93-575: The Dublin Whiskey Distillery Company Jones Road Distillery , also known as the D.W.D. Distillery, Jones Road , or just Jones Road Distillery , was one of the six great Irish whiskey distilleries of Dublin city visited and documented by Alfred Barnard in his seminal 1887 publication " The Whisky Distilleries of the United Kingdom ". It was located on the north side of the city on the banks of
186-403: A pot still fall into two categories. Whiskeys made entirely from malted barley distilled in a pot still within a single distillery are referred to as single malt whiskeys, a style also very commonly associated with Scotch whisky . These may be double or triple distilled. Single pot still whiskey is made from a mixture of malted and unmalted barley completely distilled in a pot still within
279-624: A 19th-century peak. The increased attractiveness of legal distillation is evident in the scale of the equipment used. Prior to the Excise Act of 1823, the largest pot still in Ireland had a capacity of just 750 gallons. By 1825, however, the Old Midleton Distillery operated a 31,618-gallon pot still, which remains the largest ever built; Note: the largest pot still in operation in the world (as of 2014), located next door in
372-470: A cheaper " blended whiskey ". This blended whiskey, which was less intense in taste than pure pot still, was to prove popular in Britain, capturing much market share from Irish pure pot still whiskey. Despite changing tastes and falling market share, the adoption of Coffey stills was stubbornly resisted by Irish distillers for many years, with some arguing for restrictions on their use. For instance, in 1878,
465-412: A column or Coffey still, rather than a pot still, is referred to as grain whiskey . This may be produced from a variety of grains. Lighter and more neutral in taste, this spirit is rarely found on its own, though some examples exist. The vast majority of grain whiskey is used to make blended whiskey, a product made by mixing column still product with richer and more intense pot still product. A mixture of
558-670: A combined distillation capacity of 3.5 million gallons per year. However, the three distilleries continued to operate separately and compete directly ensuring the anticipated economies of scale from the merger were never realised. The industry experienced difficulties in the 1920s, brought about the loss of both the American and British Commonwealth export markets during prohibition and the Anglo-Irish trade war . Both William Jameson & Co and George Roe & Co would eventually close in 1923 with their respective production transferred to
651-547: A consequence of increasing the alcohol concentration in the product, Coffey stills removed some of the other volatile components responsible for flavour. As a result, their use proved extremely controversial when first introduced. Ireland was the initial testing ground for the Coffey still, with Coffey showcasing them in his own distillery and offering them to other Irish distillers. Although there were seven in operation in Ireland by 1833, their use did not become widespread amongst
744-414: A consequence of this increased demand, some distillers prioritized quantity over quality, to the detriment of their product. This prompted parliament to pass an Act in 1759 prohibiting distillers from using any ingredient other than malt, grain, potatoes or sugar in the production of whiskey, and specifically prohibiting several unsavory ingredients. Another consequence was that the potential revenue lost to
837-474: A consequence the Irish government shut down large-scale Irish whiskey distillery production for the duration of the war. Why an exception was made for D.W.D. contrary to government policy of the day remains unexplained. Without the export licence, however, D.W.D. could not have been dismantled. D.W.D.'s size and scale was comparable to peers including Jameson and Powers, which would have ensured its continuation. In
930-409: A continuous, rapid output of spirit. In addition, because technically, continuous distillation entails the conduct of a series of distillation runs in sequence internally within a self-contained unit rather than the conduct of a single distillation within a pot still, Coffey stills were capable of producing a far higher strength output than pot stills. However, this advantage also came with a downside. As
1023-548: A full-time basis in the whiskey industry in Ireland. In addition, it is estimated that the industry provides support to a further 4,200 jobs across agriculture and other sectors of the economy. As of 2018, sales of Irish whiskey stood at 10.7 million 9-litres cases, up from 4.4 million cases in 2008, with sales projected to exceed 12 million cases (its historical peak) by 2020, and 24 million by 2030. In 2021, annual sales were 14 million cases (168&million bottles), and in 2022, there were 42 distilleries on
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#17327725902761116-645: A further distillery, the Quiet Man Craft Distillery, in Derry in 2017. However, the project was subsequently cancelled in late November 2018. Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, around 1,000 registered distilleries opened and closed across Ireland – with multiples of this number operating illegally. Most of these have disappeared without a trace, only to be remembered by local street names e.g. Bond Street in Dublin. For instance,
1209-590: A gentleman. As secretary of Harper's Weekly Gazette , he visited every working whisky distillery in Great Britain and Ireland from 1885 to 1887. He visited 162 distilleries; 129 in Scotland, 29 in Ireland and 4 in England. The result of which was the 500 page The Whisky Distilleries of the United Kingdom , covering in depth technical information on the distilleries, along with sketches and engravings. Of
1302-719: A licence from the Lord Deputy. However, as Crown control did not extend far beyond the Pale , a fortified area around Dublin, this had little effect. Irish whiskey is also described in Aqua Vitæ: its commodities describ'd by Richard Stanyhurst . In 1608, King James I granted a licence to Sir Thomas Phillips, a landowner in County Antrim . Today Kilbeggan Distillery in Kilbeggan , County Westmeath , lays claim to
1395-480: A means of avoiding a 1785 tax on malt, endured although the tax had been later repealed. In fact, even by the late 1880s, only two of Ireland's then 28 existing distilleries were producing single malt whiskey, the rest steadfast in their devotion to "pure pot still". In this period, when Irish whiskey was at its zenith, it would have been difficult to imagine that Scotch, then produced by small-scale producers and almost unheard of outside of Scotland, would soon become
1488-495: A month) and the minimum numbers of days which a still was in operation per annum (112), many of the smaller or less efficient registered distilleries were forced underground. In 1779, when the Act was introduced, there were 1,228 registered distilleries in Ireland; however, by 1790, this number had fallen to 246, and by 1821, there were just 32 licensed distilleries in operation. This had the effect of concentrating licit distillation in
1581-467: A new distillery was constructed in Tullamore to replace an existing distillery which also closed in 1954. Some of the notable distilleries previously in operation across Ireland are listed below. Irish whiskey comes in several forms, with the name of the style depending on the type of grain used and the distillation process. Traditionally, Irish whiskey was produced in pot stills. Irish whiskeys made in
1674-497: A number of factors, both internal and external, which led to this decline. However, one of the main turning points was the patenting in 1832 of the Coffey still by Aeneas Coffey. Ironically, Coffey was both the former Inspector General of Excise in Ireland, and subsequently, after leaving the excise service, an Irish distiller himself. His patent, the Coffey still, was a continuous distillation apparatus which offered an improvement on
1767-469: A similar debate occurred in France, such that under French law, Cognac must be double-distilled in pot stills, whereas Coffey stills are permissible in the production of armagnac . In addition to the introduction of blended whiskeys and the Irish distillers' failure to account for its appeal to changing tastes, there were a number of additional issues which placed further pressure on the Irish distillers:
1860-456: A single distillery. This differs from single malt whiskey through the inclusion of raw, unmalted grain in the mash. This style has also historically been referred to as "pure pot still" whiskey and "Irish pot still whiskey", with older bottlings and memorabilia often bearing these names. Single pot whiskeys were the most common style of Irish whiskey until the emergence of blends in the 20th century. Whiskey produced from continuous distillation in
1953-512: A smaller number of distilleries based mainly in the larger urban centres, such as Cork and Dublin, which offered better markets for legal producers. In the rural areas distillation became a more illicit activity, in particular in the northwest of Ireland where agricultural lands were poorer and poitín provided a supplemental source of income to the tenant farmers, an income which landlords were again slow to curtail as it would have weakened their abilities to pay rent. The scale of this illicit activity
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#17327725902762046-537: A surfeit of aqua vitae " at Christmas. Its first known mention in Scotland dates from 1494. However, it is known that by 1556 whiskey was widespread, as an Act passed by the English Parliament declared whiskey to be "a drink nothing profitable to be drunken daily and used, is now universally throughout this realm made". This Act also made it technically illegal for anyone other than "the peers, gentlemen and freemen of larger towns" to distil spirits without
2139-746: A well known and celebrated commodity in the whiskey market". After leaving that position, Brannick remained a shareholder in D.W.D. In 1891, D.W.D. merged with two other major distillers, combining the output of the Jones Road Distillery with the Marrowbone Lane Distillery of William Jameson & Co and the Thomas Street Distillery of George Roe & Co, to form Dublin Distillers Company Limited. The amalgamated company had
2232-474: Is a protected European Geographical Indication (GI) under Regulation (EC) No 110/2008. As of 29 January 2016, production, labelling and marketing of Irish whiskey must be verified by the Irish revenue authorities as conforming with the Department of Agriculture's 2014 technical file for Irish whiskey. Key requirements include specifications that Irish whiskey must: Individual technical specifications for
2325-409: Is currently recognised as whiskey, as it would not have been aged, and was often flavoured with aromatic herbs such as mint, thyme, or anise. Irish Mist , a whiskey liqueur launched in 1963, is purportedly based on such a recipe. Although known to have occurred for hundreds of years, records of whiskey production in Ireland can be difficult to come by, particularly in the earlier years when production
2418-461: Is extant in the Newry Mourne and Down, Museum, Newry Co Down. Following his first success, Barnard undertook a similar beer tour in 1889–1891, visiting over 110 breweries in Great Britain and Ireland . The end product of this tour was The noted breweries of Great Britain and Ireland , published over three years and in four volumes. They give a great description of the scale of industry at
2511-541: Is of the highest class of Dublin make". Distillation was "under Mr. Brannick's sole control from the time it was started" until he left to manage the Banagher Distillery Co." in 1887. The Irish whiskey industry experienced a period of decline in the 1870s, so it is unlikely that the distillery operated at its capacity for its first decade of production. When the British historian, Alfred Barnard visited
2604-567: The Irish War of Independence , the subsequent civil war , and trade war with Britain (which cut off whiskey exports to Britain and all Commonwealth countries, then Irish whiskey's biggest market); prohibition in the United States (1920–1933), which severely curtailed exports to Irish whiskey's second-biggest market (Irish whiskey had accounted for more than 60% of whiskey sales in the US in
2697-477: The Kilbeggan Distillery , which had closed in 1954, was reopened fully by Teeling. Irish distillers, who operated under rules less strict than those applying to Scottish producers, experimented with new flavours, methods and cocktails. By June 2019, the number of operating distilleries had grown to 25, and several more were in the planning stages. As of 2017, roughly 750 people were employed on
2790-598: The New Midleton Distillery , are roughly half this size, at 16,498 gallons (75,000 litres). Domestic demand was reduced somewhat in the mid-1800s, due to the Temperance movement of the 1830s, and the Great Famine of the 1840s (during which a million Irish died and a million Irish emigrated). Between 1823 and 1900, however, whiskey output in Ireland still increased fourfold, and with access to
2883-480: The Old Bushmills Distillery , both owned by Irish Distillers, and with only one of these having operated during Irish whiskey's golden years. Production reached a nadir at about 400,000–500,000 cases per annum during the consolidation period, down from a peak of 12 million cases around 1900. The late 1980s saw the beginnings of a long and slow resurgence in the Irish whiskey industry, with
Jones Road Distillery - Misplaced Pages Continue
2976-585: The River Tolka , approximately a mile north of the city centre. The distillery was built by the Dublin Whiskey Distillery Company Ltd and the Irish whiskey produced sold around the world under the brand name D.W.D. Construction began on 22 July 1872, under the supervision of founder John Brannick , and exactly one year later on the 22 July 1873, D.W.D.'s first mash was produced. Distillation continued up until 1941. During
3069-570: The 1800s ); widespread counterfeiting of Irish whiskeys in America and Britain; protectionist policies introduced by the Irish Free State government, which significantly capped whiskey exports in the hope of taxing domestic consumption; and finally, over-expansion and mismanagement at several Irish distilleries. Together, these factors greatly hampered exports and forced many distilleries into economic difficulties and out of business, and by
3162-467: The D.W.D. distillery. As the most modern of the three plants, the Jones Road plant was likely retained as a working entity. Despite the long-term commercial opportunities which these holdings presented, D.W.D. management instead made the decision to voluntarily liquidate D.W.D., and sold off all the distillery's assets for significant financial gain during the war years. The last asset to be liquidated
3255-592: The James Leffel Co., New Haven , Connecticut , USA, which was positioned in the middle of the River Tolka which at full speed could produce up to 50 horsepower. Because other whiskey distilleries of the time had often been damaged or destroyed by fires, the facility "boasted two novel safety measures: curtains around the Mash Tun to stop the grist blowing over the edges and massive water tanks on top of
3348-410: The Pale, there is limited official record of whiskey distillation during this period. One reason for this is that, until 1761, registration was done on a voluntary basis. Therefore, as registration entailed paying a tax, it was much avoided for obvious reasons. Another reason is that those tasked with enforcing the law were frequently local landlords, and, if their tenants were the illicit distillers, it
3441-507: The United Kingdom ". It was located on the north side of the city on the banks of the river Tolka, approximately a mile north of the city center. The Irish whiskey produced there was sold under the brand name D.W.D., with the first mash being produced in July 1873. Barnard reported that it was equipped with some of the best and most modern distilling equipment available at that time, and had a capacity of 800,000 gallons per annum. A seven acre site
3534-426: The above styles. Regardless of whether the blended whiskey is made from combining grain whiskey with either single malt whiskey or with single pot still whiskey or both, it is labelled with the same terminology. Blended whiskeys are now the most common style of both Irish and Scotch whiskeys. Alfred Barnard Alfred Barnard (8 May 1837 – 13 May 1918) was an English brewing and distilling historian . Barnard
3627-463: The belief that their existing methods yielded a superior whiskey. For instance, John Jameson trialled a Coffey still at his distillery, but chose to not adopt the technology because he was not satisfied with the quality of product it produced. Therefore, in the face of opposition in Ireland, Coffey offered his still to the English gin and Scottish whisky distillers, who proved more receptive, and where
3720-487: The big Dublin distillers jointly published a pamphlet entitled Truths about Whisky , in which they referred to the output of Coffey stills as " Good, bad or indifferent; but it cannot be whiskey, and it ought not to be sold under that name" . In 1904, almost seventy years after the Coffey still had been patented, the Senior Manager of Ireland's largest rural distillery, Allman's of Bandon , placed an outright ban on
3813-406: The demand for imported spirits. Growth in the latter is very much visible in the share of Irish duties paid on legal spirits in the late 1700s. In 1770, whiskey only accounted for 25% of the total duty on spirits received by the exchequer, while duty on imported rum accounted for 51%, with the remainder divided equally between brandy and gin. By 1790, however, whiskey's share accounted for 66%. As
Jones Road Distillery - Misplaced Pages Continue
3906-420: The distillery not long after it opened in 1886, he reported that it was equipped with some of the best and most modern distilling equipment available at that time, and had a maximum capacity of 800,000 gallons per annum, with an actual output of 560,000 gallons. During the seventeen years of Brannick's management, Brannick became "one of the best known and most successful of the Irish distillers", and D.W.D. "became
3999-551: The distillery was via steam engine occupying an engine-house located in front of the Still Hall. The engine was manufactured and supplied by the iron founders and engineers, Messrs. Victor Coates & Co., of the Lagan Foundry and Price Dock Works, Belfast, which could generate 100 horse power. A secondary source of power was also incorporated into the distillery design in the form of a Leffel Turbine Wheel, manufactured by
4092-450: The early 1800s, due to population growth, and changing consumption patterns (which saw it becoming more ingrained in Irish cultural activities), much of the demand was initially met by small-scale illicit distillers who did not need to pay tax or comply with the restrictions of the 1779 Act. In fact, so much illicit spirit was available during this period that the licensed distillers in Dublin complained that it could be obtained "as openly in
4185-468: The early 20th century Scotland had surpassed Ireland to become the world's largest whiskey producer. When British historian Alfred Barnard published his account of the distilleries of Britain and Ireland in 1887, there were 28 distilleries in operation in Ireland. By the 1960s, there were only a handful of these remaining in operation, and in 1966 three of these (John Jameson, Powers, and Cork Distilleries Company ) chose to amalgamate their operations under
4278-499: The establishment of the Cooley Distillery in 1987 by John Teeling , and then Pernod Ricard's takeover of Irish Distillers in 1988, which led to increased marketing of Irish whiskeys, in particular Jameson , overseas. Since the 1990s, Irish whiskey has undergone a major resurgence, and for the next twenty years it was the fastest growing spirit in the world, with annual growth of approximately 15–20% per annum. In 2010,
4371-432: The exchequer through the under-reporting of output at legal distilleries and the tax avoidance of illicit producers became more significant, prompting parliament to introduce another Act of Parliament. This was enacted in 1779 and significantly reformed how the taxes payable on whiskey production were calculated. Previously, taxes were payable on production volumes, which were subject to manipulation. However, this Act removed
4464-547: The excise return for 1800 lists 40 distilleries operating in Dublin city alone, while Drogheda is estimated to have had 15 distilleries in the 1780s, with as many as ten operating in Cork city in the 19th century. Of these numerous ventures, only one, Bushmills, has remained in continuous operation until the present day. However, the Kilbeggan Distillery (est. 1757) which closed in 1954, reopened in recent years, while
4557-526: The facility as "the most modern of the distilleries in Dublin", with mechanisms including "a 50hp Leffel Turbine for electricity, driven either by a big wheel in the adjoining River Tolka or by one of the plant's steam engines". Movement of water was facilitated by a double acting plunger pump supplied by Pearn & Co of Manchester, UK which was acknowledged as the finest specimen of hydraulic machinery in any Distillery in Dublin, being capable of raising 1000 gallons of water per minute. The primary power source for
4650-459: The first new distillery in decades, Cooley Distillery , in 1987. Since 1990, Irish whiskey has seen a resurgence in popularity and has been the fastest-growing spirit in the world every year since. With exports growing by over 15% per annum, existing distilleries have been expanded and a number of new distilleries constructed. As of December 2019, Ireland has 32 distilleries in operation, with more either planned or under development. Irish whiskey
4743-407: The flat roofs, used to store process water, which could be used in case of fire". Irish whiskey Irish whiskey ( Irish : Fuisce or uisce beatha ) is whiskey made on the island of Ireland . The word 'whiskey' (or whisky) comes from the Irish uisce beatha , meaning water of life . Irish whiskey was once the most popular spirit in the world, though a long period of decline from
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#17327725902764836-481: The following years, questions were asked in the Dáil—the Irish Parliament—and explanations sought. The responses of government ministers were evasive. On 8 July 1953, Thomas F. O'Higgins , then member of parliament and future Chief Justice of Ireland, described the events leading to the closure of D.W.D. as "one of the greatest scandals that ever happened in this country". The distillery's tall chimney
4929-423: The four largest Dublin distilling firms, of John Jameson, William Jameson, John Powers and George Roe (all family-run, and collectively known as the "Big Four") came to dominate the Irish distilling landscape. The chief output of these distilleries, known as single or " pure pot still " whiskey, was made from a mix of malted and unmalted barley, and solely distilled in pot stills. The style, having initially emerged as
5022-469: The ground floor around which plant machinery was configured across three gantry floors. The whiskey itself was single pot still whiskey made from a mash of malted barley and corn distilled in D.W.D.'s pot stills. Although D.W.D. used the same water source as the Jameson distillery, D.W.D. whiskey differed to Jameson by using corn in its mash whereas the latter used green barley. In this regard D.W.D. adopted
5115-530: The intervening 70 years, D.W.D. became a renowned Irish whiskey brand and by 1941 D.W.D. was a significant and profitable enterprise with substantial maturing stocks and distilling assets. D.W.D. was broken up and the assets sold between 1941 and 1946, creating lasting controversy over the conditions under which the Irish Government allowed the closure and liquidation to happen. D.W.D. was the last of Dublin's great distilleries to be built, and along with
5208-439: The introduction of Coffey stills at his distillery, in the face of opposition from a director. The issue came to a head in 1908, when a royal commission was appointed to investigate the issue. By this point, 60% of all whiskey produced in Britain and Ireland was made in Coffey stills. In 1909, the royal commission settled the argument, declaring that whiskey could refer to the output of either Coffey or pot stills. By comparison,
5301-653: The island. Irish whiskey has a smoother finish as opposed to the smoky, earthy overtones common to Scotch whisky, which come largely from drying the malted barley using peat smoke. Peat is rarely used in the malting process outside of Scotland. There are notable exceptions to these rules in both countries. Examples include Connemara peated Irish malt whiskey from the Cooley Distillery in Cooley, County Louth ; Pearse Whiskey from Pearse Lyons Distillery in Dublin ; and Dunville's peated from Echlinville Distillery. Irish whiskey
5394-661: The labelling of Irish whiskeys, in particular: According to the Irish Whiskey Association, as of December 2019, there were 32 whiskey distilleries in operation in Ireland. However, many of these were recently established and had not yet aged their own spirits for sale as whiskey: Further distilleries are either planned or in development across Ireland. In addition, to the Glendalough distillery mentioned above, which had previously distilled spirit, planned distilleries include: In addition, work began on
5487-435: The larger distilleries. In particular, the big four Dublin distillers, proud of their existing produce, scoffed at its use, questioning if its product, grain whiskey , which they termed neutral or silent (i.e. tasteless) spirit , could even be termed whiskey. It wasn't that the distillers were Luddites , afraid of change; their distilleries were among the most advanced in the world. The distillers were simply steadfast in
5580-442: The largest market for spirits in Ireland, emerged as a major distilling centre. By 1823, Dublin boasted the five largest licensed distilleries in the country. At their peak, the distilleries in Dublin would grow to become the largest in the world, with a combined output of almost 10 million gallons per annum, the largest of which, Roe's Thomas Street Distillery , had an output exceeding 2 million gallons per annum. By 1878,
5673-444: The late 19th century onwards greatly damaged the industry, so much so that although Ireland boasted at least 28 distilleries in the 1890s, by 1966 this number had fallen to just two, and by 1972 the remaining distilleries, Bushmills Distillery and Old Midleton Distillery (replaced by New Midleton Distillery ), were owned by just one company, Irish Distillers . The monopoly situation was ended by an academically conceived launch of
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#17327725902765766-529: The materials used in their construction and decorative detailing demonstrate that these buildings were cutting edge design for the specific requirements of distillery buildings", and that they remained "a significant reminder of the industrial landscape that once made up a significant element of the nineteenth century landscape adjacent to the Tolka River". As of 2017, two bottles from the Jones Road Distillery are known to remain in existence. Barnard described
5859-547: The name of Irish Distillers and to close their existing facilities and concentrate their operations in a new purpose-built facility to be constructed beside the Old Midleton Distillery in County Cork. In 1972, these were joined by the only other remaining Irish operation, Bushmills, so that by the mid-1970s there were only two whiskey distilleries in operation in Ireland, the New Midleton Distillery and
5952-407: The original 1757 licence. Kilbeggan also has what is believed to be the oldest operational copper pot still in the world, first used in 2007 after being "last used in the 19th century". However it is through the earlier 1608 licence that the Old Bushmills Distillery lays claim to being the oldest surviving grant of licence to distil in the world. However, the current Bushmills distillery and company
6045-437: The original print, only a small number of copies survive to this day, some are in presentation binding (leather) but most have a green cloth binding. Copies of the first edition have changed hands for £2,500. A facsimile copy was published in 1987, and has been reprinted three times since. The book has been referred to as " possibly the most important book written on whisky. " Following publication of Whiskey Distilleries, he
6138-407: The other Dublin distilleries, which began as family-run enterprises, the Jones Road Distillery was established by a consortium of seven businessmen. Construction beginning in July 1872; by July 1873 mashing had commenced. It was one of the six great Irish whiskey distilleries of Dublin city visited and documented by Alfred Barnard in 1886 for his seminal 1887 publication " The Whisky Distilleries of
6231-494: The other five made Dublin at the end of the 19th century a global whiskey distilling powerhouse. As of 2017, of the six great Dublin distilleries profiled by Alfred Barnard, the D.W.D. distillery buildings, and those of Jameson located in Smithfield Dublin, are the only ones which remain standing. Founder John Brannick was "for twenty-five years in the distillery of Sir John Power ", and for twenty years after that
6324-547: The overseas markets provided by the British Empire, Irish whiskey became the most popular spirit in the World. "Dublin whiskey" was particularly well regarded. In the early 1800s, Ireland was the largest spirit market in the United Kingdom, with demand for spirit exceeding that of more populous England. Therefore, as capacities expanded, Ireland became the largest producer of spirits in the United Kingdom; and Dublin, then
6417-422: The potential for under-reporting by making taxes payable on a distillery's potential output (based on the capacity of its pot stills), rather than its actual, or reported, output. In addition, the Act penalised smaller distillers in an attempt to reduce reporting fraud. Due to the stringency of this Act, which made assumptions about output (for instance, a 500-gallon pot still was assumed to produce 33,075 gallons
6510-452: The reputation of Dublin whiskey was such that Distillers Company Ltd. , a Scottish distilling firm, having built a distillery in Dublin, claimed that Dublin whiskey could sell for a 25% premium over other Irish whiskeys, and that it had a demand five times that of Scotch at the time. Although these figures are likely inflated, they give an indication of the esteem in which Dublin whiskey was held, even by Scottish distillers. During this period,
6603-612: The river Tolka running through the complex and the construction of a 100-foot-deep well, water for distilling was sourced from the Royal canal through a mile-long pipe. Water from the Royal Canal was favoured as the same water source was utilised by the Jameson Distillery . The distillery produced spirit utilising the pot still batch distilling process. The Still House, which stood 60 feet high contained four pot stills on
6696-404: The same practice as the other great Dublin distillery, George Roe & Co, no doubt influenced by John Brannick's 20-year tenure with George Roe & Co. Spencer Blackett's Industries of Dublin claimed "the introduction of the D.W.D. brand had created a revolution and brought the production [of whiskey] to a degree of perfection never attained"; while Barnard stated, "[t]he product made by D.W.D.
6789-403: The stills at a more appropriate pace. In addition, restrictions on the type and capacity of stills used were removed, granting distillers more freedom to tailor their equipment. Another significant reform was a change to how duty was paid. Previously, duty was charged monthly, based on still output, meaning that distilleries paid tax on whiskey before it was sold. However, under the reforms, duty
6882-528: The streets as they sell a loaf of bread". In 1823, the authorities, acknowledging the problems with the licensing system, cut the duties by half, and published an Excise Act which significantly reformed the existing legislation, making legal distillation much more attractive. In particular, the reforms removed the need for distillers to rush production in order to produce as much (or more) whiskey than duties would be paid on, leading to improvements in fuel efficiency and product quality, as distillers could operate
6975-598: The technology gained widespread use. The adoption of the Coffey still in Scotland was indirectly assisted by Ireland's Great Famine of the 1840s, which led to the repealing of the Corn Laws , which between 1815 and 1846 had restricted the import of cheaper foreign grain into Britain and Ireland. After the laws were repealed in 1846, cheap American corn could be imported and used to produce neutral spirit in Coffey stills. This spirit, though lacking in taste, could then be blended with traditional pot still derived spirit to produce
7068-402: The three varieties of Irish whiskey, " single pot still ", " single malt ", " single grain ", plus " blended " whiskey (a mix of two or more of these varieties) are also outlined in the technical file. The use of the term "single" in the aforementioned varieties being permissible only if the whiskey is totally distilled on the site of a single distillery. There are several regulations governing
7161-475: The title of oldest distillery in Ireland, as the first distillery in Kilbeggan was established in 1757 (although not continuously operating since – e.g., the Kilbeggan Distillery was entirely shut down around 1917 and again between 1954 and 2007 and was "in rubble" and "totally derelict" by 1983). Despite this the licence was continuously paid and whiskey is currently distilled in Kilbeggan using
7254-433: The traditional pot still. Although similar continuous stills had been proposed in the past, including by other Irish distillers themselves, the Coffey still was the most effective, and soon entered widespread use. Unlike traditional pot stills, which were operated in a batch manner, Coffey stills could be operated continuously. This made them cheaper to operate, as they required less fuel, and more efficient to run, producing
7347-473: The world's preeminent drink, while Irish whiskey, then the world's most popular whiskey, would enter a century of decline, culminating with all of Dublin's great distilleries shutting their doors. By the late 20th century, the once-popular pure pot still whiskey had almost disappeared entirely, with only two specialist bottlings, Green Spot and Redbreast remaining in existence. However, since 2010, several new single pot whiskeys have been launched. There were
7440-622: Was Chief Distiller for Messrs. George Roe & Son , before leaving that position "to superintend the building of the Dublin Whiskey Distillery at Jones's-road". In 1870, Brannick "initiated the Dublin Whiskey Distillery Co.'s undertaking, securing the backing of a consortium of seven businessmen to establish the company and build the most modern and advanced distillery in Dublin City. Unlike
7533-569: Was born on 8 May 1837 into a Baptist family in Thaxted , a rural village in Essex . He was one of eight children. His father was a draper and grocer . In 1859, aged, 22 he married Fanny Ruffle, also 22. At this time, Alfred was a grocer residing in Kensington . They had two daughters, Theodora and Edith, and one son, Harold. Barnard was a toilet soap exporter, then a merchant and finally as
7626-536: Was chosen for the distillery, situated on a delta formed by the river Tolka on the south, Richmond road to the north and extended west as far as the Ballbough bridges. Access to the distillery from Jones Road was by bridge spanning the Tolka. Alfred Barnard described D.W.D. as "The most modern of the distilleries in Dublin, it rears its head proud like a monument built to commemorate the virtues of some dead hero". Despite
7719-506: Was commissioned by various distilling companies to produce promotional pamphlets. Six are known to still exist and are very rare. They are: How to blend Scotch Whisky for Mackie & Co, Pattison's/Glenfarclas, Johnnie Walker, Watson's of Dundee, the Highland Distillers and Dalmore distillery. He also wrote a thirty four page Pamphlet for Duncan, Alderdice & Co, Newry, Co. Down who had an extensive blending business. A copy
7812-507: Was eventually removed, and other parts came to be used for various businesses, "such as engineering workshops and even a fitness centre during the 1990s", with a 2003 conversion turning some of the buildings into upmarket apartments, now known as Distillery Lofts. A 2012 Assessment of Special Interest Under the Planning & Development Act 2000 found the structure to be of architectural and historical significance, noting that "[t]he quality of
7905-522: Was known as "parliament whiskey", while that produced by illicit producers was, and still is referred to as Poitín , a Gaelic term meaning "small pot" (often anglicised as poteen) in reference to the small pot stills used by the illicit distillers. However, although traditionally the product of illicit production, many legal varieties of Poitín have come to market in recent years. In the 18th century, demand for whiskey in Ireland grew significantly, driven both by strong population growth, and by displacing
7998-414: Was less extensive. By some measures the Act was successful, as the volume of whiskey on which excise was paid increased from 1.2 million to 2.9 million gallons. In addition, it prompted capital investments in establishing larger distilleries (which were more easily regulated), due to the need for economies of scale to profit from legal distillation. However, when demand for whiskey increased in
8091-509: Was not in their best interests to enforce the law. It is known, however, that more distillation occurred than is officially recorded, as when registration later became compulsory, several registrations detail the use of existing facilities. From a regulatory perspective, the introduction of the Act is a historical milestone as it provides a clear distinction between licit and illicit whiskey distillation in Ireland. For many years following its introduction, whiskey produced by registered distillers
8184-627: Was not registered to trade until 1784 and despite the promotion of the Phillips licence as its claimed founding date, the Bushmills distillery does not clearly descend from any distillery operated by Phillips through ownership or location. In 1661, the Crown introduced a tax on whiskey production in Britain and Ireland. Therefore, in theory, all whiskey distillers in Ireland were to register and pay taxes. Although Crown control now extended far beyond
8277-461: Was one of the earliest distilled drinks in Europe, arising around the 12th century. It is believed that Irish monks brought the technique of distilling perfumes back to Ireland from their travels to southern Europe around 1,000 AD. The Irish then modified this technique to obtain a drinkable spirit. Although termed "whiskey", the spirit produced during this period would have differed from what
8370-574: Was such that one surveyor estimated that duty was paid on only 2% of the spirit consumed in the northwestern provinces of Ulster and Connaught, while Aeneas Coffey (an excise officer at the time, and later inventor of the Coffey Still ) estimated that there were over 800 illicit stills in operation in Inishowen , County Donegal alone. By contrast, illicit distillation in Munster and Leinster
8463-684: Was the Jones Road distillery site itself which sold at auction on 10 October 1946. The voluntary closure and break up of D.W.D. was directly enabled by the Irish Government, which issued D.W.D. with the only export licence granted to any Irish distillery during the Second World War. Export licences had been imposed by the Irish State on the Irish whiskey industry under the Emergency Powers (Export of Whiskey) Order, 1941. Apart from D.W.D., no export licences were ever issued and as
8556-523: Was to be paid only when the whiskey was actually sold, making its storage in bond more attractive, as less of the distillery's working capital would be tied up in already-taxed stock. Together, these reforms greatly improved the distilling landscape, leading to a drop in illicit whiskey production and a boom in investment in legal distilleries. In 1821, two years before the reforms, there were 32 licensed distilleries in Ireland. Just four years later (in 1827), this number had risen to 82, and reached 93 by 1835,
8649-469: Was unregulated. Even in later years, as production was frequently illicit, official records bear little resemblance to reality. In addition, as many Irish records were traditionally oral rather than written, details on early production are likely lost. The oldest known documented record of whiskey in Ireland was in 1405; in the Annals of Clonmacnoise it was written that the head of a clan died after "taking
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