National symbols of Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland with Jameson Irish Whiskey and Tullamore Dew the main whiskey brands. Poitín, made from potatoes and with an alcohol content of up to 90% ABV, is the traditional Irish moonshine, brewed illegally since 1661, when a duty was placed on whiskey and other spirits were made illegal. According to one guidebook, ""If you see a product labelled "poteen" in an airport or a bar, it's simply a white duty-paid Irish schnapps. By definition, poteen is illegal and can't be sold."" Stout, a dark beer made using roasted oats or barley, is the national beer, with Guinness heavily promoted as a
Irish whiskey takeover of Irish Distillers in 1988, which led to increased marketing of Irish whiskeys, in particular Jameson, overseas. Since then Irish whiskey has undergone a major resurgence, and for the past twenty years, has been the fastest growing spirit in the world, with annual growth of approximately 15–20% per annum. In 2010, the Kilbeggan Distillery, which had closed in 1954, reopened, bringing the number of operating distilleries up to four. By August 2017, this figure had grown to eighteen, with at least sixteen more in the planning stages. As of 2016, sales of Irish whiskey stood at 8.7 million 9-litres