The Alcohol Beverage Federation of Ireland (ABFI) has welcomed the opening of Dublin’s newest cocktail bar “Bar 1661”, which will place a major emphasis on Irish spirits, particularly Poitín.
Ahead of the bar’s opening tomorrow, the ABFI said that Poitín will continue to build into a mainstream drinks category in 2019.
Initially illegal in Ireland from 1661 until 1997, Poitín, now granted Geographical Indicative Status by the EU, is now protected in a similar manner to Champagne in France or Parma hams in Italy.
Resurgence
“The launch of Bar 1661, first as a pop-up, and now as a permanent venue, is a positive development showcasing not only Poitín, but other great home-grown spirits,” Vincent McGovern, Head of the Irish Spirits Association, a category association within the ABFI, said.
“Poitín forms an important part of Ireland’s rich heritage of spirit making and is a category we want people to reconnect with. It has a unique taste profile and is a perfect component for cocktail-making as Dave and Bar 1661 will show.
“We have also seen increasing evidence that Poitín is becoming more popular among mixologists as a cocktail component internationally in London, Paris, and other cities.”
Dave Mulligan, the founder of Bar 1661, said that the bar aims to lead Ireland’s premier cocktail community.
“By promoting uniquely Irish statements of origin it pays homage to all of Ireland's native drinks, especially Poitín, writing its own chapter in the colourful story of Ireland’s notorious spirit, first banned in 1661,” he said.
© 2019 Checkout – your source for the latest Irish retail news. Article by Aidan O’Sullivan. Click sign-up to subscribe to Checkout.
