However, despite new brands entering the market, Jameson remains the best-selling Irish whiskey in the world. Tullamore Dew ranks second (based on sales volume), leapfrogging Bushmills, while MMA fighter Conor McGregor’s Proper No. Twelve has risen to fourth, even over other more familiar brands, such as Kilbeggan, Powers, Teeling, Redbreast and The Dubliner.

Ireland’s producers are anticipating 6.3% annual worldwide growth until 2023 (according to IWSR drinks market analysis), compared to Scotch whisky’s annual forecasted growth of only 1.6%. Irish whiskey’s popularity is also almost doubling the Facebook-driven demand for U.S. bourbon (at 3.9% growth). With only a 2% share of the world whisky market, Ireland is well-suited for its huge potential for growth.

Irish whiskey’s easy-drinking style is derived from its production. Most Irish pot still whiskey is distilled three times, while most (but not all) Scotch whisky, is distilled twice. Peat is rarely used in the malting process, meaning Irish whiskey has a smoother finish as opposed to the smoky, earthy overtones common to notably Islay-area scotches. The notable exception is with Connemara Peated Irish Malt (double distilled) whiskey from the Cooley Distillery. 

The whiskey-making process (covering the four main types of permitted Irish whiskey styles) is strictly regulated. Key laws defining Irish whiskey and its production were established by the Irish Whiskey Act of 1980 and are relatively simple compared to those for Scotch and Bourbon: 

• The spirit must be distilled and aged in Ireland. 

• It must be distilled to an alcohol-by-volume level of less than 94.8% from a yeast-fermented mash of cereal grains in such a way that the distillate has an aroma and flavour derived from the materials used. 

• The product must be aged for at least three years in wooden casks. 

• If the spirits comprise a blend of two or more such distillates, the product is referred to as a “blended” Irish whiskey. 

As with other whiskies, the distilled product is initially clear and only attains its golden colour after being aged in one of a variety of wooden barrels (such as bourbon, sherry or port casks). The longer the aging, the darker the colour typically gets. 

Several types of whiskey are common to Ireland, including those referred to as single pot still, single malt, single grain, and blended. The Irish Whiskey Act of 1980 does not actually contain a definition of the terms “single malt Irish whiskey” or “single grain” so the exact definitions between these terms may vary substantially between producers.