爱尔兰威士忌

爱尔兰威士忌（英语：Irish Whiskey）是一种只在爱尔兰地区生产，以大麦芽与谷物为原料经过蒸馏所制造的威士忌。

爱尔兰可以说是威士忌的发源地，最早是从修道院里流传到民间的蒸馏术，在英王亨利八世宣布开始课征重税之前，一度曾是爱尔兰毎个山野乡林必备的民生工业。爱尔兰威士忌比它优秀的苏格兰后继更早在英格兰地区流行，但因为该地区的经济衰退与重税政策的打击，大部分的爱尔兰蒸馏厂都必须靠不断的合并维持命脉，以致于能存活至今的所剩无几且多数由外国企业把持。

在制作材料上爱尔兰威士忌与它隔邻的苏格兰威士忌差异并不大，一样是用发芽的大麦为原料，使用壶式蒸馏器三次蒸馏，并且依法在橡木桶中陈年三年以上的麦芽威士忌，再加上由未发芽大麦、小麦与裸麦，经连续蒸馏所制造出的谷物威士忌，进一步调合而成。然而爱尔兰式的做法与苏格兰有两个比较关键的差异，第一是爱尔兰威士忌也使用燕麦作为原料，第二是爱尔兰威士忌在制造过程中几乎不会使用泥炭作为烘烤麦芽时的燃料。

除了产量较大的“调和式爱尔兰威士忌”外，也有少量独立装瓶出售的“爱尔兰单一麦芽威士忌”存在。

大部分的爱尔兰威士忌都有其在苏格兰威士忌里面的对等产品，唯一的例外是一种叫“纯壶式蒸馏威士忌”（Pure Pot Still Whiskey）的酒款。这种威士忌同时使用已发芽与未发芽的大麦作为原料，100%在壶式蒸馏器里面制造，相对于苏格兰的纯麦芽威士忌，使用未发芽的大麦做原料带给爱尔兰威士忌较为青涩、辛辣的口感。

纯壶式蒸馏威士忌可以独立装瓶出售，也可以与麦芽威士忌调和，通常调和式的爱尔兰威士忌并不会特别标明其基底是使用谷物威士忌还是纯壶式蒸馏威士忌。

参考文献

Barry, Aoife. Whiskey's going to be bringing a lot of dosh to Ireland over the next 10 years…. TheJournal.ie. 9 April 2014 [27 May 2014]. （原始内容存档于2020-12-21）.
Birdsall, Ben. Whiskey Burn - The Distilleries of Ireland by Vespa. The Netherlands: Wittenborg University Press. 2018. ISBN 978-94-93066-00-7.
Buecheler, Christopher. An Introduction to Irish Whiskey. Primer Magazine. 2013 [27 May 2014]. （原始内容存档于2014-05-27）.
Clarke, Jim. Irish Whiskey Shows Its Independent Side. Starchefs.com. April 2004 [27 May 2014]. （原始内容存档于2014-05-28）.
Cohen, Brad. We're Bringing Whiskey Back. The Atlantic. 22 October 2013 [27 May 2014]. （原始内容存档于2020-12-12）.
Curran, Richard. A re-invigorated Irish whiskey industry is distilling a new golden age. Irish Independent. 19 December 2013 [27 May 2014]. （原始内容存档于2018-11-18）.
Hallock, Betty. 9 Irish whiskeys to try right now. Los Angeles Times. 13 March 2014 [27 May 2014]. （原始内容存档于2020-09-19）.
McDonald, Henry. Irish whiskey industry launches fresh assault on Scotland's dominance. The Guardian. 14 December 2013 [27 May 2014]. （原始内容存档于2020-12-04）.
McFarland, Ben; Sandham, Tom. A beginner's guide to Irish whiskey. The Daily Telegraph (London). 15 Mar 2014 [27 May 2014]. （原始内容存档于2020-12-12）.
McGarry, Jack. The 5 Biggest Irish Whiskey Myths. The Huffington Post. 19 February 2014 [27 May 2014]. （原始内容存档于2017-03-22）.
O'Shea, James. Sales of Irish whiskey in North America up 17.5 percent. IrishCentral website. IrishCentral LLC. 26 February 2014 [27 May 2014]. （原始内容存档于2014-05-26）.
Paskin, Becky. Ireland's new Irish whiskey distilleries. The Spirits Business. Union Press Ltd. 17 March 2014 [27 May 2014]. （原始内容存档于2015-04-24）.
Phelps, David. Twin Cities pub master is taking his Irish whiskey on the road. Star Tribune (Minneapolis). 17 March 2014 [27 May 2014]. （原始内容存档于2015-03-11）.
Ramirez, Mark. Return of the king: Irish whiskey on the rise, aiming to rise above bar-shot status. The Dallas Morning News. 15 March 2014 [27 May 2014]. （原始内容存档于2014-05-27）.
Smyth, Jamie. Irish distillers order a triple as whiskey flows. The Financial Times. 8 September 2013 [27 May 2014]. （原始内容存档于2016-03-07）.
Spain, William. America is awash with Irish whiskey. USA Today. 15 March 2014 [27 May 2014]. （原始内容存档于2020-11-15）.
Toland, Bill. Spirits: Irish whiskey is going 'through the roof'. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 13 March 2014 [27 May 2014]. （原始内容存档于2021-01-18）.
Townsend, Brian. The Lost Distilleries of Ireland. Glasgow: Angels' Share (Neil Wilson Publishing). 1997–1999. ISBN 1897784872.
Viera, Lauren. Irish whiskey's growth spurt. Chicago Tribune. 5 May 2013 [27 May 2014]. （原始内容存档于2014-05-27）.
Wondrich, David. Why you're drinking Irish whiskey all of a sudden. Esquire. January 2014 [27 May 2014]. （原始内容存档于2014-12-22）.
Amber, Kate. Ireland's Whiskey Guide. May 2019 [27 May 2019]. （原始内容存档于2020-12-23）.