For St Patrick's Day, how about a wee poití* ?

A heady collection of brands of poitíns on offer in Ireland - just the ticket for a kick on St Patrick’s Day.

A heady collection of brands of poitíns on offer in Ireland - just the ticket for a kick on St Patrick’s Day.

Published Mar 16, 2017

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WITH St Patrick’s Day fast approaching, the inevitable onslaught of green face paint, Guinness hats and shamrock bunting, is already beginning. So maybe it’s time to toast the occasion with something a little different but very uniquely Irish.

If you’ve never heard of poití* before, you’re not alone. Also known as poteen (and pronounced potcheen - got all that?), this clear spirit has been called the Irish moonshine, was once illegal and boasts an ABV of anywhere between 40 per cent and 90 per cent. In short, it’s got a pretty colourful history.

Somewhat notorious for its potency, poití* production was illegal from 1661 to 1997 due to excise regulations. However, already distilled for centuries across Ireland by small producers who used the ingredients they had to hand, that did nothing to stop its production. Pushed into the underground, and with no official controls on production, the spirit somewhat passed into folklore, garnering both an illicit romanticism and a formidable reputation for blowing your socks off.

However, this characterful tipple is now beginning to establish itself as something a little more premium and as a credible cocktail ingredient to boot. There’s those that will scoff at such a notion but perhaps no one knows more about its “revival” than Ciaran Ó Dubhthaigh who has steadily been adding more and more poitíns to his menu at the Sun Tavern in London’s Bethnal Green, since opening in 2014. The pub also runs tutored tastings.

“I think people are starting to appreciate it as a craft thing, and not just something that gets you * ****d,” he says. “A good poití* should have a kick, it should have that heat, but there should be more to it. It’s important that it tastes of what it’s made of.”

So, what’s that? Technically, what is a poití* ? Per its Geographical Indication (which was awarded just a year ago), a poití* is a clear, non-aged spirit produced in Ireland or Northern Ireland, and traditionally brewed, fermented and distilled from cereals, grain, whey, sugar beet molasses or potatoes. And it must be a minimum of 40 per cent ABV.

Varying combinations of these ingredients mean there are a vast array of flavour profiles in the finished spirit, from earthy, savoury notes, to a fresh grassiness, sweetness, and sometimes, a little smoke.

“That’s what makes it so good for mixing,” says Ó Dubhthaigh. “The alcohol gives it a nice presence, and it doesn’t get lost in the drink. We’ve used it a lot in Tiki drinks.

"It can handle citrus or you can use it in place of rum or gin to give the classics another dimension, such as a White Negroni. As they’re all made from a different mash and have a different ABV, the brand you choose means you’ll get a very different drink at the end with each one.” Of course, sipping neat is another option.

While there are a number of excellent poitíns being produced that are only available locally, pictured (left) are some of the best of those available more widely that offer both a decent kick, with a balance of flavour. - Independent

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