After being overshadowed by Guinness and Irish whiskey the last few centuries , poitín—the lesser-known Irish spirit—is seeing a revival. This Irish moonshine, deeply rooted in the country’s history and lore, is traditionally among the most potent alcoholic drinks on the planet—and it was very illegal in Ireland for over 300 years until 1997, when the ban was lifted. The illicit spirit has more depth to it than whiskey, as it was the original “uisce beatha” or “water of life” in Ireland. Traditionally distilled in pot stills, poitín—from the Gaelic word for little pot—was produced in farmhouses, kitchens and sheds all over Ireland every day for centuries.
Historically, poitín was always distilled from a malted barley base with variations in the mash bill ranging from crab apples to wheat and sugar beets. The outcome of the product depended on the region, producer and time of the year, as poitín was never produced the same way twice. Most of it was not good, but some batches came out pretty interesting and very smooth.
During the 17th century, the British banned this spirit, as they could not collect taxes on it, causing it to go underground. Poitín thrived because of the independent streak of rural Ireland and became the symbol of the Irish rebellion during English colonization.
Even after the ban was lifted, it took 20 years for distilleries to embrace this forgotten spirit. Poitín was not widely consumed, as it still suffered from many misconceptions—such as people going blind or winding up on a wild bender from drinking the moonshine.
Poitín is being embraced by producers, bartenders and consumers alike.
These days, more Irish distilleries are producing poitín, introducing it to the mass market as a premium spirit. And word on the street is that the Irish bartending communities have embraced this potent liquor with open arms, with bottles of poitín lining the shelves and delicious cocktails with poitín bases on their menus. So, what does the future hold for Ireland’s original spirit? The dazzling spirit was once lost, but now that it’s been rediscovered, poitín is here to stay. There are many brands that you can buy to try at home, like Mad March Hare Poitín, Bán or Glendalough Mountain Strength Poitín. But if you’d rather try some in the Ireland, here are a few of the places you can enjoy a cocktail or a shot of this illicit spirit:
Vintage Cocktail Club
Call into this cozy speakeasy in the Temple Bar area and order the Banshee, a tiki-inspired cocktail made with Micil Poitín, Powers Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey, Celtic honey Liqueur, apricot, apple and rhubarb, angostura bitters and Swedish bitters.
Bar 1661
Named for the year poitín was banned, Bar1661 is leading a resurgence with its range of poitín cocktails and efforts at educating the masses with its poitín flight tastings. Try Belfast Coffee, the bar’s signature cocktail—a riff off the Irish Coffee, made with Bán Poitín, cold brew, cream and nutmeg.
Teeling Distillery is the first new whiskey distillery to have opened in Dublin, once a world … [+]
Teeling Distillery
Pop over to this whiskey distillery—the first to open in Dublin in 125 years—for a brief tour and pick up a bottle or two of Spirit of Dublin Irish Poitín in the gift shop.
Two bottle of Micil Irish Poitín
Micil Distillery
Founded by Pádraic Ó Griallais, Micil Distillery opened its doors in 2016 almost 170 years after Ó Griallais’ great-great-great-grandfather, Micil, established the family’s first stillhouse in Connemara. This is the first legal distillery in Galway in over 100 years, and there are tours daily where guest can learn about Ó Griallais family and poitin—and sip on this spirit and cocktails.