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Slideshow
Top Irish whiskeys
What better way to celebrate St Patrick’s Day than with a tipple or two of some of the world’s best Irish whiskeys.
Connemara, County Galway
Despite there now being just a handful of operational distilleries producing Irish whiskey, the category features a range of diverse products from blends to Irish single pot stills and single malts.
Irish whiskeys are usually triple distilled and are known for their less-smoky-than-Scotch flavour.
All Irish whiskey’s are required to be aged in wooden casks for at least three years with single malts made in pot stills from malted grains.
The majority of growth within the Irish whiskey category is led by Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard’s Jameson, which soared by 4.1% in 2012, but a host of other brands are now clipping at its heels.
So this 17 March, why not raise a toast to the patron saint of Ireland with one of these top rated Irish whiskeys as rated by winesearcher.com.
Scroll through to see the site’s top 10 rated Irish whiskeys…
Midleton 25 Year Old Pure Pot Still Irish Whiskey, County Cork, Ireland
Released just before the millennium and increasingly difficult to come by, this 25 Year Old single pot still whiskey is “complex” with a “wild array of spicy, oily, fruity and warming flavours”, according to the Celtic Whiskey Shop.
Single pot still Irish whiskey is made from a mash of both malted and unmalted barley and must be produced in pot stills. The word ‘single’ indicates that it is produced at a single distillery.
Winesearcher rating: 158369
Average price: £1,020
The Irishman Cask Strength Blended Irish Whiskey, County Cork, Ireland
The Irishman whiskey brand was created by Bernard & Rosemary Walsh who first founded the Hot Irishman Irish Coffee blend in 1999. Their company later expanded to include whiskey with the first Irishman whiskey’s released in 2007.
The Rare Cask Strength range is distilled three times in American Oak Casks with just 2,000 bottles produced each year, numbered and signed.
According to its makers, it has a “combination of soft bourbon notes and a light malty subplot with a light sprinkling of ginger” with a “long, chocolate, rich and sophisticatedly spiced” finish.
Winesearcher rating: 161783
Average price: £88
The Wild Geese Classic Blend Blended Irish Whiskey, County Louth, Ireland
This double distilled single malt and grain whiskey produced at the Cooley Distillery in County Louth, aged bourbon casks.
According to the Celtic Whiskey Shop, it has a “light, sweet, fruity taste, balanced and smooth with a “tingle of honey and citrus fruit.”
Winesearcher rating: 165322
Average price: £33
Greenspot 12 Year Old Pure Pot Still Irish Whiskey, County Louth, Ireland
Released in 2005 this Single Pot Still, cask strength whiskey was created to celebrate Mitchell & Sons 200th year in business – Ireland’s oldest Wine and Spirit merchant – with only 200 bottles made. Each one was signed by by R. Jonathan Mitchell.
Winesearcher rating: 169022
Average price: £578
Jameson 18 Year Old Master Selection Blended Irish Whiskey, County Cork, Ireland
A limited blend of three select cask whiskeys, Jameson’s Master Selection is matured for at least 18 years in American bourbon barrels and European oak casks. On the palate it has a notes of “fudge, toffee, spice, hints of wood and leather, vanilla and a gentle sherry nuttiness”, according to its makers.
Winesearcher rating: 186892
Average price: £90
Kilbeggan Distillery Reserve Irish Malt Whiskey, County Westmeath, Ireland
The latest addition to the Kilbeggan portfolio, its Reserve Irish Malt Whiskey is produced from 100% malted barley producing “an exceptionally smooth and flavoursome Irish malt whiskey” due to the narrow necks of this distillery’s ancient pot still design.
The Whisky Connoisseur at connosr.com, said it has a nose of “asparagus in melted parmesan butter, with a little red liquorice on the side”. On the palate it was described as having notes of “vanilla creme brulee and molten brown sugar” to “kiwis, cornbread and barbecue chicken.”
Winesearcher rating: 202964
Average price: £38
Danny Boy 15 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey, County Louth, Ireland
Only 2,500 bottles of this single malt whiskey, produced at the Cooley distillery, were produced – each with a numbered certificate numbered and signed by the Cooley Master Distiller Noel Sweeny.
Double distilled and matured for 15 years in American White oak casks, this whiskey is “sweet and rich” and “full of deeply exotic fruits with vanilla notes” with “golden toffee notes”, according to its makers.
Winesearcher rating: 224067
Average price: £75
Green Spot 10 Year Old Pure Pot Still Irish Whiskey, County Cork, Ireland
Released in 2005, along with its 12 Year Old counterpart, only 1,000 of this limited edition Greenspot was released to celebrate 200 years of trading of Irish Merchant’s Mitchel and Son’s.
According to the Celtic Whiskey Shop, Mitchel’s was one of many Dublin merchants to send their empty sherry butts to Jameson for filling with new spirit, which, after many years, would be used to make its Greenspot whiskey.
Winesearcher rating: 224067
Average price: £170
Powers Irish Special 15 Year Old Whiskey, Ireland
Powers was one of the first distilleries in the world to bottle its own whiskey. It was originally a pure pot still whiskey, but is now produced from a blend of pot still and grain whiskey and it the most popular Irish whiskey sold in Ireland, selling over 6 million measures per annum.
This 1970s whiskey is an old bottling by Powers whiskey which is now very rare. It would have been distilled at the old John’s Lane Powers Distillery in Dublin and originally exported to the Italian market.
Winesearcher rating: 233283
Average price: £408
I’m flabbergasted to learn that Irish whiskey in general, and The Irishman Cask Strength Blended Irish Whiskey in particular, are “… distilled in wooden casks for at least three years ….”
No wonder Irish whiskey tastes so distinctly different. Who knew?
Scotch whiskeys are aged a minimum three years, but with the competition of other whiskeys,, i.e. Irish and later canadians and american whiskeys, the Scots decided to pass a law of not bottling thier whiskeys at less than four years of aging…also in casks that HAD BEEN USED BY THE WINE AND PORT people in France and Portugal. The higher blends would use casks that had been used by exporters (mostly Dutch ) who, wanting to carry more than before, had distilled the wine to its smaller form,(to carry more in the sailing ships)…with intention of remaking it on arrival. But this process is what brought us to know brandy (burnt wine as the Dutch called it). The French seeing it as an opportunity copied the process and discovered “Cognac”! The appelletion VSOP has two translations (?) the French would say “versez sans oublier personne” meaning pour without passing anyone . The other meaning and what is probably the more logicle version…would be ” very savory old pale.
You can’t beat Irish whiskey!
The only thing better than Irish nectar is Another one, please.
Did you not get paid by Bushmill?…best Irish whiskey..!!
12 day buddy golf trip & only the top ten… Any suggestions for the other two evenings? Bushmills & ???
Which of the Irish Whiskeys should my playing partners stay away from?
I would go with Bushmills Black Bush and Tullamore DEW
FYI – if you are going to write as an authority on Irish whiskey, get your facts right. No such hing as green spot 10 and 12 year whiskeys. Green spot is 10 years, yellow spot is 12 years.
Yellow Spot is sooooo much better than all of these. Too bad you couldn’t get your hands on one.
David,
The bottles of two of the selections in the slideshow are “Green Spot” and “12”. I’m not an authority on this but pointing out the probably source of the association. So I Googled Green Spot and Yellow Spot and found that both are brands from two different distilleries. Mitchell and Son for Green Spot and Irish Distillers for Yellow Spot.
Cheers
Redbreast 12, what happened? This is an excellent representation of Irish.
Redbreast 12, I like it, haven’t seen it lately, what do you mean”what happened”
Hail Irish whiskey.
I am 51 years old and have always chosen to drink sour mash. A couple of months ago I tried Jameson. OH MY GOD! It is so sad when you figure out just what you have been missing. It was not the 12 or 18 year old, just regular Jameson and I don’t have to go any further.
Sooo true about Jameson!! My son says, “Mom, the way you talk about Jameson is just weird!” He says if I am out with him, I can’t order Jameson!! Only a TRUE Irish Whiskey lover can understand!!!
About 6 years ago I drank Bourbon (which I still love) and Johnny Walker black. One night in a bar a friend said he bought me a shot Jameson and I have loved Irish ever since. So far I guess because Jameson was my 1st, it is my favorite. I have tried Reg Jameson, 12,18,gold reserve and black Reserve. I have had Red Breast, Kennapoque Castle, Kilbeggans, Tulimore Dew, Two Gingers. I love them all. If I have to pick a favorite, have to be reg Jamesons, black and Ken. Castle, but the difference is ever so slight on all of them. Also, I will take any of them over any Scotch out there. As far a Bourbon 2 different things, they have their own place. I love my bourbons too.
This list is horrible. Please anyone who doesnt know about Irish Whiskey dont listen to this.. If you want to start with the 2 best Irish Whiskeys go for Midleton (the regular midleton which runs about $140) and Redbreast 12 or 15 year (appx $50 & $75).. They are better than most popular scotches and most everything on this list.. Enjoy and your welcome..
My last name is Cooney – I know Iriah whiskey and no of you are correct.
Whiskey is not “distilled in barrels”. It is distilled in a still and AGED in barrels. An “expert” website ought to be accurate, no?
According to my Mom who just returned from Ireland Paddy’s is the best and most popular Irish Whiskey in Ireland. It’s hard to find in the US apparently. Matter fact she’s having a glass of it right now for New Year’s Eve.
Been a Scotch drinker since I was a teenager but I switched to Irish whiskey about five years ago because it is just as tasty but smoother. I can’t afford the really expensive Irish whiskeys but I have consumed almost all the less expensive ones. My favorite–hands down–Red Breast 12.
I remember being 8 years old, my great-uncles gave me a shot glass of Irish Whiskey, and said, boy you need to learn your heritage. I did, I went into the front room, my mother askef what I was doing, I told her. She stood up, and my great-uncles said sit down. This boy needs to know his heritage. She sat down, and I knew what IRISH was. GO NOTRE DAME AND AM PROUD!!!!
Just try a Jameson’s, you won’t have to spend double the price for an Irish that is about 0.5% better. Unless you’re a whiskey snob of course. “Down the hatch” as we say in County Antrim.
No real Irishman would name their whisky “Danny Boy.” Those lame lyrics were written and copyrighted by English lawyer Frederic Weatherly in 1913. While the melody was originally known as “Derry Air” after the Irish County, when Northern Ireland becamse subserviant to the British, both the county and the tune changed to “Londonderry.” Danny Boy is as Irish as Shel Silverstein’s “Unicorn Song” or corned beef – which was an export for the wealthy British, and not even consumed by the down-trodden Irish because we couldn’t afford it. That’s why we eat stew and praties!
hi …..have you ever heard of an irish whiskey called “inishargy”. I have found an old water jug with this name on it. I can send you pictures if you reply to this e.mail…….kevin
Redbreast 12 is an outstanding example of what Irish Whiskey should be. It is a consistent winner at all serious spirits competitions. Additionally most publications and reviewers rave over this world class expression. The fact that Redbreast 12 was not listed in this review prompts my statement, “what happened.” This is not to say that other Irish Whiskeys are not good, but I would insist that Redbreast 12 is as good as or better than most listed in this review.
Now this is my fav “uisce beatha” Irish for “water of life” or as ye all know it as Whiskey !!!! , expensive in my local ….”oconnors of Ballyboughal” @ €18.60 a shot but my god is she tasty!
Midleton Rare Premium Irish Whiskey . Now who’s going tell me that’s not tasty????
love both green and yellow spot……but my favorite irish whiskey that won’t break the bank is …teelings….relatively new…i think it is only been in buisness for about 5 years…dying to try that middleton 25 yr though
Only tried Jameson and was happy until I read above comments. I have decided to spend some of my retirement sampling others. Knowledge is a wonderful thing. Jameson by far better than anything Scottish.
Teeling , your opinion