🥃 Irish Mist
Irish whiskey-based liqueur with honey and herbs; created in 1947 in Tullamore; 35% ABV; owned by Heaven Hill Brands since 2017.
Irish Mist is an Irish liqueur based on whiskey, flavoured with heather and clover honey and herbs. It was created in 1947 in Tullamore, County Offaly, and today has an ABV of 35%. Since 2017 the brand has belonged to the American company Heaven Hill Brands, although it was previously owned by Irish and Scottish producers.
History. The liqueur was invented by Desmond Williams, grandson of Daniel E. Williams, whose initials gave the name Tullamore D.E.W. According to Tasting Table, this happened in 1947, partly to sell surplus Irish whiskey. Available data says Cantrell & Cochrane acquired the brand in 1985, and William Grant & Sons and Campari in 2010. One catalogue also names Campari as owner, but since 2017 the brand has belonged to Heaven Hill. Production was later moved to Abbeyleix, County Laois. The strength was once 40% ABV.
How it's made. According to Tasting Table, the base is Irish whiskey distilled three times and aged four years in oak, blended with other Irish spirits, spices, herbs, honey, sugar and water. Caramel colouring is added for a consistent shade, and the liqueur is filtered.
Story of the recipe. The brand links the taste to an ancient Irish heather wine, and the manuscript is said to have been lost for 250 years. Sources present this as a legend, not as a verified fact.
Why this matters to you. This is a liqueur, not a whiskey: in the EU a liqueur must have at least 15% ABV. The protected name “Irish Whiskey” applies to whiskey, not to liqueur. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
Facts
| Year founded | 1947, Desmond Williams (Tullamore, Offaly) |
|---|---|
| Legal basis | Reg. (EU) 2019/787, liqueur (minimum 15% ABV); the protected name “Irish Whiskey” applies only to whiskey |
| EU category | 32 — liqueur |
| Raw material | Irish whiskey and other Irish spirits, heather and clover honey, herbs, spices, sugar, water |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | 35% ABV (formerly 40%) |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Irish Mist → kind of → 🍸 Liqueurs → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Previous step
- 🥃 Heaven Hill Brands
- Packed in
- 🍷 Oak barrel
- Made from
- 🥃 Irish Whiskey
- What it contains
- 🍷 Ethanol
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Part of
- 🍸 Liqueurs
- Similar and different
- 🍯 Honey spirit drinks, 🥃 Irish Cream, 🥃 Baileys, 🥃 Sheridan's, 🥃 Sheridan's, 🥃 Pisang Ambon, 🥃 Pisang Ambon, 🥃 Honey liqueur
Frequently asked questions
Is it true that Irish Mist is made from a recipe thousands of years old?
That is a marketing legend: the brand refers to an ancient Irish heather drink. The sources give no verified evidence of the manuscript.
What is the strength of Irish Mist?
Now 35% ABV. It used to be 40% ABV.
Who owns Irish Mist?
Heaven Hill Brands, since 2017. Earlier the brand belonged to Cantrell & Cochrane, William Grant & Sons and Campari.
What is Irish Mist made from?
Irish whiskey, other Irish spirits, heather and clover honey, herbs, spices, sugar and water.
Where was Irish Mist created?
In Tullamore, County Offaly, in 1947. Production was later moved to Abbeyleix.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Ethanol — The alcohol formed during fermentation that makes you drunk.
- 🍷 Oak barrel — A wooden barrel of oak staves in which wine matures and breathes.
- 🥃 Irish Cream — Liqueur of fresh Irish cream, alcohol and Irish whiskey: from 15% vol., milk fat from 10%; GI of the island of Ireland.
- 🥃 Baileys — Irish cream liqueur from Diageo, created in 1974: Irish whiskey and Irish dairy cream with cocoa and vanilla; a product with the Irish Cream GI.
Similar
🥃 Hpnotiq · 🥃 Luxardo · 🥃 RumChata · 🥃 Cherry Heering · 🥃 Glayva · 🥃 Pisang Ambon
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- Difford's Guide: Irish Mist Liqueur (35 %; Irish whiskey, heather, clover honey, herbs; Heaven Hill; Tullamore)
- Tasting Table: Irish Mist Honey Liqueur, the ultimate bottle guide (1947, Desmond Williams, Tullamore; production later moved to Abbeyleix; Heaven Hill since 2017)
- Regulation (EU) 2019/787 on spirit drinks (OJ L 130, 17.5.2019), Annex I: categories of spirit drinks
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)