Meet Pádraic from Inverin. 

Here at Wonky Eye we haven't met many secondary school teachers who were experienced Poitín makers; Pádraic is definitely a first! After completing his Irish and Geography degree at NUIG Pádraic completed a Masters in Irish before a Higher Diploma in Education. Highly qualified he was offered a job at Taylor's Hill Secondary school. Although he thoroughly enjoyed teaching the entrepreneurial side of him couldn't be suppressed, especially after reading the case study of the successful Patrón Tequila. Two years ago he successfully applied for a career break and is now the founder and distiller of Micil Irish Poitín!

Named after Pádraic's great, great, great grandfather Micil Mac Chearra, Pádraic's Poitín is created using a time honoured family traditional method alongside modern distilling techniques. Every bottle is carefully handcrafted in a micro-distillery in Galway using 100% Irish grain and bogbean botanical. Pádraic explained that Poitín is in fact one of the first steps in creating whiskey and would have been widely consumed throughout Ireland before the English occupation outlawed it in the 1600's.  Being illegal for over 300 years, Poitín making became restricted to the more remote regions of the country where the brewers were less likely to get caught by local Gardaí. These home brews sometimes resulted in high alcohol content and people believing it was a drink which was only drunk when you wanted to get extremely drunk!

Pádraic is working to change this image. Poitín is one of the small number of Irish food and drink products which have been granted Geographical Indicative Status by the EU. With slick, modern packaging he sells his luxury brand Poitín as a drink to be savoured and enjoyed. While mainly drank neat or with a splash of lemon, Micil Irish Poitín is now sold in some of Ireland's most fashionable bars. A new generation of consumers are enjoying Poitín in the form of a fashionable cocktail. Whether you would like a Poitín Sour or with pink lemonade and raspberries it is becoming a spirit which can now contend with the vodka, gin and whiskey. So the next time you spot a bottle of Micil on the shelf why don't you treat yourself to one of Ireland's most traditional drinks. Or to purchase a bottle directly, click here.