too. Manufacturers like Dingle, Teeling, and Technique and Insanity are experimenting with mashbills and cask finishes, serving to to modernise the class whereas respecting custom.
With authorized safety as a Geographical Indication and rising recognition from critics and shoppers alike, single pot nonetheless whiskey is not a curiosity — it’s a cornerstone of Irish whiskey’s world comeback.
Pot Nonetheless Whiskeys to Attempt
Whether or not you’re new to the model or already a fan, these bottles provide an ideal introduction to single pot nonetheless whiskey — from Irish classics to daring American takes.
Eire – Redbreast 12 12 months Outdated
Wealthy and sherried with notes of dried fruit, baking spice, and toasted oak. Creamy, full-bodied, and broadly considered the benchmark for the model.
Eire – Inexperienced Spot
Lighter and extra orchard-fruited, with hints of inexperienced apple, candy grain, and mild spice. A clean, accessible start line.
Eire – Powers John’s Lane Launch
A sturdy, oak-forward whiskey with flavors of darkish chocolate, honey, and black pepper. Bolder and extra old-school in character.
U.S. – Talnua Virgin White Oak Cask
An American tackle the model with a 50:50 mashbill and virgin oak ageing. Count on vanilla, caramel, baking spice, and a creamy, spicy end.
U.S. – McKenzie Pure Pot Nonetheless
Made in New York with a small portion of oats. Vivid and silky, displaying recent bread, inexperienced apple, and tender florals.
U.S. – Ransom The Emerald 1865
Impressed by a Nineteenth-century Irish recipe. Earthy and distinctive, with notes of toasted grain, orange marmalade, and oak.
A Type Value Discovering
Single pot nonetheless whiskey could have been born out of a tax dodge, nevertheless it’s turn out to be one of the crucial characterful and rewarding whiskey types on the planet. Rooted in Irish custom however now reaching new frontiers within the U.S. and past, it affords a taste profile in contrast to the rest: creamy, spicy, and filled with depth.
Whether or not you’re sipping Redbreast by the fireplace or exploring Talnua’s American twist, pot nonetheless whiskey delivers substance and story in equal measure. In case you haven’t tried it but, now’s the time, as a result of this once-forgotten model is firmly again within the highlight.
