Irish Homage Whiskey

You might remember a few years ago when Kings County irritated the Irish Whiskey Association with our perfectly legal “Irish-Style American Whiskey” which the IWA, in a stupor of contorted logic, alleged was somehow confusing as to the geographic origin of the whiskey.  We pushed back on that notion, and you can read about the story here and here. 

But the episode generated some great cultural exchange with Irish distillers, drinkers, and stakeholders on both sides of the ocean. While we continue to maintain our labels were both legal, straightforward, and actually educated and promoted the great tradition of Irish distilling, we understand that we might have phrased our project differently for accuracy and transparency, something we hold dear. 

Now 3 years old, we have a whiskey that fully conforms to the technical file for Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey, with one important exception—it’s made in Brooklyn. Our latest release (of the same whiskey, just an older iteration) is made from malted and unmalted barley, is triple distilled, and is aged for 3 years in used cooperage. Rather than an “Irish-Style” we’ll call it an “homage to Irish distilling tradition” and leave it there. We’ll accept the shorthand if you forget. 

It’s important to us because there is a great forgotten story of Irish distillers in America, and especially in New York City, where our distillers came to expand their trade while maintaining culture and traditions from the old country. This cultural exchange is something woven into the fabric of our city as New Yorkers and something we aim to honor, regardless of what any trade organization has to say on the topic, and one we’ll assert our right to make legally within the rules of our government.