Micil Irish Poitín has been produced for over 150 years by five generations, yet it has only been produced legally since 2016! Distilled in the heart of Galway City, this Poitín is the one of the latest additions to the ever expanding world of Irish craft spirits. Poitín is a traditional Irish spirit distilled in small pot stills, (pota, the Irish word for pot, and ín, meaning small). It has been produced illegally in Ireland for centuries.
Made of malted Irish barley, expertly blended with other Irish grains, this Poitín is deceptively smooth. It has an initially sweet, honey-like taste that’s carefully juxtaposed against extracts of the natural botanical ‘bogbean’. This adds an earthy quality to the spirit that’s difficult to escape. A cousin of the water-lily, bogbean grows in the wild region of Connemara on Ireland’s west coast. It has been a trademark of Micil since its inception.
Perfect for cocktails, or to be enjoyed on its own (maybe over an ice cube or two). Poitín is a great way to explore the history of Irish spirits. It provides us with an idea of what whiskey can taste like before it has been aged in a cask!
“Pledged a Rebel” – Micil Irish Poitín Cocktail
In the well-known Liquor Rooms on Wellington Quay, there is a cocktail named after Countess Markievicz containing Micil Poitín. Other ingredients of the cocktail are:
- Plantation Rum
- Martel VS
- Spiced Porter Syrup
- Amargo
- Creole Bitters
Micil Mojito
Another tasty cocktail idea to experiment with Micil Poitín is a “Micil Mojito”. Use all the regular ingredients of a mojito but add Micil Poitín instead of rum. Delicious!
In Micil’s Words:
“Sláinte mhaith!” (To Good Health) ∼∼
Micil Mac Chearr
Written by – Jonny Dungan