Good Whiskey Comes to Those Who Wait

By J. Herbert Silverman
Special to The Irish American Post

The old adage, "All things come to him who waits" has been fulfilled in recent times with the resurgence of Powers premium Irish whiskey on the American market and a favorite at such Manhattan pubs in the likes of Kennedy's and The Old Stand, as well as elsewhere throughout the country.

Normally that would not be earth-shattering news since Gotham's Irish restaurateur community has survived the disappearance of Paddy Whiskey and Murphy's.

But the reappearance of Powers, to join its siblings, Bushmills and Jameson, after an absence of many years, was a cheery occurrence particularly because the label has one of the most colorful histories in the whiskies bottled by Irish Distillers in its Midleton and Bushmills distilleries.

It was founded by James Power's son John who achieved a kind of immortality in the world of drinking by inventing the "miniature" whiskey bottle and then calling it the "Baby Power." Today, the child they created is as much a part of a contemporary drinking culture as coffee, tea and milk.

The concept of the miniature was simplicity itself. John Power reasoned that Irish women would form a new market for his distillate. 

But custom dictated that women could enter a pub via a "snug" and that had obvious limitations.

He also believed that since Irishmen rarely, if ever, stocked whiskey at home preferring to drink with their cronies in pubs women were being dealt "a bad hand."

By creating the "miniatures," he enabled the countryman with the ability to provide for his wife without being spied upon by the neighbors who could clearly identify a large, obviously visible bottle.

The concept caught on immediately and the rest is history.

By way of background, Irish whiskey has traditionally been a major "cash crop" in Erin.

It was always popular in the United States in both the ethnic and non-Irish community but during Word War II, its exports were reduced to a "trickle." GIs returning from the European theater brought with them an acquired taste for the smokier Scotch, thus establishing what was to become an elitist drinking status symbol in the late 194Os and early 195Os.

By 1966, the leading whiskey families in Ireland, who dominated the field, decided to amalgamate as Irish Distillers Ltd., in order to end financially expensive competition and to join in a mutual fight to regain what they regarded as a fair share of the American market. 

Several years ago, in the world-wide takeover trend of privately-held companies, France's Pernod Ricard acquired the Distillers Group, and ownership passed into foreign hands for the first time in history. 

In the process, Murphy's and Paddy whiskeys disappeared from the U. S. scene, although Paddy is still exported to Canada.

The Irish had an historic French connection, the most illustrious being émigré James Hennessey who established his famous cognac distillery near Bordeaux in the late 18th century. 

The roots of Irish whiskey marketed on a grand scale were planted by a Scottish émigré, John Jameson, who arrived in Dublin to start up a distillery on Bow Street in 178O. That monument to his skills exists to this day. Conceivably, his career was aided by his marriage to one Margaret Haig, a member of the illustrious Scots whisky family.

"Old John" as he was known, created not only a majestic brand but also generations of Jameson's to come with his progeny of 16 children, firmly establishing the family as a shining light of local society. Proof positive is an extensive listing today in the annals of Burke's Irish Family Record, the closest thing there is to a blue book of Irish "nobility."

James Power was not far behind Jameson. He built his coal fires in John's Lane, Dublin, by 1791. Son John, ultimately knighted by Queen Victoria, became Sir John and High Sheriff of Dublin. With infinite energy, he built the renowned Power's Gold Label brand, the most popular spirituous drink eve. And his distillery was the first to bottle its own brew.

The second baronet, Sir James Power, grandson of the founding father had five children. The three boys, all titled, died without issue. 

Two daughters, Frances and Gwendolyn, married respectively an O'Reilly and a Ryan

Today, the presence of the founding Irish Distillers' families have almost Thus two new and very Catholic family names were introduced to the "spirit" hierarchy which had been predominantly Protestant and regally British in orientation completely disappeared from public view as professional managers have been installed by Pernod-Ricard.

John Ryan, a member of the Powers family and a scholar of Irish history remained as public relations director of the group until his recent retirement. On St. Patrick's Day, he continues to be a major spokesman on behalf of the virtues of Irish coffee in America.

Some of the illustrious family alumni bear recognition even though only their names are a reminder of a halcyon past.

Frank O'Reilly is a sixth- generation Powers successor and until a few years ago the most visible prominent whiskey magnifico as the highly respected Irish Distilleries chairman. O'Reilly was the first Catholic to become chairman of the Ulster Bank in Belfast, part of the National Westminster Bank of England and one of the five largest in the world.

In 195O, he married Teresa Williams, daughter of Capt. John Williams, and a member of still another distilling family at Tullamore. His father, D.E. Williams, started his distillery career in true Horatio Alger style as a boy of 15. Under his 6O-year reign, the operation flourished and Tullamore Dew became a household word. Possibly he is best remembered for the acronym of his initials "DEW" which provided that immortal slogan, "Give Every Man His Dew." He was interested in a traditional Irish beverage called heather wine (mead) made from Boyne honey and whiskey. 

The formula had been lost with the defeat of the Irish armies by the forces of King William in the 17h century. That military disaster led to the great exodus to the continent of Irish fighting men known as the "wild geese."

Long after D. E. Williams died (1921), the family was approached by an Austrian refugee with a recipe for a similar liqueur that he said had been in his family for generations. In its infinite wisdom, the plant management purchased the formula in what was to become a succès d'estime - "Irish Mist." The Tullamore Distillery was closed in 1954 and the Tullamore Dew label sold to Irish Distillers. The Williams family later sold the Irish Mist brand to the giant Allied Domecq distilling conglomerate. 

Which reminds this writer of a pub patron in Dublin who said, when I inquired as to whether he liked Irish coffee. "Yes," was the answer, "But only in two installments."
(To discuss good whiskeys, you can reach J. Herbert Silverman at JHSilverman@worldnet.att.net.)