DEDICATION TO INNOVATION

By Michael Tulipan

POWERS DISTILLERY SHOWS A TIME-HONORED WILLINGNESS TO CHALLENGE THE OLD AND EXPERIMENT WITH THE NEW

POWERS IRISH WHISKEY honors two centuries of heritage through a dedication to rigorous craftsmanship and continued evolution of its offerings. With the newest launch, Ireland’s first 100% rye whiskey, the distillery once again shows it is far from resting on its laurels.

Powers may have been the ultimate side hustle in 1791 when Dublin innkeeper James Power moved from distilling his own whiskey to opening a distillery in the city. Later, in 1886, John Powers & Son was the first of the Dublin distilleries to bottle its own whiskey, its gold label a sign of guaranteed quality. Just seven years later, the brand debuted at the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago, making an unforgettable impression with a tower of Powers bottles in tribute to the O’Connell Monument in Dublin. Another fun historical fact: Powers was the whiskey first used to create the classic Irish Coffee in 1943.

The Powers range features three core bottlings, the classic blended gold label and two single pot still expressions—Powers Three Swallow Release and Powers John’s Lane Release 12-YearOld. A bottle redesign in 2019 allows consumers to identify each quickly. Red in the gold label pays homage to the original Powers red diamond marque, the blue of the Three Swallows nods to the bird’s feathers, and the John’s Lane uses metallic ink to reflect the distillery’s industrial innovation.

Showcasing the company’s continued dedication to innovation, they have just released Powers Irish Rye, the world’s first 100% Irish rye whiskey. Powers Distiller Eric Ryan proclaims that this new whiskey is poised to “shake up the popular rye whiskey category.”

Made with 100% rye, the new release features malted rye in the mash bill, allowing more of the grain’s characteristic spiciness to come through in the final spirit. A doubling of the usual fermentation time compared to their other whiskeys allows more fruity notes to emerge and balance the spice. Most crucial was the oak chosen for aging. “We experimented with many cask types for maturation,” says Ryan, “including European oak, before settling on four varieties of American oak casks to best achieve that sweet oak character so loved by whiskey drinkers throughout the world.” For the label, the team

“LAUNCHING THE WORLD’S FIRST 100% IRISH RYE WHISKEY WILL APPEAL TO EXISTING FANS AND WILL CAPTURE THE ATTENTION OF NEW CUSTOMERS WITH A KEEN INTEREST IN THE POPULAR RYE WHISKEY CATEGORY,”

-Eric Ryan

chose green to celebrate Irish heritage.

In creating the new rye, Ryan points to the dynamic, innovative history of the company, citing Carol Quinn, Archivist at Irish Distillers. “Throughout the history of the famous Powers John’s Lane Distillery, there was a willingness to challenge the old ways of doing things and experiment with new ideas,” says Quinn. “This has fed very much into the DNA of Powers Irish Rye today, both in the use of rye and in the method of distillation.” This modern way of thinking has led to many advances through the years, including industry-leading improved working conditions, housing for workers, and even allowing them to tend a rooftop garden at the distillery.

Bartenders will appreciate the mixability of the new rye. “Launching the world’s first 100% Irish rye whiskey will appeal to existing fans and will capture the attention of new customers with a keen interest in the popular rye whiskey category,” says Ryan. Try using it in a classic cocktail like the Manhattan. Sláinte!