It’s the year of the Irish whiskey blend, so grab an exemplary bottle – three or five.
In the vast world of whisky, there is a bottle for every taste, price and preference. Irish Whiskey is an easy-drinking spirit for whisky novices and experts alike.
Today, Irish whiskey is everywhere – in every corner of the world.
Often referred to as a light whisky without heavy smoky or oaky flavours, there is still a wide variety of Irish whiskeys to taste and enjoy. Some are more suitable for cocktails, and some can be drunk on their own, like a fine scotch or bourbon.
Fortunately for us, the category continues to grow, with more examples in the US every year. Not so long ago, the Irish whiskey section in your liquor store might have been limited to three or four major brands, but now it might be full of bottles labelled with different ages and cask finishes. Of course, there is always room on the counter for an old spare.
According to our research, here are some of the best whiskeys you can get your hands on now.
TEELING SMALL BATCH IRISH WHISKEY
Extremely smooth and rounded, this is the ideal whiskey for those who eschew spice in favor of a sweeter spirit. It has got notes of baking spices and caramelized sugar on the nose, with flavours of vanilla and raisins on the palate. Try it in an Irish Coffee or sip it straight with some dark chocolate.
KNAPPOGUE CASTLE MALT IRISH WHISKEY
Finished in Oloroso sherry casks, this Irish whiskey is luxury in a glass. With apricots, honey, and toasted nuts on the nose, it shows up soft and velvety on the palate with a long, lingering finish. Rivaling some of the top bourbons and Japanese whiskeys in quality, this is the bottle you break out after a successful dinner party.
REDBREAST 12 YEAR
Redbreast 12 Year is great for whiskey beginners looking for a bottle to drink neat. Light, fruity, and flecked with spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, this is also a comfort whiskey for many bartenders. This now iconic bottling represents a great way to begin to explore the complexity of the category.
WRITERS’ TEARS COPPER POT
It is a light, sweet Irish whiskey made using a mix of single pot still and single malt whiskeys, resulting in oodles of honeyed, fruity notes. Wonderfully easy to drink, it would make for a great introduction to Irish whiskey for folks new to the spirit.
GREEN SPOT IRISH WHISKEY
This cult favorite was originally created in the 1800s for merchant company Mitchell & Son using distillate from Jameson’s Bow Street Distillery. The name “Green Spot” comes from the method in which the Mitchells would mark the ages of their whiskey casks: a green spot on a barrel would mean a certain age, while a blue spot would mean another, and so on. The green-spotted barrel won out, and today it lives on as a blend of single pot still whiskeys aged in both ex-bourbon barrels and sherry casks.
Pouring the spirit over a single large ice cube only enhances those crisp, fruity notes, transforming the Irish whiskey into a refreshing drink.
