 Bottles of legally produced poitín | |
| Type | Distilled beverage |
|---|---|
| Origin | Ireland |
| Alcohol by volume | variable, 40–90% |
| Proof (US) | variable, 80°–180° |
| Colour | Generally colourless with "rested" versions taking on some cask colour |
| Flavour | burning, grainy, oily,toffee[1] |
| Ingredients | oats,barley both malted and unmalted,wheat,yeast, water (optional:whey,sugar beet,molasses,sugar,potatoes) |
| Related products | potato vodka,Irish whiskey |
Poitín (Irish pronunciation:[ˈpˠʊtʲiːnʲ]), anglicized aspoteen (/pəˈt(ʃ)iːn,pɒˈtiːn/) orpotcheen, is a traditionalIrishdistilled beverage (40–90%ABV).[2] Former common names for Poitín were "Irish moonshine" and "mountain dew".[3] It was traditionally distilled in a smallpot still, and the term is adiminutive of theIrish wordpota, meaning 'pot'. In accordance with the Irish Poteen/Irish Poitín technical file, it can be made only from cereals, grain, whey, sugar beet, molasses and potatoes.[4]
At the parliament atDrogheda in 1556, a requirement for a licence to distill spirits was introduced.[5][6]
Today in Ireland, there are a number of commercially produced spirits labelled as poitín, poteen, or potcheen. In 2008, Irish poitín was accorded (GI)Geographical Indicative Status by theEUCouncil andParliament.[7]
In 2015, in consultation with producers and stakeholders, the Irish Government adopted the Geographical Indication technical file for poitín, outlining the production methods that must be used in order for a spirit to be called Irish Poitín. Topics covered included allowable base materials, distillation method, use of flavourings/infusions, and limited storage in casks.[4]
However, the notion of "legal poitín" has been viewed as anoxymoron by some; poteen is illegal and can't be sold."[8]
Poitín was also produced in the growingIrish diaspora in the 19th century, particularly in any of the New York City neighbourhoods dubbed "Irishtown".[9]
Poitín was generally produced in remote rural areas, away from the interference of the law. A mash was created and fermented before thedistillation began. Stills were often set up on land boundaries so that the issue of ownership could be disputed. Before the introduction of bottled gas, the fire to heat the mash was provided byturf. Smoke was a giveaway for the police, so windy, broken weather was chosen to disperse the smoke. The still was heated and attended to for several days to allow the runs to go through.
The old style of poitín distilling was from amalted barley base for the mash, the same assingle malt whiskey orpure pot still whiskey distilled in Ireland. The wordpoitín stems from the Irish word "pota" for pot; this refers to the small copper pot still used by poitín distillers.[10]
Because poitín was covertly home-distilled for centuries, there is no formal recipe for it.[11]
In more recent times, some distillers deviated from using malted barley as a base of the mash bill due to the cost and availability, instead switching to using treacle, corn, and potatoes. It is believed this switch led to the deteriorating quality and character of poitín in the late 20th century.[12][unreliable source?]
The quality of poitín was highly variable, depending on the skill of the distiller and the quality of their equipment. Reputations were built on the quality of the distiller's poitín, and many families became known for their distilling expertise, whereas a bad batch could put a distiller out of business overnight.[12][13] It has been claimed that the drink can cause blindness,[14] this can be due to bad distillation practices or tomethanol adulteration.[15]
Poitín is now produced by several poitín makers includingBán,Baoilleach,Blackwater,Killowen,Mad March Hare,Micil,Mourne Dew,Shortcross,Smuggling Nun, andTipperary.
Poitín is celebrated at an annual event,Poitín Now, inDublin each year.
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Poitín is atrope inIrish poetry and prose of the nineteenth century. The Irish critic Sinéad Sturgeon has demonstrated how the illegality of the substance became a crucial theme running through the writings ofMaria Edgeworth andWilliam Carleton.[16] Many characters in the work of contemporary Irish playwrightMartin McDonagh consume or refer to poitín, most notably the brothers inThe Lonesome West. In theSaga of Darren Shan bookThe Lake of Souls, the character Spits Abrams brews his own poitín. InFrank McCourt's book'Tis, he recalls his mother, Angela, telling him that when his brotherMalachy visited her inLimerick, he obtained poitín in the countryside and drank it with her.
Sometraditional Irish folk songs, such asThe Hills of Connemara andThe Rare Old Mountain Dew, deal with the subject of poitín. The folk song "Tinkers' Potcheen" by Seamus Moore recounts the way in which the practice of producing poitín is passed down through families. The persecution of the poitín maker by theRoyal Irish Constabulary in 1880s Cavan is treated inThe Hackler from Grouse Hall and its reply,The Sergent's Lamentation. In the first song, an overzealous sergeant pursued an aging hackler with a fondness for poitín.[17][verification needed]
The 1959 filmDarby O'Gill and the Little People features Darby splitting a jug of poitín with the King of the leprechauns as the two engage in a drinking game.
Poitín was the titular subject matter of the 1978 filmPoitín, which was the first feature film entirely inIrish.
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