Irish whisky are smooth and fruity, the vast majority are triple distilled and they are often easy-drinking. The Irish are widely credited as being the first to distil whiskey, though this is strictly contested by the Scots. The Bushmills distillery, for example, is the world’s oldest licensed distillery, founded in 1608. The Irish are unique in their pure pot still whiskey. Pure pot still whiskey is a mix of barley, malted and otherwise, distilled in a pot still. The unmalted barley proffers a spicy freshness that one associate with Irish whiskey. Some of the Irish blends are global successes. Bushmills Original and Jameson are both notable examples and enjoyable in their own right. There is also a healthy selection of single malt expressions, including the majority of the Bushmills range, Tyrconnell and Connemara, Ireland’s only peated single malt.