The Best Irish Whiskeys to Drink Beyond St. Patrick’s Day, According to an Expert

In 2006, there were three whiskey distilleries in all of Ireland. Today, there are at least 30, with more in development. Yet while Irish distilleries remain relatively obscure, overshadowed by their peaty neighbors to the north, they’re churning out spirits that, as of late, are able to sway even the most steadfast of single malt devotees.

Old-style Irish whiskey is crafted from both malted and unmalted barley and distilled in pot stills (a time-consuming process). Today’s distilleries, however, have strayed from tradition, turning to column stills and blending whiskeys for more consistent, nuanced flavors. To find out where to begin with good Irish whiskey, we chatted with Irish whiskey expert and restaurateur Sean Muldoon. Muldoon co-founded New York’s acclaimed Irish pub The Dead Rabbit with Jack McGarry, but left in 2022 to begin a new Irish restaurant and tavern with beverage director Jillian Vose in Charleston, South Carolina called Hazel and Apple, which is slated to open later in 2023. Below, Muldoon gives us six bottles that reflect the state of contemporary Irish whiskey and signal the good things still to come — and all of them make a great choice any time of year, not just on St. Patrick’s Day.

What Is Irish Whiskey?

“Irish whiskey must be distilled on the island of Ireland (both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland) from a mass of malted cereals with or without whole grains,” says Jack McGarry, who continues to run The Dead Rabbit today. “Irish whiskey has to have a minimum alcohol content of forty percent, and must be matured for a minimum of three years on the island of Ireland.”

What Are the Different Types of Irish Whiskey?

Under the Irish whiskey umbrella, there are four subcategories, each marked by the following flavors:

Single grain: sweet and light

Blend: approachable and accessible. It’s both sweeter and more floral, offering low spice with high wood impact

Malt: delicate and floral, with bread and malt characteristics, and, depending on the wood maturation profile, notes of dried fruit

Pot still: sweet, spicy and viscous

Best Overall Irish Whiskey: Bushmills Black Bush Irish Whiskey

Bushmills

Best Overall Irish Whiskey

Bushmills Black Bush Irish Whiskey

• $29.99 at Caskers

“Bushmills‘ Black Bush is a blended whiskey that carries no age statement. Here, a high proportion — eighty-five percent — of malt whiskey that has been matured in former Oloroso Sherry casks for between eight and eleven years is combined with a sweet, grain whiskey. The resultant whiskey is rich, fruity and intense, yet at the same time very smooth. It has a silky texture with a nutty character, and the sherry influence is very evident. On the palate, there are also hints of cinnamon and honey. It is extremely tasty [and a] great value for the money.”

Best Splure Irish Whiskey: Powers John’s Lane

Powers

Best Splurge Irish Whiskey

Powers John’s Lane

• $67.99 at Caskers

“This is a heavy, rich, full-bodied pot still whiskey, made from a blend of whiskeys that have been aged for twelve to fourteen years in mainly first-fill Bourbon casks, with a small percentage aged in Oloroso Sherry butts. It’s forty-six percent ABV and is named after the street on which the John Power & Son Whiskey Distillery was once located in Dublin. It’s a great example of how Dublin whiskey tasted a hundred or so years ago.”

Best Budget Irish Whiskey: Clontarf 1014

Clontarf

Best Budget Irish Whiskey

Clontarf 1014

• $24.99 at Caskers

“This whiskey is made up of ninety percent grain and ten percent malted barley, meaning it is light, floral and slightly sweet. It’s a good introduction to Irish whiskey, and its delicate flavor means that it works incredibly well in an Irish coffee.”

Best Single Malt Irish Whiskey: Snappogue Castle 12-Year

Drizly

Best Single Malt Irish Whiskey

Knappogue Castle 12-Year

• $49.99 at Caskers

“This is a lovely, warming single malt whiskey with a creamy texture. It’s made with one hundred percent malted barley and aged in ex-bourbon barrels for a minimum of twelve years. On the palate there are traces of honey, toasted malt and white chocolate. I feel this whiskey manages to capture a great deal of characteristics from the malted barley, and the flavors are delicious.”

Best Irish Whiskey for Cocktails: Teeling Single Malt Irish Whiskey

Drizly

Best Irish Whiskey for Cocktails

Teeling Single Malt Irish Whiskey

• $48.99 at Caskers

“This whiskey has quickly become a bartender’s favorite due to how well it mixes in drinks and its affordable price point. It’s the flagship whiskey of the Teeling Company — a blend of malt and grain whiskeys that have been aged for a minimum of seven and four years, respectively, before being aged for a further six months in Caribbean rum casks.”

Best Pot Still Irish Whiskey: Redbreast 12-Year

Drizly

Best Pot Still Irish Whiskey

Redbreast 12-Year

• $67.99 at Caskers

“This Irish pot still whiskey has garnered a cult following in recent years. Another favorite among bartenders, it’s a blend of pot still whiskeys that have been aged in a combination of ex-bourbon and sherry-filled barrels for twelve to fifteen years. On the palate it has a warm ginger spice, and, due to the heavy sherry influence, a rich, dried dark fruit character, namely prunes and raisins.”

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