distilling

distilling. Whiskey was the most popular drink in Ireland by 1800. In 1700 consumption had been largely confined to those higher up the social scale, but during the 18th century (notably in the last quarter) its appeal became more widespread. Between the 1770s and the 1840s the legal industry became concentrated predominantly in larger distilleries in the major towns. This growth in scale was facilitated by improved technologies, but the main impetus was provided by draconian excise legislation, introduced in 1779–80, which made it impossible for smaller distilleries to operate profitably; the number licensed fell from 1,228 in 1780 to 51 in 1806 and small‐scale illicit distillation flourished. The new legislation suited the larger urbandistillers (notably in Dublin and Cork, where local demand was sufficient to warrant an increase in scale) who were able to expand their markets as smaller distilleries closed. Power's and Jameson of Dublin are good examples of new concerns which were able to consolidate and expand under the new excise regime. By the 1820s, it was recognized that the 1779–80 legislation had been detrimental to both the legal industry and the amount of excise collected. New legislation introduced in 1823 created more favourable conditions. The arrival of Coffey's patent still in 1830 marked the beginning of a new departure; the northern industry's dramatic expansion over the remainder of the 19th century (centred on Belfast and Derry) largely depended on patent still production and blending, which produced a cheaper, lighter whiskey that found a ready sale in the expanding British market. In the south, however, the traditional pot still continued to prevail. The growing export trade enabled the major northern concerns to dominate the Irish industry in the last quarter of the 19th century. However, because of the decline in demand in the British market, much of the Ulster industry had gone out of business by the end of the 1920s. A number of the larger Ulster concerns had merged in 1902, exchanging shares in 1905 with the major player in the British market, Distillers Company Ltd. of Scotland. The Ulster distilleries were taken over and ultimately closed down by DCL. By the end of the 1920s, the Irish industry had experienced significant contraction, and Dublin had once again become the main distilling centre.

Bibliography

Maguire, E. , Irish Whiskey (1973)
Weir, R. , ‘In and Out of Ireland: The Distillers Company Ltd. and the Irish Whiskey Trade 1900–1939’, Irish Economic and Social History, 8 (1980)

Andrew Bielenberg