What is Poitin?

Poitin, sometimes spelt Poteen, is commonly referred to as Irish Moonshine. This is because, like Moonshine, it is a high alcohol spirit that has associations and history with an illicit alcohol trade.

Its roots however are much older than prohibition style moonsine. It is in fact Ireland's most ancient spirit, even surpassing Irish Whiskey, with records dating back to Irish monks in the 6th century. Despite the monsatic relation, the church and government were against it and so the crackdowns began. As such, it became a secretive, hidden alcohol that was produced rurally and far from the eyes of the law, which is an image that modern producers like to play on. It was only until 1987 that it was made legal again! But even then for just one distiller. It took till 1997 for regulations to fully legalise it for sale, production and consumption.

Traditionally, it is produced with a pot still from grains or potatoes (sometimes even milk). Open turf fires are used to heat the still and a corn flour or oatmeal paste is used to seal the still and avoid ABV loss. There is no formal recipe thanks to the covert nature of its production over time, but these are the starting points. The end result is a clear, unaged spirit with high alcohol and an earthy and fiery character. You'll also find clove and cinnamon spice along with some aniseed.