It’s coming up on the best day of the year for Irish whiskey fans: March 17th, St. Patrick’s Day. And this year, the holiday falls on a Friday, so there’s no excuse not to celebrate.
While it may be the busiest day of the year for Jamesons and Bushmills, we think St. Patrick’s Day is a great opportunity to branch out and explore some of Ireland’s many other fantastic whiskeys. Here are a few suggestions, but Ireland’s whiskey industry is growing so fast that it seems as if there’s a new one to try every week. If you’ve discovered any great new Irish whiskeys recently, let us know in the comments!
Writers Tears Writers Tears from Walsh Whiskey Distillery in County Carlow is a combination of single malt (100% malted barley) and single pot still (a combination of malted and unmalted barley) whiskeys. Sweet, fruity, and floral, it’s an easy whiskey to love, and a bargain to boot.
This NAS expression of the popular single pot still Irish whiskey produced at Irish Distillers (the same distillery that makes Jameson) spent additional aging time in Oloroso sherry casks, giving it a hefty dose of dried fruit sweetness and nutty flavor.
One of the only Irish single malts to contain peated whiskey, Connemara from Cooley Distillery in County Louth can be an eye-opener for those who think Irish whiskey is all smooth and innocuous. Double-distilled and aged in ex-bourbon casks, it’s bold and flavorful, yet retains some of the sweet, floral components that make Irish whiskey so popular.
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This blended whiskey from West Cork Distillers in County Cork, Ireland, packs a punch—124 proof, to be exact. Yet it’s surprisingly subtle, with delicate fruit and floral aromas. West Cork Distillers was founded in 2003, making them one of the oldest of the new crop of independent distilleries in Ireland, and a leader in the category.
This new age-stated expression from Tullamore is a super-premium version of its classic triple-distilled, blended style. William Grant & Sons recently reopened the historic Tullamore Distillery in County Offal, Ireland, so expect exciting new developments from this brand in the near future.
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