St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner, so there’s no better time to sip some amazing Irish whiskey!
It’s time to leave the basic stuff behind because today, we’re rounding up some of our absolute favorite bottles of Irish whiskey and conducting a blind taste test to determine the best of the best. For this clash of the Irish titans, we’ve got everything from brand-new releases to tried-and-true classics, and to spice things up, we’ve even included the oldest Irish single malt ever bottled!
Whether you’re into sherry finishes, malt-forward tipples, or rock-steady reliable releases, this blind taste test will showcase a bit of them all. It’s time to determine the very best Irish whiskey to buy right now, just in time for St. Paddy’s!
Part 1: The Tasting
Taste 1
Tasting Notes:
Woah! Right off the bat, this is a really beguiling whiskey with a silky, engrossing nose. There are apricots and vanilla pod notes, sure, but also date syrup, Brazil nuts, nutmeg, and bay leaves. On the palate, the date syrup note is a bit more pronounced, along with hints of raisins, nougat, apricots, and toffee.
I’m happy to have had this first because now my senses are awake! This will be tough to top, as it’s an eminently intriguing pour.
Taste 2
Tasting Notes:
This one has a bit of creeping heat on the palate, which follows a summery nose led by citrus and floral tones. I’d be surprised if this were bottled at 80 proof because it drinks a bit hotter with touches of mouth-puckering astringency around the edges.
I appreciate that this drinks a bit hot, as that bite helps to put a bow on the lightly sweet bouquet of aromas and well-rounded baking spices on the tongue.
Taste 3
Tasting Notes:
The ruby glints in this glass make me want to believe I’m eyeballing the Redbreast 27. With my nose making the initial descent, I’m able to gather a bouquet of red currants, vanilla custard, dark chocolate, and candied ginger. On the palate, crème brûlée and more nondescript red berries claim the stage, with citrus accents ranging from fresh oranges to lemon glaze also making an impression.
While the sweetness is borderline decadent and indeed inescapable, the depths of flavor in this pour are aided by black pepper, a sort of depleted, mature sweet oak, and coffee beans, which makes this a complete delight.
Taste 4
Tasting Notes:
This one has a robust citrus, malt, and oak interplay on the nose, drawing your nose further into the glass. In search of flaws, I happily found none, so I transferred this whiskey to the palate, where it opens up with subtle hints of chocolate, pears, apricots, and dilute honey.
After a strong start to this tasting, I think I’ve found yet another delicious whiskey in the bunch. This is flat-out delightful.
Taste 5
Tasting Notes:
Clove and nutmeg notes grasp the nose at first before lush fruit tones leave an impression. On the palate, the texture is impressively slick, which makes me feel like it’s a tick above 40% ABV. Raisins and raspberries play nicely with a bit of cinnamon, honey, and vanilla wafer flavors.
This is a whiskey with a remarkably high floor, and though it doesn’t quite reach its ceiling, I’m very much impressed. I’d drink this again and again.
Taste 6
Tasting Notes:
I think I can state outright that this is probably the Bushmills 46. It has the darkest color of any of these whiskeys by a laughable margin. Stout beer, orange wheels dipped in dark chocolate, and faint honeyed malt tones stand out on the nose, while a chalky dark chocolate note on the palate leads the way for toasted coconut, mulled wine, nutmeg-dusted hazelnut, citrus, marzipan, and allspice to follow.
This is a rich, complex whiskey that makes twin cases: one for hyper-aged Irish whiskey and another for blacked-out Glencairns when blind tasting.
Taste 7
Tasting Notes:
This one has a lovely, fruit-driven nose that makes me think it’s finished. That’s not a knock, as it works with (what I assume are) the base liquid aromas. On the palate, it has some nuttiness and red berry sweetness that, again, makes it feel like a sherry-finished whiskey.
This is pleasant, if unremarkable, whiskey compared to the rest of the flock. However, this will probably end up in the middle of the pack because it doesn’t really stand out in any one way.
Taste 8
Tasting Notes:
The nose on this one is super interesting, with cooked dates and Brazil nuts syncing up with a bit of Worcestershire sauce, Golden Delicious apples, and sweet barley. It has a nice, semi-sticky mouthfeel, though it doesn’t at all come across as oily or thick.
All told this is one of the wilder flavor profiles of the bunch, but I’m impressed that it sticks the landing and manages to integrate its disparate parts so seamlessly.
Taste 9
Tasting Notes:
Right away, I’m picking up some heat on this nose and a nice viscous texture that’s sticking to the glass. It has a nice, sturdy backbone of oranges and cloves, with some pronounced earthiness that throws it a bit off. After one sip, my high-proof suspicions are confirmed, as this has a density on the palate, unlike almost any other pour in this tasting.
Frankly, I like this quite a bit, but it’s the most imbalanced of the bunch, and as such, I’d score it towards the back of the pack.
Taste 10
Tasting Notes:
Now, we’re back! After the last pour, I was ready for anything, and I’m happy that this one is a marked improvement. Golden raisins, vanilla, and faint citrus undertones set the stage on the palate for more of the same, with accents of white pepper, cream soda, and candied ginger.
Not only is this an incredibly high note to end on, but I suspect this will also end up being one of the top choices overall.
Part 2: The Ranking
10. Natterjack Irish Whiskey Cask Strength — Taste 9
ABV: 63%
Average Price: $90
The Whiskey:
Natterjack Irish Whiskey is a sourced whiskey that’s won a ton of awards. It’s pretty much a mainstay in the Irish whiskey world at this point. The juice is made from an atypical mash bill of 80% corn and 20% malted barley, which is triple distilled and then matured in ex-bourbon casks. Before bottling, the whiskey is finished in new American oak.
Bottom Line:
This is a fun, punchy whiskey that will definitely maintain a place in my bar at home. That said, it’s more of a mood pour, as the high-heat muddles a bit of the flavor and left me wanting a bit more finesse in this particular tasting.
9. Knappogue Castle Single Malt 16-Year — Taste 7
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $115
The Whiskey:
Knappogue Castle draws its name from a castle originally built in the 15th century in County Clare, but the whiskey they’re sending to market comes from County Cork. With every single one of the brand’s expressions sporting an age statement, they’ve got their aim set on connoisseurs more than casual whiskey fans. This 16-year unseated expression spent 14 years aging in ex-bourbon casks before being finished in an Oloroso Sherry butt.
Bottom Line:
Knappogue Castle whiskeys are always a great option for people who are looking to take the next step on their Irish whiskey journey beyond your classic Jameson and Bushmills offerings. For our money, the 16-year is the sweet spot where enthusiasts and newcomers alike will find plenty to enjoy.
8. Teeling Single Pot Still Whiskey Wonders Of Wood Virgin Swedish Oak — Taste 2
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $85
The Whiskey:
For this expression, Teeling fully matures its whiskey in white Virgin Swedish Oak from the Nordic Region of Europe. It’s the third release in their Limited Edition series, Wonders of Wood, and made from 50% malted barley and 50% unmalted barley that was triple distilled in Teeling’s single pot still.
Bottom Line:
I’ve said in the past that this is an Irish whiskey that can win over American whiskey fans thanks to its slight astringency and ethanol punch, which texturally is a bit reminiscent of bourbon and rye. In this blind tasting, that textural curiosity stood out and helped this Virgin Swedish Oak expression hold its own.
7. Clonakilty Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey — Taste 4
ABV: 46%
Average Price: $50
The Whiskey:
This delicious pour is made with 100% locally-grown barley and triple distilled in copper pot stills by Clonakilty at their distillery in Cork. Aged in a blend of ex-Bourbon, Amontillado, and Oloroso sherry casks, this is designed to be a nuanced everyday sipper.
Bottom Line:
This is the one whiskey that I felt perfectly content with. Is it a world-beater? No. It isn’t exceptional in any one way, aside from the fact that it’s a pour without flaws, sure to make any whiskey enthusiast happy. What more could you ask for?
6. High n Wicked Singular Limited Release No.4 “Aeneas Coffey” Single Grain Irish Whiskey — Taste 8
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $100
The Whiskey:
Initially released in 2022, this single-grain Irish whiskey is unique because it was finished in ex-Tinta Negra Madeira casks. Also, this whiskey was non-chill filtered to preserve as much flavor as possible in the final product.
Bottom Line:
The finishing cask imparts a ton of expressive flavors into this whiskey, making it one of the more intriguing of the bunch. Ultimately, that complexity kept me returning to the glass — looking to unlock more layers in each sip.
5. Gold Spot The Generations Edition — Taste 5
ABV: 46%
Average Price: $300
The Whiskey:
This expression is the second limited offering from the Gold Spot series. Featuring a mingling of distillate aged in ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks with a final maturation in Valpolicella Classica Italian wine casks for 16 months.
Bottom Line:
The Spot Whiskeys are all highly respected, but for many folks — myself included — the Gold Spot strikes the perfect balance. What this blind taste test showed is that it performed about as well as I expected, underscoring how consistent this high-quality Irish whiskey truly is.
4. Keeper’s Heart 21-Year Single Malt Irish Whiskey — Taste 1
ABV: 48.5%
Average Price: $1,000
The Whiskey:
Keeper’s Heart Whiskey is based in Minnesota, so it should be stating the obvious that this expression features sourced liquid. This one hails from Cooley Distillery and was subsequently finished in Tokaji barrels under the watchful eye of the legendary Brian Nation, former Master Distiller of Jameson Midleton Distillery.
Bottom Line:
Balance is the name of the game here, as Keeper’s Heart 21-Year Single Malt delivers sweet, atypical flavors while keeping them in check so they can slowly diffuse over your palate, sending a smile on the incline up your cheeks every step of the way.
3. Bushmills 46-Year-Old “Secrets Of The River Bush” Irish Whiskey — Taste 6
ABV: 46.3%
Average Price: $12,500
The Whiskey:
This instantly historic expression is now credited as the oldest Irish single malt ever bottled. The Secrets Of The River Bush was aged entirely in two 500-liter oloroso sherry European oak butts from the Antonio Paez Lobato Cooperage in Jerez, Spain, which, in addition to its age, accounts for its incredibly dark color. Having entered into that sherry cask in 1978 at 63.4% ABV, the angels had their fair share of this whiskey, limiting it to 300 bottles globally, with only 100 bottles available in the U.S.
Bottom Line:
Whether you consider it an advantage or a disadvantage that this one was easily discernible cast against the pack due to its color, there’s no denying that Bushmills 46 is downright delicious whiskey. You’d be hard-pressed to do any better for a complex, slightly brooding pour than this magnificently matured marvel.
2. Midleton Very Rare Barry Crockett Legacy — Taste 10
ABV: 46%
Average Price: $380
The Whiskey:
Named after the legendary Master Distiller Barry Crockett, this premium single-pot still Irish whiskey was matured in ex-bourbon barrels. Triple-distilled and crafted from a mash of malted and unmalted barley, when it initially launched in 2011, this expression became only the second product from an Irish distillery that was named after a Master Distiller, following John Jameson’s lead.
Bottom Line:
I had my money on this whiskey to win the blind taste test, as it’s one of my favorite “sleeper” pours, but I’ll gladly take it in the number two slot. In short, this remarkable liquid forces you to sit down and savor it but also to lean forward and listen as it reveals all its secrets.
1. Redbreast 27 — Taste 3
ABV: 54.6%
Average Price: $1,150
The Whiskey:
Matured for nearly three decades, this expression from Redbreast is the penultimate release in their premium lineup — bested only by the Dream Cask series. This release features the inclusion of port casks which bolsters the base of liquid matured in ex-bourbon and sherry casks for added complexity and depth.
Bottom Line:
Elegance is the word that sums it up. Redbreast 27 is a rich, remarkably well-rounded Irish whiskey that mines a depth of flavor rarely found in expressions from any category. Its combination of patient primary maturation and complementary secondary maturation sends this one into the stratosphere as a learning opportunity for other distilleries and a source of joy for whiskey enthusiasts the world over.
Part 3: Final Thoughts
I can’t stress enough that there are no losers in this bunch, as each of these Irish whiskeys left me thoroughly impressed in vastly different ways. My first takeaway is that sure, expensive whiskey actually does taste pretty damn good. Whether or not it’s worth the extra money is a different conversation entirely, however, as this list shows, the margin between a $300 bottle and a $100 is razor thin, and the discernible difference between a $100 bottle and a $50 bottle is even thinner.
Whether you’re interested in splurging on high-end offerings or turning to more affordable options, one thing is clear. If you’re drinking Irish whiskey this month, you’ll find it damn difficult to be disappointed. Sláinte!
