Moonshine basks in the spotlight
By Susy Atkins
IN MARCH 1997, the Irish clear spirit poitºn (pronounced "potcheen") was quietly legalised. Irish moonshine (aka mountain dew, or "a drop of the cratur") fell foul of the law in 1661, when the Crown levied taxes against it, which effectively sent it underground. Now it is back in both Irish and UK bars - strictly under licence, of course.
Poitºn production has come down the centuries, with fathers handing their distilling skills down to their sons.
The spirit varied enormously in character and quality. Although the finest grain poitºn has some appeal - a warm, sweet aroma and a dry, peppery kick - bad poitºn (made from potatoes, fruit, or anything else the distiller can lay his hands on) can be very rough stuff, and adulterated or incorrectly made spirit is downright dangerous.
But in the mid-1980s Oliver Dillon, a Limerick-born engineer, was determined to produce sound, legal poitºn as part of an entrepreneurial scheme to make traditional Irish drinks for the tourist industry. Dillon lobbied the Irish Revenue Commissioners until they let him produce a clear grain spirit, Bunratty Potcheen. He says: "I went back again and again with figures and market research, and eventually they said yes."
With a proviso. At first, Dillon's poitºn was for the export market only, leading to the bizarre scenario whereby you could buy a bottle in Japan, but not in Dublin. Last March the law was finally relaxed, and the by-then small group of licensed poitºn-makers finally started to sell their spirits in the Republic as well as outside it.
United Distillers responded by bringing out Hackler Poitºn. This is a sweetish, vanilla-flavoured spirit, whereas the Bunratty Potcheen has a peppery, herbal note. Both are 40% proof, mild compared with the strength of some illicit poitºns - up to 80%.
A handful of commercial poitºns are now on sale in Irish theme pubs in the UK, as well as on the shelves in Waitrose. Even Fortnum & Mason has been known to stock the previously disreputable spirit.
Dillon recommends making hot toddies with it - add hot water, lemon, honey or sugar and a couple of cloves - or use it in place of whiskey in Irish coffees. Otherwise, serve poitºn on the rocks or in neat shots.
Poitºn is an acquired taste and unlikely to become a mass-market drink. But while all things Irish and "heritage" remain so resolutely fashionable, it will be a welcome sight on the shelves.
One doubt remains - it was poitºn's illegal status that gave it a glamorous image in the past. The commercial version may be safer and less fiery, but it has certainly lost that whiff of danger now it's on an optic. n
Suppliers: Bunratty Potcheen - Pondicherry International, 0113-237 0605. Hackler's Poitºn - United Distillers, 01738 621111.
