IRISH WHISKEY ACT, 1980

Type Act

Publication 1980-12-10

Last updated 1983-12-15

State In force superseded text

Text As published

Source Irish Statute Book

articles 3

This is the act as published. Later amendments are not folded into the text below: each one is a separate act in this repository and an entry in this law's history.

2 amending acts · 1983-12-15, S.I. No. 383/1983 - Industry (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Fun…

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AN ACT TO DEFINE IRISH WHISKEY AND CERTAIN DESCRIPTIONS USED IN RELATION TO IRISH WHISKEY AND TO REPEAL THE IRISH WHISKEY ACT, 1950. [10th December, 1980]

BE IT ENACTED BY THE OIREACHTAS AS FOLLOWS:

1 Irish whiskey.

1.—(1) For the purposes of any statute or instrument made under statute spirits described as Irish whiskey shall not be regarded as corresponding to that description unless the requirements regarding spirits contained in subsection (3) of this section are complied with as regards the spirits.

(2) For any of the purposes mentioned in subsection (1) of this section spirits described as blended Irish whiskey shall not be regarded as corresponding to that description unless—

(a) the spirits comprise a blend of two or more distillates, and

(b) the requirements regarding spirits contained in subsection (3) of this section are complied with as regards each of the distillates.

(3) The following are the requirements referred to in subsections (1) and (2) of this section regarding spirits;

(a) the spirits shall have been distilled in the State or in Northern Ireland from a mash of cereals which has been—

(i) saccharified by the diastase of malt contained therein, with or without other natural diastases,

(ii) fermented by the action of yeast, and

(iii) distilled at an alcoholic strength of less than 94.8% by volume in such a way that the distillate has an aroma and flavour derived from the materials used,

and

(b) the spirits shall have been matured in wooden casks—

(i) in warehouse in the State for a period of not less than three years, or

(ii) in warehouse in Northern Ireland for such a period, or

(iii) in warehouse in the State and in Northern Ireland for periods the aggregate of which is not less than three years.

(4) For the purposes of subsection (3) of this section the alcoholic strength at which spirits are distilled shall be ascertained in the same manner as that in which such ascertainment is for the time being arrived at for the purposes of customs and excise.

2 Repeal.

2.—The Irish Whiskey Act, 1950, is hereby repealed.

3 Short title.

3.—This Act may be cited as the Irish Whiskey Act, 1980.

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