In the past, distilleries produced advertising material with their distillery, brand and drinks names on mirrors, signs, etc. These were given out to pubs who sold their products. Some of these advertisements still adorn the walls of pubs to this day. They have survived the ups and downs of the whiskey industry and are a nostalgic reminder of the old good times and the often forgotten brands and distilleries of old.
Today’s pick is a lovely old Mirror from Powers Distiller. Powers is a brand of Irish whiskey. Historically a single pot still whiskey, the flagship Powers Gold Label brand was the first Irish whiskey ever to be bottled.
In 1791 James Power, an innkeeper from Dublin established a small distillery at his public house at 109 Thomas St., Dublin. The distillery, which had an output of about 6,000 gallons in its first year of operation, initially traded as James Power and Son, but by 1822 had become John Power & Son, and had moved to new premises at John's Lane, a side street off Thomas Street. At the time the distillery had three pot stills, though only one, a 500-gallon still is thought to have been in use.