Paddy Whiskey

Paddy

File:Paddy Whiskey logo.png
Type	Irish whiskey
Manufacturer	Irish Distillers (Pernod Ricard)
Country of origin	Ireland
Introduced	1879, renamed as Paddy in 1912
Proof (US)	80
Related products	Jameson, Powers, Tullamore Dew

Paddy Whiskey is a brand of 80-proof blended Irish whiskey produced in Cork, Ireland, by the company Irish Distillers. It is Ireland's third best selling whiskey.

History

Paddy Whiskey was first produced by the Cork Distilleries Company, two years after being started in 1877, although it was originally known as Cork Distillery Company Old Irish Whiskey.

In 1882, the company hired a young Corkman called Paddy Flaherty as salesman. Flaherty travelled the pubs of Cork, buying drinks for the customers. His sales techniques were so good that his name became synonymous with the whiskey both in Ireland and abroad. In 1912, the distillery officially renamed the whiskey Paddy Irish Whiskey in his honour.

During the 1920s and 1930s in Ireland, whiskey was sold in casks from the distillery to wholesalers, who would in turn sell it on to publicans. Cork Distilleries Company wanted to prevent any fluctuation in whiskey quality due to the bonder underhandedly diluting the casks. Thus, the company became one of the first to bottle their whiskey.

Blending

Paddy whiskey is distilled three times and matured in oak casks for up to seven years. It has a high malt content in its blend compared to other Irish whiskeys; this ensures that Paddy is "one of the softest of all Ireland's whiskeys" (Jim Murray, International Whiskey Connoisseur).

At present

The bottling of Paddy may be observed while touring the Jameson bottling plant in Midleton, County Cork. As with other Irish whiskeys, Paddy has been enjoying export success, which has increased due to availability in the United States as of February 2010.

External links

• Paddy Old Irish Whiskey website
• Irish Distillers on Paddy