BARREL AGED SPIRITS COLLECTION

BARREL-AGED SPIRITS COLLECTION

The Busker _15

EMERALD SPIRIT

A Journey through Irish Whiskey Heritage

vineyards in the cognac region of France led to increased demand for whiskey as an alter native spirit. However, subsequent events hindered its growth, notably the turmoil of the 1916 Irish War of Independence and the ensuing civil war, compounded by trade em bargoes imposed by Britain on Irish exports. The onset of American Prohibition further exacerbated the industry’s woes, cutting off a significant market for Irish whiskey. Adding to the challenges was the emergence of blended whisky in Scotland, a development partly in fluenced by an Irish exciseman named Aene as Coffey, whose invention of a more efficient continuous still revolutionized spirit produc tion. This innovation led to the creation of blended whisky through the mixing of single malt whisky and grain whisky, denting the market share of Irish whiskey. Despite initial resistance from some Irish distillers to adopt Coffey stills, others embraced the technology, temporarily giving Ireland an edge in whiskey production until Scotland caught up by 1847. At Royal Oak, the pinnacle of the Irish Whis key journey is reached within the confines of our French, American and European casks, where a transformative aging process oc curs. Here lies the essence of the Irish craft - a minimum aging requirement of three years, allowing the spirit to mature and acquire depth, complexity, and a subtle oak influence. It represents a harmonious blend of tradition and innovation, where the true spirit of Ire land finds its fullest expression.

Irish Whiskey, deeply rooted in the rich tra ditions of the Emerald Isle, embodies a centu ries-old legacy within the walls of the distillery. Refined through a meticulous triple distilla tion process as well as column distillation, it emerges with a distinctive smoothness and a character that it is said to be lighter than its Scottish counterparts. With a reputation for its harmonious and pleasing taste profile, Irish Whiskey boasts a diverse range of styles, in cluding single malt, single pot still, grain and blended whiskey, each serving as a testament to Ireland’s esteemed distilling heritage. Historical records suggest that whiskey con sumption was widespread in Ireland by the 16th century, with distillation likely dating back even earlier. The Irish take pride in the notion that whiskey production in their coun try predates that of Scotland, with claims by the Irish government asserting its existence as far back as the 6th century, though con crete evidence for this remains elusive. One thing we can say for certain is that the oldest reference to the existence of Whiskey comes from The Red Book Of Ossary and has been dated from 1324. Nonetheless, by the mid-16th century, whiskey had firmly established itself in Irish culture, evident in legislative acts such as the 1556 English parliament’s restriction on unlicensed distillation, reflecting its wide spread consumption throughout Ireland. The fortunes of Irish whiskey experienced a notable upswing in 1872 when the devastation wrought by the Phylloxera Vastatrix louse on

Seated in 42 acres of pastoral landscape, and surrounded by bountiful barley and wheat fields, Royal Oak Distillery is perfectly situated to create The Busker Irish Whiskey. One of the main rivers, the River Barrow, flows by the land and offers the Natural Barrow Aquifer, the largest underground lake in the provence of Leinster, from which we source our water as we produce our whiskey in what is known as Ireland's Ancient East.