Peated Irish Whiskey: A Lost Tradition Reignited

For many, peated whiskey is synonymous with Islay and Scotland.

But Ireland has a deep-rooted history of peat-smoked spirits that stretches back centuries. Given that nearly 20% of Ireland is covered in peat bogs, it makes perfect sense that peat would have once played a crucial role in whiskey production, much like it did in Scotland. 

However, while Islay built a global reputation on peated whisky, Irish whiskey took a different path. One that largely abandoned peat smoke.

The Golden Age of Peated Irish Whiskey

In the 18th and 19th centuries, Ireland’s whiskey landscape was divided. In remote areas, illicit distilling thrived, with many producers using turf (Irish peat) fires to dry malt, creating a distinctive smoky flavour. 

Reports from the early 1800s describe peated whiskey as a preference in parts of Ireland, particularly in the north. Poitín makers, who operated outside the law, relied on local resources, hence the deep, smoky spirit that defined Irish illicit whiskey. 

Historical records confirm the prevalence of peated whiskey in Ireland. The Fifth Report of the Commissioners of Enquiry in Ireland (1807) details an astonishing number of illicit stills in places like Inishowen. Nearly every second house had a private distillery. These operations often relied on peat as it was the most readily available fuel. Yet, legal distilling never took hold here like it did on Islay or Campbeltown.

A British Critic article from 1825 further supports this, noting that all illicit spirits in Ireland had the “fine flavour of the peat smoke”. This characteristic was seen as distinct enough to set Irish poitín apart. Even John Jameson acknowledged that some drinkers preferred the smoky taste of poitín to the refined, unpeated whiskey coming out of Dublin.

The Decline of Peat in Irish Whiskey

By the mid-19th century, Ireland’s whiskey industry began shifting away from peat. Large-scale distilleries in cities like Dublin had access to cheaper, more efficient fuel sources such as coal. The introduction of hot air kilns meant that barley could be dried without direct contact with smoke, resulting in a cleaner, smoother whiskey.

Despite this, remnants of peated Irish whiskey persisted. Bushmills was still associated with a smoky profile in the 1850s, and brands like Mehan’s advertised “peat-flavoured malt.” But by the early 20th century, the perception of Irish whiskey had changed. 

Marketing campaigns in the mid-century era reinforced the idea that Irish whiskey was “clean and delicate,” contrasting it with smoky Scotch. A 1970s Jameson ad even proudly declared it was “Scotch without the smoke.”

The legend of Guinness and peat

While economic factors played a key role in the decline of peated Irish whiskey, another theory suggests that Guinness had an influence. As one of the largest consumers of malted barley in Ireland, Guinness required vast quantities of malt for brewing. Some say a batch of peated malt was accidentally delivered. Horrified by the potential impact, Guinness vowed not to work with a maltings that used peat. How true this is, I don’t know. But stories like that abound.

Certainly, the industrialisation of maltings meant that kilns capable of producing peated malt dwindled. This, in turn, reinforced the transition toward non-smoky whiskey. Did Guinness actively discourage peated malt? Or simply benefited from the shift? The result was the same: fewer maltings producing peated barley in Ireland.

While Ireland moved away from peat, Scotland didn’t. Even today, the vast majority of Irish peated whiskey is made with barley peated in Scotland, despite the huge number of peat bogs in Ireland. 

The Peated Irish Whiskey Revival

For decades, peated Irish whiskey was nearly extinct. The last known peated Irish whiskey from Coleraine Distillery appeared in the 1870s. For years, the only widely available peated Irish whiskey was Connemara. But that’s changing.

A new generation of Irish distillers is embracing peat once more. Teeling Blackpitts was a significant release that aided the shift in consumers’ minds in this new landscape. Distilleries like Sliabh Liag, Micil, and Killowen demonstrate both the inclination and the ability to create fine peated Irish whiskey. Bottlers like W.D. O’Connell (no relation) and its Bill Phil Series are also helping to lead the charge, while Midleton was prepared to pick a peated whiskey made in 1974 to be the Very Rare Silent Distillery Chapter 1.  

One of the most ambitious projects comes from Waterford Distillery, which worked for years to create 100% Irish peated whiskey. By partnering with Minch Malt and County Kildare peat suppliers, Waterford has reintroduced the process of using locally sourced Irish peat to dry Irish-grown barley, a first in modern history. The challenges were significant, requiring Scottish expertise to ensure the peat was cut at the right moisture level to produce smoke, not flames. But the result? A return to a flavour lost for over a century. And a reminder that smoke and Ireland aren’t strangers; they’re old friends reconnecting.

Rising from the ashes

With the Irish whiskey renaissance in full swing, it’s only a matter of time before more producers follow suit. For fans of smoky drams, this revival isn’t just about new flavours. It’s about reclaiming a forgotten part of Irish whiskey’s identity. 

There’s no smoke without fire, and peated Irish whiskey is rising from the ashes. 

The post Peated Irish Whiskey: A Lost Tradition Reignited appeared first on Master of Malt blog.