Down in one? Scotch on the rocks as Irish whiskey storms the US in shot at top spot
The Guardian|July 05, 2022
Karen Gregory, a tourist from Oklahoma, visited Dublin this week, inhaled an aroma of malted barley at Teeling Whiskey Distillery and picked a side in a centuries-old contest. “Definitely Irish. It’s lighter and brighter. Scotch is too heavy.”
Rory Carroll
Down in one? Scotch on the rocks as Irish whiskey storms the US in shot at top spot

The crowd of visitors merrily sipping neat whiskeys, whiskey cocktails and whiskey-infused coffees suggested more converts to the Irish side of a rivalry that has pitted two venerable traditions in a battle for market domination.

Ireland ’s distilleries prevailed in the 19th century, accounting for more than 60% of sales in the US, before disaster struck. The Irish ignored new technologies, curbed exports during US prohibition in the 1920s, and got caught in a trade war with the UK. Scotland seized its chance and stepped up global exports, establishing scotch as a synonym for all types of the spirit.

“We fell from 60% to 2% in the US, that’s some trick,” said John Teeling, a doyen of Irish whiskey producers. “ But I think we’ll overtake the Scots by the end of the decade. There’ll be a huge party when that happens.”

After decades of quiet woe, Irish whiskey is roaring back. From just four operational distilleries in 2010, there are now 42 on the island of Ireland. Annual global sales have surged from 5m cases (60 m bottles) in 2010 to 14 m cases (168 m bottles) last year, fuelled by new offerings and younger drinkers.

This story is from the July 05, 2022 edition of The Guardian.

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This story is from the July 05, 2022 edition of The Guardian.

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