Irish Mist

Last updated
Irish Mist
Type Liqueur
Distributor Heaven Hill Distilleries
Country of origin  Ireland
Introduced1947
Alcohol by volume  35%
Proof (US) 70°
ColourDeep golden red
FlavourIrish whiskey with honey and complex spice notes
Ingredients Irish whiskey, honey, herbs
Website www.irishmist.com

Irish Mist is an Irish whiskey-based liqueur produced in Tullamore, Ireland, by the Irish Mist Liqueur Company Ltd. In September 2010 it was announced that the brand was being bought by Gruppo Campari [1] from William Grant, only a few months after Grants had bought it from the C&C Group. [2] It was then sold to Heaven Hill in 2017. [3] It is made from aged Irish whiskey, heather and clover honey, aromatic herbs, and other spirits, blended to an ancient recipe claimed to be 1,000 years old. [4] Though it was once 40% alcohol per volume (or 80 US proof), Irish Mist is now 35% (70 US proof). The bottle shape has also been changed from a "decanter" style to a more traditional whiskey bottle shape. [5] It is currently available in more than 40 countries. [6]

Contents

History

Irish Mist was the first liqueur to be produced in Ireland when commercial production began in 1947 at Tullamore, County Offaly. Tullamore is the hometown of the Williams family who were the original owners of Irish Mist. The company history goes back to 1829 when the Tullamore Distillery was founded to produce Irish whiskey. In the mid-1940s Desmond E. Williams began the search for an alternative yet related product, eventually deciding to produce a liqueur based on the ancient beverage known as heather wine.[ citation needed ]

In 1985 the Cantrell & Cochrane Group purchased the Irish Mist Liqueur Company from the Williams family. In the summer of 2010 Irish Mist and the entire spirit division of C&C was bought by William Grant of Scotland. In September 2010 they in turn sold Irish Mist to Gruppo Campari. [7] In 2017, the brand was sold to Heaven Hill. [3]

Recipes

Irish Mist is typically served straight up or on ice, but also goes with coffee, vodka, or cranberry juice. Per the makers, Irish Mist's most popular recipe is Irish Mist with Cola and Lime. [8] A Rusty Mist is an ounce of Irish Mist with an ounce of Drambuie Scotch whisky liqueur. [9]

A Black Nail is made from equal parts Irish Mist and Irish whiskey. [10]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Irish whiskey</span> Popular spirit made in Ireland

Irish whiskey is whiskey made on the island of Ireland. The word 'whiskey' comes from the Irish uisce beatha, meaning water of life. Irish whiskey was once the most popular spirit in the world, though a long period of decline from the late 19th century onwards greatly damaged the industry, so much so that although Ireland boasted at least 28 distilleries in the 1890s, by 1966 this number had fallen to just two, and by 1972 the remaining distilleries, Bushmills Distillery and Old Midleton Distillery, were owned by just one company, Irish Distillers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diageo</span> Multinational alcoholic beverages company

Diageo plc is a British multinational alcoholic beverage company, with its headquarters in London, England. It operates from 132 sites around the world. It is a major distributor of Scotch whisky and other spirits. Distilleries owned by Diageo produce 40 percent of all Scotch whisky with over 24 brands, such as Johnnie Walker, J&B and Old Parr.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glenfiddich distillery</span> Scotch whisky distillery

Glenfiddich distillery is a Speyside single malt Scotch whisky distillery located in the Scottish burgh of Dufftown in Moray. Is owned by William Grant & Sons. The name Glenfiddich derives from the Scottish Gaelic Gleann Fhiodhaich meaning "valley of the deer", which is reflected in Glenfiddich's stag logo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frangelico</span> Hazelnut liqueur

Frangelico is a brand of hazelnut and herb–flavored liqueur coloured with caramel coloring, which is produced in Canale, Italy. It is 20% alcohol by volume (ABV) or 40 proof. Formerly, it was 24% ABV or 48 proof. When produced by the Barbaro family it was bottled at 28% ABV or 56 proof. The brand was created in 1978. It is known for its unusual packaging; its bottle was designed to look like a Christian friar, complete with a knotted white cord around the waist. It is commonly sold in two sizes: 750 ml and 375 ml.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Grant & Sons</span> Scottish alcohol distillery

William Grant & Sons Ltd is an independent, family-owned Scottish company that distills Scotch whisky and other selected categories of spirits. It was established in 1887 by William Grant, and is run by Grant's descendants as of 2018. It is the largest of the handful of Scotch whisky distillers remaining in family ownership.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Drambuie</span> Sweet, golden coloured liqueur made from Scotch whisky

Drambuie is a golden-coloured, 40% ABV liqueur made from Scotch whisky, heather honey, herbs and spices. The brand was owned by the MacKinnon family for 100 years, and was bought by William Grant & Sons in 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brown–Forman</span> American-owned spirit and wine producer and distributor

Brown–Forman Corporation is an American-based company, one of the largest in the spirits and wine business. Based in Louisville, Kentucky, it manufactures several very well known brands throughout the world, including Jack Daniel's, Old Forester, Woodford Reserve, GlenDronach, BenRiach, Glenglassaugh, Herradura, Korbel, and Chambord. Brown–Forman formerly owned Southern Comfort and Tuaca before selling them off in 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liqueur coffee</span> Coffee-based cocktail

A liqueur coffee is a caffeinated alcoholic drink that consists of a shot of liqueur, mixed with coffee. It is typically served in a liqueur glass, often accompanied with cream and sugar. Coffee liqueur beverages are served in different fashions and can be found throughout many countries. One of the most popular liqueur coffee beverage is commonly known as Irish coffee. Liqueur coffee beverages are largely classified as cocktails as well as digestifs which are aimed at aiding the digestive process typically after a meal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glen Grant distillery</span> Whisky distillery in Moray, Scotland, UK

Glen Grant distillery was founded in 1840 in Rothes, Speyside, and produces single malt Scotch whisky.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rusty nail (cocktail)</span> Cocktail mixing Drambuie and Scotch whisky

A rusty nail is a cocktail made by mixing Scotch whisky with Drambuie in a 1:1 to 2:1 ratio. A rusty nail is most commonly served on the rocks in an old-fashioned glass, although it can also be served "up" in a stemmed glass. Its origin goes back to the 1937 British Industries Fair, but it did not become popular until the 1950s endorsement by New York's 21 Club and its recognition by popular culture as the go-to cocktail of the Rat Pack a decade later.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carolans</span> Liqueur based on Irish whiskey

Carolans Irish Cream is a liqueur made from a mixture of cream, Irish spirits, Irish whiskey and honey. It has a declared alcohol content of 17%, or 14.5% alcohol by volume. The liqueur is made by First Ireland Spirits in Abbeyleix, Co. Laois, in the Republic of Ireland.

Davide Campari-Milano N.V., trading as Campari Group, is an Italian company active since 1860 in the branded beverage industry. It produces spirits, wines, and non-alcoholic apéritifs. From its signature product, Campari, its portfolio has been extended to include over 50 brands, including Aperol, Appleton, Cinzano, SKYY vodka, Espolón, Wild Turkey, Grand Marnier, and Forty Creek whisky.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bobby Burns (drink)</span> Whiskey cocktail

The Bobby Burns is a whisky cocktail composed of scotch, vermouth and Bénédictine liqueur. It is served in a 4.5 US fl oz cocktail glass.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sazerac Company</span> Alcoholic drinks company based in New Orleans, US

Sazerac Company, Inc. is a privately held American alcoholic beverage company headquartered in Metairie in the metropolitan area of New Orleans, Louisiana, but with its principal office in Louisville, Kentucky. The company is owned by billionaire William Goldring and his family. As of 2017, it operated nine distilleries, had 2,000 employees, and operated in 112 countries. It is one of the two largest spirits companies in the United States, with annual revenue of about $1 billion made from selling about 300 beverage brands.

Suntory Global Spirits, formerly known as Beam Suntory, Inc., is the American subsidiary of the Japanese beverage company Suntory. The company produces alcoholic beverages.

The Old Tullamore Distillery was an Irish whiskey distillery which was established in Tullamore, County Offaly, Ireland, in 1829. The original home of Tullamore Dew Irish whiskey, the distillery closed in 1954, having endured financial difficulties for many years, like many Irish whiskey distilleries of the early 20th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whiskey cocktail</span> Variety of cocktails made with whiskey

A whiskey cocktail is a cocktail that includes whiskey. Although whiskey is often served neat or on the rocks, it is used in many classic cocktails such as the Old Fashioned, Manhattan, and Julep. Some specifically call for Scotch whisky or bourbon whiskey.

References

  1. "FX Centre Home Page". Fxcentre.com. Archived from the original on 14 April 2015. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
  2. "C&C Website". Candcgroupplc.com. Archived from the original on 5 November 2008. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
  3. 1 2 "Heaven Hill Brands to Acquire Carolan's Irish Cream Liqueur, Irish Mist Liqueur" . Retrieved November 18, 2024.
  4. "Irish Mist - About Us". Irishmist.com. Archived from the original on 3 February 2010. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
  5. "Irish Mist® herbal liqueur information". Drinksmixer.com. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
  6. "Irish Mist - Where in the World". Irishmist.com. Archived from the original on 9 February 2010. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
  7. "William Grant to sell Irish Mist". The Irish Times . 2010-09-09. Archived from the original on 2012-10-22. Retrieved 2010-09-16.
  8. "Irish Mist Drink Recipes | Irish Mist, the Original Irish Whiskey Liqueur". Archived from the original on 2009-06-29. Retrieved 2009-11-20.
  9. "Drambuie® Scotch whisky information". Drinksmixer.com. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
  10. "The Black Nail". About.com. Archived from the original on 2008-04-04. Retrieved 2008-10-08.