LUPEC: THE BLACKTHORN

They say Irish whiskey is the fastest growing spirits category in the U.S. these days, which is great news. The spirit sure has seen its share of dark days.

No one knows the full story, but Celtic monks are the likely fathers of Irish whiskey.

Whiskey-making was popular enough among innkeepers and laypersons to require a license by 1556. By the mid-17^th century, the King was also charging duties based on quantity.

The vibrant aqua vitae business took a major blow when the Act of 1779 taxed Irish whiskey-makers by the still. One quarter of legal distilleries closed or went underground owing to this tax. Their remaining distilleries’ solution? Build bigger stills.

Then there was a famine, a major blow to the amount of Irish grain available for distilling. Then a World War, then a war with England and trade embargoes on all Irish goods, closing off the British export market. Then American Prohibition came, cutting off another important market across the Great Pond. During World War II, the Irish government closed distillation down completely.

But these days, Irish luck seems to be working for whiskey makers once again. The spirit is popular with younger drinkers and because of its smooth flavor and mixability, is allegedly a big hit with ladies.

Of course, we LUPEC ladies have always been fans, especially when sampled in one of these, a classic from the Waldorf-Astoria circa 1910 introduced to us by David Wondrich.

THE BLACKTHORN
1 oz Irish whiskey
1 oz dry vermouth
3 dashes Absinthe
3 dashes Angostura bitters

Stir ingredients with ice in a mixing glass. Strain into a chilled vintage cocktail glass.

CIN-CIN!

FOR MORE GREAT RECIPIES, VISIT LUPECBOSTON.COM

COCKTAIL PARTY!

Cocktail Historian Kate Moore sets her sights on the future of tippling with the return of experimental sampling session Top Shelf, every Friday at L’Espalier, offering up taste tests of next season’s sips.

[Fri 10.14.11 774 Boylston St., Boston. 617.262.3023. 5pm-6pm/21+/$25. @LESPALIER. lespalier.com/events/topshelf]