If there is one style that truly defines Irish whiskey, it is single pot still. It is a category rooted in Ireland’s distilling history and one that still feels distinct today.
Unlike most whiskey styles, it is made from a mix of malted and unmalted barley, then distilled in copper pot stills. That combination creates a texture and spice profile that you do not quite find anywhere else.
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The results from the World Whiskies Awards Ireland 2026 show that Irish pot still is still going strong, with Midleton Distillery leading the charge.
These are the four biggest winners in the Irish pot still category at this year’s awards. Each one represents a different take on Ireland’s most iconic whiskey style.
Red Spot
Medal: Gold, Category Champion
Category: Irish Pot Still
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Style: 13 To 20 Years
Tasting Notes: Cooked fruit, baked apple, mango, black cherry, hazelnut, leather, oak, fruit sweetness, red pepper, cracked black pepper, barley
Find Your Next Bottle: $147
Red Spot is one of the clearest examples of how history still shapes Irish whiskey today. It is produced for Mitchell & Son and distilled at Midleton Distillery, continuing a tradition that dates back to Dublin’s whiskey bonding era.
The whiskey follows the single pot still style, using a mash of malted and unmalted barley that is triple distilled in copper pot stills. It is then matured for at least 15 years across a mix of ex-bourbon barrels, Oloroso sherry butts, and Marsala wine casks.
That Marsala component is not a short finish. It has been part of the maturation plan since the early 2000s, which gives the whiskey a layered structure rather than a single dominant influence.
Redbreast 12 Years Old
Medal: Gold, Category Winner
Category: Irish Pot Still
Style: 12 Years & Under
Tasting Notes: Spicy, fruity, sherry, toasted oak
Find Your Next Bottle: $60
This is where most people start with single pot still whiskey, and for good reason. Redbreast 12 is produced by Irish Distillers at Midleton Distillery and is often treated as the benchmark for the style.
It is made from a mash of malted and unmalted barley, then triple distilled in copper pot stills. That combination creates the weight and spice that define the category.
Maturation takes place over 12 years in a mix of ex-bourbon barrels and sherry casks. The approach is straightforward but precise, with no finishing stage or experimental cask influence.
It is that clarity of production that gives Redbreast 12 its reputation as a reference point for Irish pot still whiskey.
Redbreast 21 Years Old
Medal: Gold, Category Winner
Category: Irish Pot Still
Style: 21 Years & Over
Tasting Notes: Tropical fruits, dried fruits, nuts, vanilla, spices
Find Your Next Bottle: $281
Redbreast 21 Year Old follows the same production method as the 12-year-old, using a mash of malted and unmalted barley that is triple distilled at Midleton Distillery.
What sets it apart is time in the cask. The whiskey matures for 21 years in a combination of ex-bourbon barrels and first-fill Oloroso sherry butts. That extended aging allows the wood to shape the structure of the spirit rather than simply add flavor. It is robust, well-rounded, and complex.
It is bottled at 46% ABV and is not chill filtered, which helps retain texture after long maturation. Stocks are naturally limited at this age, so releases tend to be smaller and less consistent in availability.
Powers John’s Lane Cask Strength
Medal: Gold, Category Winner
Category: Irish Pot Still
Style: No Age Statement
Tasting Notes: Dried tobacco, treacle toffee, black peppercorns, dried herbs, vanilla, manuka honey, dried apricot, toasted oak
Find Your Next Bottle: $97
This is a very different expression of pot still whiskey. Where Redbreast leans into balance, Powers focuses on structure and intensity. This cask strength release is produced by Irish Distillers at Midleton Distillery and bottled at around 57.8% ABV, depending on the batch.
It is made in the traditional pot still style using malted and unmalted barley, then matured for at least 12 years. Most of the whiskey is aged in first-fill ex-bourbon casks, with a smaller portion matured in Oloroso sherry butts.
The style itself draws from the original John’s Lane Distillery in Dublin, once known for producing pot still whiskeys with a bold, character-driven profile. This release is designed to reflect that heritage, with a heavier distillation style that carries through into the final whiskey.
At cask strength, that character becomes more pronounced, offering a more robust and structured take on Irish pot still whiskey.
