Market Watch, September 2018

64 MARKET WATCH MARKETWATCHMAG COM SEPTEMBER 2018based single pot still whiskies are made with a mixed mash of malted and unmalted barley This imparts a spicier more peppery flavor to the whiskey which is a style unique to Ireland At Walsh Whiskey in County Carlow Ireland commercial director John Kelly sees great opportunity for the style Single pot still is a fantastic opportunity for Irish whiskey to really put itself out there as a category and differentiate it from say Scotch whisky he says This type of whiskey can create a conversation about the cate gory and about what sets it apart Walsh Whiskey produces two sepa rate labels including The Irishman which is geared toward the connois seur class and includes such expressions as Founders Reserve 30 a 750 ml a combination of 70 single malt and 30 single pot still whiskey and a 12 year old single malt 75 Meanwhile Walshs Writers Tears label features offerings like Copper Pot 40 which is likewise made with pot still and single malt whiskey but aimed at a younger demographic New to the U S market this year is Dingle Distillery which currently produces a single malt expression but has plans to introduce a single pot still whiskey in the near future Pot still is a distinct style in Irish whiskey says Elliot Hughes partner at the distillery and son of late founder Oliver Hughes The mix of malted and unmalted barley gives the liquid a much more viscous feel its my favorite style and one that I believe we can get across to the Amer ican public especially given its value within the community of Irish whiskey distillers Master distiller Michael Walsh adds that while the number of single pot still whiskey producers in Ireland has grown theres plenty of space for more Theres still a gap in the market for this amazing style of whis key he says Weve now doubled the number of distilleries producing single pot still but theres room for many many more Pernod Ricards Irish Distillers unit is also active in the single pot still segment with several brands including Redbreast Green Spot Yellow Spot Midleton and Powers While Redbreast and Green Spot rose by 65 to 27000 cases and 9 to 7000 cases respectively in 2017 Powers saw declines of 58 to 25000 cases We regard single pot still as the quintessential style of Irish whiskey says Redbreast senior brand manager Sinead Gilbert Its charac terized by full complex flavors and a wonderful creamy mouth feel She adds that Redbreasts growth has recently been bolstered by such innovations as Lustau Edition 69 a 750 ml which is initially matured in ex Bourbon and Oloroso Sherry casks then finished for one year in Sherry butts from Bodegas Lustau Last year the Irish Distillers unit invested 11 million in its Midleton Distillery in County Cork Ireland installing three new copper pot stills and aiming to grow the facilitys single pot still capacity by more than 30 Focus On EducationWith all the new styles and experimental cask finishes emerging from the Irish whiskey category consumer focused education San Franciscos Cask interior pictured top spirits display above stocks around 20 Irish whiskies at a time The retailer specializes in craft labels and hard to find expressions