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Irish
Whiskey
--By Mike Armstrong Translated
by Vivian Morgan
Who invented whiskey? Depending on who
you talk to, it was the Scotch or the Irish. It is claimed
that Irish monks brought distilling to France, which
would certainly date Irish whiskey back to antiquity.
For centuries, Irish whiskey enjoyed an excellent reputation
in the world as a better-tasting spirit than Scotch.
However, in the mid-19th century when the Scots started
blending their whiskeys, the end result was smoother
and more refined, and Irish whisky dropped off in popularity.
Today, Irish whiskey is still in the process of making
a comeback. This could be because its flavor is lighter
than Scotch, it's triple-distilled, and distillers don't
use peat for fire, which gives Scotch its smoky flavor.
The multiple distilling processes give whiskey its soft
finish, although it still has a complex whiskey taste.
By law, whiskey must be cask-aged for a minimum of three
years. Most are aged much longer.
Almost all of the Irish whiskey distilleries
are centered in Cork or Dublin. The major exception
is Bushmills, which is located in Northern Ireland's
Antrim County. Other notable brands include John Power,
Murphy's, Paddy, Dunphy's, Tullamore Dew, and the most
global brand, Jamesons.
Recipes:
Irish Coffee, everyone's favorite winter warm-up, is
coffee with a shot of Irish whiskey, topped with whipped
cream. Another winter drink is Eggnog. Called "Coquito"
in Puerto Rico and "biblia con pisco" in Peru,
this traditional beverage is served almost exclusively
during the Christmas holidays in North America, but
still tastes great the rest of the year.
Eggnog can be made with other spirits, but Irish Eggnog
is the recipe used by most bartenders. To make a 6 to
8 ounce serving:
1) Break four eggs into a bowl and whisk until frothy.
2) Add 8 oz. of Irish whiskey, a teaspoon of vanilla
extract, 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon of ground
allspice and whisk. Whisking is key to this whiskey
drink.
3) Slowly add about 32 oz. (1 quart) of mild whiskey
the entire time. Pour it into glasses and sprinkle nutmeg
on top. There's no better way to drink raw egg and whiskey.
Be adventurous and find out why this drink has stayed
as popular as it has for centuries.
Check this site out for further ideas:
http://whatscookingamerica.net/Eggnog.htm
Mike Armstrong is a veteran Taiwan-based
bartender and owner of Taichung's fM bar and restaurant.
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