Episode 88 features Mad March Hare Irish Poitín. And what is Poitín you ask? Well, listen to find out, but it might be described via analogy: Poitín is to Irish Whiskey as Mezcal is to Tequila. The bottle for the tasting is 700mL at 40% ABV, or 80 proof and sells for about $30.

Enjoy this episode with a Mad March Mule (recipe below).

Mad March Hare's official website: https://shopmadmarchhare.com/

Brief Historical Timeline:

• 6th Century - Monks bring distillation from the Middle East to Ireland and begin distilling the earliest version of Poitín
• 1661 - Poitín is outlawed by King Charles II
• 1987 - Regulations are loosed to allow Poitín production for export (from Ireland)
• 1997 - Poitín is fully legalized
• 2008 - Poitín received a Geographical Indication (GI) status by the European Union
• 2014 - John Ralph, founder of Mad March Hare, comes up with the brand name
• 2015 - Poitín has production methods codified by the Irish government
• 2016 - Mad March Hare launches
• 2016 - Mad March Hare wins Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition

Key Cocktails:

Mad March Hare is mixable, but also good when consumed neat. Give this cocktail a try:

Mad March Mule

1 oz Mad March Hare Poitín

2 oz Ginger Beer

½ fresh Lime

2 dashes of Angostura bitters

Topped with ice

References:

My thanks to John Ralph, founder and CEO of Intrepid Spirits, the maker of Mad March Hare, for speaking with me for this episode, and for providing the bottle for the tasting.

The Woodland Trust on Why Do Hares Box

The Atlantic Journal-Constitution Article Featuring Mad March Hare

Wine Enthusiast Article on Poitín

Culture Trip Article on Poitín

Difford's Guide Listing for Poitín

Contact Information:

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