Powers (whiskey)
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| Type | Irish whiskey |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Irish Distillers (Pernod Ricard) |
| Country of origin | Ireland |
| Introduced | 1791 |
| Proof (US) | 80-92 |
| Variants | Powers 12 year old reserve, Powers Three Swallow, Powers Signature Release, Powers John's Lane Release |
| Related products | Paddy, Jameson |
Powers is a brand of Irish whiskey. Historically a single pot still whiskey, the flagship Powers Gold Label brand was reformulated as a blend of triple-distilled pot still and grain whiskeys during the twentieth century. However, in recent years, several single pot still variants have been relaunched under the Powers label.
Historically, Powers Gold Label was the best selling whiskey in Ireland, and as of 2006 still is.
In 1791 James Power, an innkeeper from Dublin, established a small distillery at his public house at 109 Thomas St., Dublin. The distillery, which had an output of about 6,000 gallons in its first year of operation, initially traded as James Power and Son, but by 1822 had become John Power & Son, and had moved to a new premises at John's Lane, a side street off Thomas Street. At the time the distillery had three pot stills, though only one, a 500-gallon still is thought to have been in use.
Following reform of the distilling laws in 1823, the distillery expanded rapidly. In 1827, production was reported at 160,270 gallons, and by 1833 had grown to 300,000 gallons per annum.
As the distillery grew, so too did the stature of the family. In 1841, John Power, grandson of the founder was awarded a baronet, a hereditary title. In 1855, his son Sir James Power, laid the foundation stone for the O'Connell Monument, and in 1859 became High Sheriff of Dublin.
In 1871, the distillery was expanded and rebuilt in the Victorian style, becoming one of the most impressive sights in Dublin. After expansion, output at the distillery rose to 700,000 gallons per annum, and by the 1880s, had reached about 900,000 gallons per annum, at which point the distillery covered over six acres of central Dublin, and had a staff of about 300 people.
During this period, when the Dublin whiskey distilleries were amongst the largest in the world, the family run firms of John Powers, along with John Jameson, William Jameson, and George Roe, (collectively known as the "Big Four") came to dominate the Irish distilling landscape, introducing several innovations. In 1886, John Power & Son began bottling their own whiskey, rather than following the practice customary at the time, of selling whiskey directly to merchants and bonders who would bottle it themselves. They were the first Dublin distillery to do so, and one of the first in the world. A gold label adorned each bottle and it was from these that the whiskey got the name Powers Gold Label.
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Wikipedia