Ahead of Saint Patrick's Day, it is typical to see the release of new Irish Whiskeys as well as Best Available Lists from various publications. As people look to pick up a new bottle or two for the 2024 Paddy's Day weekend (it falls on a Sunday this year), here are two recent publications to help you make your selections.
Five Irish Whiskeys to Raise Your Spirits For St Patrick’s Day
It’s no surprise that it’s that time of year already, St. Patrick’s Day is upon us! So while you celebrate in a bar, at home, or at a whiskey tasting, keep an eye out for all of these on the back bar or whoever you may find yourself that has some of the best Irish whiskeys available for a worthy celebration.
Redbreast 15 Year Old, 46%
Kicking off with a personal favourite, and something that I find myself buying at least once a year, Redbreast 15 year old. The 12 year old is wonderful, as is the 21 year old, but those prices are creeping up and up whilst this seems to stay at a very consistent price.
What the 15 year old lacks in a delicate manner to the 21 year old, it more than makes up for it with a balance of gentle, sustained oak influences with all of that classic Single Pot Still buttery, creamy, and just general deliciousness that Redbreast has become so famous for across the world.
At about $100 a bottle, it’s pricier than most recommendations, but totally worth it whiskey to celebrate St Patrick’s day.
Writer’s Tears Irish Whiskey, 40%
The Walsh Distillery in Carlow is quickly becoming a favourite with myself and many others. Producing whiskies that are always drenched with these ripe apricot and spring fruit flavours, Writers Tears is a firm standout in the range.
A combination of pot still and single malt whiskies, the style and the rather evocative name are meant to recreate the champagne style of Irish whiskey that existed in the early part of the twentieth century.
With writers, the likes of James Joyce, Bram Stoker, and Oscar Wilde hailing from Ireland, it’s no surprise that the title reflects the whiskey in its balanced, poetic and very influential style. This perfect St Patrick’s Day whiskey be found for about $40 per bottle.
Teeling Ginger Beer Finished Blend, 46%
Jameson and ginger beer is one of the key focal drinks of the Irish whiskey industry, and that’s because it works very well. Honestly, try it at home and tell me it isn’t one of the best long drinks on the planet.
However, in the name of experimentation, and that’s something Teeling is all about. Casks that had held Teeling whiskey were sent to Umbrella London, where for two years, the barrels held Umbrella’s homemade fiery ginger beer, after the beer was decanted, the barrels then found their way back to Teeling to finish off another part of their blended series.
I love this product and if you’re a fan of ginger beer and whiskey, separately or together, this is something worth your time.
Midleton Very Rare Blended Irish Whiskey 2023, 40%
Celebrating its 40th Anniversary as a brand, Midleton Very Rare has been at the top of every Irish whiskey drinkers list since its origins in 1984.
A blended whiskey of Midleton’s finest grain and pot still stocks, averaging twenty-plus or more years in casks, this is the premium Irish whiskey that everyone can afford by saving up to celebrate, or just splurging if you’ve got the capital spare.
This thing never misses a beat with its long floral notes of heather and tangerine, intermingled with delicate barrel spices and those classic soft peppery notes of Single Pot Still whiskey production.
It’s an absolute gem, and in some eyes, mine included, a better offering of premium blended whiskey than what a lot of Scottish distilleries have, most of the time for a lesser hit on your wallet, as well.
Celebrate St Patrick’s Day and Midleton’s 40th anniversary together! Available from most whiskey specialists for around $260.
Drumshanbo Pot Still Irish Whiskey, 43%
The Shed Distillery in Ireland has long been a favourite of my family, but mainly for gin…turns out they also have a whiskey! A single pot still whiskey consisting of malted barley, unmalted barley, and Irish barra oats!
All working wonderfully together, along with barrel influences from Kentucky and Spain, this rich, creamy, Pot Still spice whiskey is a true contender to take the place of some high-ranking bottles from across Ireland.
Bottled at 43%, natural colour and un-chill filtered, at roughly around what Redbreast now want for their 12 year old, this thing is stepping into the boots of a rather big brand and taking, for me, quite a bit of its limelight.
But with all things fun and new in Irish whiskey, this product is very much at the front of the queue. Hopefully, you’ll agree too! Found across whiskey specialists for just under $60 per bottle, and a wonderful way to ring in St Patrick’s Day.
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Robb Report may receive an affiliate commission.
If you’re in the market for the best Irishwhiskey you can find, there are some factors to consider. The best known expressions are inexpensive blends, and while these are fine there are much more interesting options to explore. Irish whiskey has a range of styles, including single malt, single pot still and single grain, along with the aforementioned blends that can include any of these styles. The good news is that there are so many excellent choices of distilleries and brands from the Emerald Isle out there for you, so we’ve put together this list to help steer you towards some of the best bottles to buy in different categories. Happy hunting, and cheers.
Irish whiskey has exploded in popularity over the past few years, with blends from well-known brands like Jameson leading the way. But for a superior drinking experience try Redbreast, a single pot still Irish whiskey made at Midleton (the same distillery that produces Jameson). “Single pot still” means the whiskey is made at one distillery in a pot still from a mash bill of malted and unmalted barley. This 15-year-old whiskey is the pinnacle expression from Redbreast, aged in bourbon and sherry casks that infuse it with rich notes of dried fruit, vanilla, spice and a bit of fruitcake on the palate.
Best Ultra-Aged Irish Whiskey: Teeling 33 Year Old Single Malt
This ultra-aged single malt comes from Dublin distillery Teeling, which was the first to operate in the city in over a century when it opened in 2015. This 33-year-old single malt, distilled in 1983, is one of the oldest Irish whiskeys you can currently find. After a long maturation in just two bourbon barrels, it was finished in Pineau de Charentes casks and bottled at nearly 50 percent ABV. This is a lovely aged whiskey with notes of grape, dried fruit, spice, and vanilla on the palate, along with a soft touch of tannic oak.
Best Single Malt Irish Whiskey: Bushmills 25
The most popular whiskey from Northern Ireland’s Bushmills—the oldest licensed distillery in the world—is an affordable workhorse blend. But the fact is that this distillery only produces single malt whiskey, and the core range of age statement expressions are fantastic. Scotch drinkers, take note—Irish single malt should not be ignored. This 25-year-old expression is aged in bourbon and sherry casks, blended, and then given a long 21-year finish in ruby port barrels. That last step brings a deep richness to the palate with notes of fig, almond, chocolate, and some buttery caramel.
Best Single Grain Irish Whiskey: High N’ Wicked Foursquare
Irish single grain refers to the fact that the whiskey is made at a single distillery from a mashbill that is made up of a mixture of grains (most commonly in a column still as opposed to a pot still). Single grain is usually made with a large percentage of corn, and in this case the mashbill is 95 percent French maize and five percent malted barley, making this a lovely option for bourbon fans. This whiskey was initially aged in bourbon barrels, and then finished for six months in casks previously used to age rum from Foursquare in Barbados, one of the best rum distilleries in the world. This is a great single grain whiskey, with notes of vanilla and citrus mingling with berry, tropical fruit, caramel, and nut flavors.
Glendalough claims to be the first Irish whiskey brand to use mizunara oak, and specifically wants to highlight how it affects the Irish single-malt category. This whiskey comes after 13- and 17-year-old mizunara-finished releases and stands tall with these prior bottles. After seven years in bourbon barrels and just a few months in mizunara oak, the liquid is transformed with notes of chocolate, cedar, incense and fruit on the palate.
Best Blended Irish Whiskey: Midleton Very Rare 2023
This is another release from Midleton, and it really is the cream of the whiskey crop from that prolifici distillery. Each year a different vintage of this blend is created, and the the 2023 edition was a standout. This new edition is a blend of single grain and single pot still whiskey assembled by master distiller Kevin O’Gorman, combining lighter and heavier styles of spirit to highlight notes of fruit, cereal, toffee, honey, and floral citrus on the palate.
Best Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey: Method and Madness Garryana Oak
Method and Madness is made at a microdistillery at the aforementioned Midleton Distillery just outside of Cork, so these whiskeys are very different from what you might expect from other brands produced there. The latest expression is a single pot still whiskey that was aged entirely in Garryana oak from the Pacific Northwest, a type of barrel that American single malt distillery Westland is known for using. The resulting whiskey has notes of spice, tannin, dark berries, and espresso on the palate, making this a successful experiment in maturation.
Best Cask Strength Irish Whiskey: Natterjack Cask Strength
These days it seems like everyone is looking for cask-strength whiskey–and for good reason, as drinking whiskey that has not been diluted really allows you to experience flavors that you would not get from your average 80-proof bottle. One great example of cask-strength Irish whiskey comes from Natterjack, a blend of 20 percent malted barley and 80 percent corn that was aged in bourbon barrels and finished in virgin American oak. This whiskey is a strong 63 percent ABV, but that doesn’t hide notes of citrus, honey, spice, and butterscotch on the palate. Just add a little water if you’d like to proof it down to your taste.
Best Peated Irish Whiskey: Waterford Peated Cuvee
Mark Reynier opened this Irish distillery after his tenure as Bruichladdich CEO with a focus on the concept of terroir in whiskey—and he has the science to back him up on this. The distillery is also committed to using barley from lcoal individual farms and using organic grains as much as possible. While peated whiskey is relatively uncommon in the world of Irish whiskey, it is certainly not unheard of. This new expression, Fumo, is a blend of peated single malts from four single farm origins, revealing notes of pepper, spice, tobacco, citrus, and a soft smokiness throughout.
Best Irish Whiskey Under $100: Green Spot
Green Spot is another whiskey produced at Midleton, but sold under the auspices of the Mitchell family. Mitchell & Son filled wine casks with whiskey and aged them in their own warehouses starting in the late 1800s, but now everything is done onsite at Midleton. Green Spot is an excellent option for less than $100, a blend of pot still whiskey aged between seven and ten years in bourbon and sherry casks. According to the brand, Mick Jagger and Daniel Day Lewis are both fans of this Irish whiskey.
Photo:The Busker
Best Irish Whiskey Under $50: The Busker Small Batch Single Pot Still
Irish single pot still whiskey is a category that continues to grow as both new and older brands release versions of this distinctly Irish style. The Busker just launched this new expression in the U.S., a whiskey made at the Royal Oak Distillery that was aged in bourbon barrels and finished in Oloroso sherry casks. It’s a tasty and affordable whiskey, with notes of green apple, caramel, peach, berry, and black pepper on the palate.
Best Splurge Irish Whiskey: The Last Drop 32 Year Old
The Last Drop is a luxury brand known for its rare high-end spirits, the latest of which is this 32-year-old Irish single malt whiskey. This expression was blended by Louis McGuane, the founder of the excellent whiskey bonder JJ Correy. After more than three decades of maturation, a few 1991 vintage single malts were selected and put into an Oloroso sherry butt to finish. The whiskey is delicate and decadent, with notes of oak, chocolate, dark stone fruit, and tobacco on the palate—a worthwhile splurge for sure