Has an adjective latched onto a half century ago to differentiate the new, lighter, fruitier Irish whiskey blends from their supposedly harsher Scottish counterparts served its purpose? Is it time to relegate "smooth" to the draff heap of history?
Makers of (the now plentiful) complex, nuanced Irish whiskeys would surely rejoice if the dominant players' marketing spend that tends to paint all Irish whiskey with the same light and fruity brush was pulled back, leaving a little space for talk of smoke, of texture, of oil, of richness and complexity.
I interpret and accept "oh that's a really smooth whiskey" as an outward expression of satisfaction, of balance. That everything at that moment for that drinker lined up perfectly. Yet it's not the opposite of harsh - a negative adjective we have surely moved on from - but rather it's a declaration that "I can get behind this whiskey". That "I like it".
And for some of us, what we like is robustness, body, length, a challenge. Rarely are those things "smooth", yet I like them. Am I alone in suggesting the banishment of a word more apt to describe a polished surface or a silk scarf?
We've compared ourselves against our Scottish cousins enough. I think we should lean into the confidence of our spirits to ensure we don't need advertising like this again:
Worth noting
Upcoming Festivals
South East Whiskey Festival returns in February this year in Wexford and Kilkenny with Cork Whiskey Festival moving to a new location for its festival in late March.
Industry news
Proper No. Twelve has announced a new Irish whiskey ahead of St. Patrick's Day. Pernod Ricard announced organic sales dropped by 5.9% in the first half of its fiscal 2026. Redbreast has released a new expression in its Iberian Series with a Moscatel wine finish.
This month inside the circle
Stories & Sips Whiskey Club
We've just announced the dates for all of our virtual events for 2026. You can check the list out here and add to your calendars. Want to get your hands on our exclusive Stories & Sips x Single Grain whiskey from The Liberator? We still have a few cases available here.
Three Drams Irish Whiskey Subscription
Join our live February tasting of our three featured drams this Thursday. We'll be tasting Gift of the Gab Irish whiskey, Clan Colla 9 yr old and a very unusual Maple Aged Single Malt from Garden County Distillery.
Irish Whiskey Experiences
Join us for a private behind the scenes experience at Bushmills Distillery in March. A few places left if you're quick.