Sure, September is all about bourbon. It is Bourbon Heritage Month, after all. But just because you’re spending a lot of time sipping on the corn-based, American spirit doesn’t mean you can’t take a break and try something else. To travel your whiskey palate, we encourage you to leave the country completely (in a glass as opposed to a plane) and travel to the Emerald Isle.
You get where we’re headed with this? We think you should spend this fall getting acquainted with Irish whiskey.
Yes, Irish. We get that sometimes you forget about whiskey from Ireland until around the end of February until the end of March. But if you normally only reach for Irish brands until around St. Patrick’s Day, you’re totally missing out on a whole range of high-quality, well-made bottles.
Since we love an underdog, we decided to ask some of our favorite bartenders to tell us the best under-hyped Irish whiskeys to try this fall.
Teeling Single Malt
Suman Pradham, director of outlets at Viceroy Snowmass in Snowmass Village, Colorado
Teeling Single Grain — Irish single grain whiskey from Teeling. There are only an elite few Irish single grain whiskeys out there at the moment, but Teeling went ahead and made theirs unique by maturing it in Californian Cabernet Sauvignon casks.
Deliciously sweet, a good deal of spice and fruit hide within the Teeling Single Grain. This dram is adored for its spicy, sweet vanilla, honey, and butterscotch flavor notes.
Yellow Spot
Hayden Miller, head bartender at Bodega Taqueria y Tequila in Miami
Yellow Spot. Irish is not typically my go-to for a sipper, but this bottle almost never warrants a mixer more than ice or some water.
West Cork 10
Gavin Humes, bartender at Scratch | Bar & Kitchen in Encino, California
It’s got to be the West Cork Single Malt Irish Whiskey, aged 10 years. It’s a beautifully smooth example of what Irish whiskey can be. A touch of sweetness, some citrus peel, and a hint of salinity that’s really elegant. And it’s perfectly priced to drink on the regular.
Bushmills Red Bush
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Christopher Farzanrad, bartender at Mila Rooftop Bar in Glendale, California
Bushmills Red Bush is extremely underrated in my opinion. It has a similar flavor as Jameson and has a lot of history. Perhaps the crowd is more attracted to Jameson as it’s trendier, but I dig this bottle a lot.
Redbreast 12
Veronica Flores, bartender in Austin, Texas
If I wanted an alternative to the more frequently ordered whiskies, I would go for Powers. If I was in a “treat yo’self” mode, I would go for Redbreast 12. Flavor-wise, they both deliver.
The Sexton
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Reniel Garcia, bar director of Havana 1957 in Miami
The Sexton. It’s one of my favorite sherry-aged Irish whiskeys ever made, and surprisingly complex at just four years old. It’s made with 100 percent Irish malted barley, triple-distilled in copper pot stills, and aged in European oak and former sherry casks.
It’s bottled at 80 proof. A must try.
Jameson Caskmates Stout Edition
Aaron Miyakawa, director of restaurants and special at Prince Waikiki in Waikiki Beach, Hawaii
Jameson Caskmates Stout Edition. It’s just a great solid blended whiskey that my friends and I always go to when enjoying a shot of whiskey with beer. It’s very reasonable in price yet its smoothness is why we often choose this brand over all others. If you want to up the ante, grab a bottle of Caskmates Stout Edition. The stout cask makes the flavors even richer.
Powers Gold Label
Zachary Shore, bartender at The Nest in Seattle
In the US you see a lot of consumers going for Jameson, Redbreast, and Tullamore D.E.W.. A bottle that I seem to always notice gathering dust in any bar that isn’t an Irish pub, is Powers Irish Whiskey. Not only does it come with some really great history being around two centuries old and being the first whiskey distilled in Dublin, it also has a great flavor. Smooth enough to drink on the rocks, and light enough to experiment in cocktails for any season.
Tullamore D.E.W. Caribbean Rum Cask Finish
Nestor Marchand, director of food and beverage at Plunge Beach Resort in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Everyone knows Jameson, but I like Tullamore D.E.W. Irish Whiskey. It is smooth and elegant. I especially enjoy the Caribbean Rum Cask Finish. If you enjoy the original Tullamore, you’re going to absolutely love this version with its brown sugar and toasted oak sweetness.
Green Spot
Adam Steely, owner and manager of Blue Talon Bistro in Williamsburg, Virginia
I might be at risk of underrated with “unknown” but my pick for an Irish whiskey that will surprise a whiskey drinker is Green Spot. It is one of the last bonded Irish whiskeys and is, dollar for dollar, the best you can find. Their next tier, Yellow Spot, is even more impressive.
