Irish whiskey Act, whiskey produced by registered distillers was known as "Parliament whiskey", while that produced by illicit producers was, and still is referred to as "Poitín", a Gaelic term meaning "small pot" (often anglicised as poteen) in reference to the small pot stills used by the illicit distillers. However, although traditionally the product of illicit production, many legal varieties of "Poitín" have come to market in recent years. In the 18th century, demand for whiskey in Ireland grew significantly, driven both by strong population growth, and by displacing the demand for imported spirits. Growth in the latter is very much visible
Irish whiskey authorities as conforming with the Department of Agriculture's 2014 technical file for Irish whiskey. Key requirements include specifications that: There are several regulations governing the labelling of Irish whiskeys. In particular: According to the Alcoholic Beverage Federation of Ireland, as of August 2017 there are 18 whiskey distilleries in operation in Ireland. However, many of these are recently established and have not yet aged their own spirits for sale as whiskey: In addition, there are a number of independently owned brands, such as Clontarf 1014, that purchase and market whiskey sourced from operating distilleries. According to the Alcoholic Beverage Federation