10 of the Best Irish Whiskeys
Irish whiskey has always been a testament to the rich heritage and exceptional allure of Ireland. With a variety of flavors, aromas, and finishes, these spirits have captivated whiskey enthusiasts worldwide. At The Barrel Tap, we pride ourselves on offering the finest selection of Irish whiskeys to elevate your collection or gift to a loved one. Below, we explore the ten best Irish whiskeys, each unique and worthy of a spot on your top shelf.
Summary
- Redbreast 27: Rich, luxurious, and aged to perfection.
- Gold Spot: A blend of tradition and innovation.
- Red Spot: Complex and full-bodied.
- Writer’s Tears Cask Strength: Bursting with character and flavor.
- Bushmills 21: A pinnacle of Irish whiskey.
- Powers 12: Robust and lingering.
- Midleton Barry Crockett: Refined and poised.
- Redbreast 12 Cask Strength: Complex and full-flavored.
- Teeling Single Grain: Unique and modern.
- Connemara 12: Vibrant and evolving.
1. Redbreast 27 Year Ruby Port Casks
A. Bottle Information
Triple-distilled and matured in the finest bourbon, sherry, and ruby port casks for no less than 27 years. This luxurious whiskey offers an exceptional blend of exotic fruits and spices.
B. Tasting Notes
- Nose: A succulent medley of exotic fruits, mango, pineapple, blood orange, and ripe red berries, complemented by fresh herbs, aromatic oils, and wood spices. Vanilla sweetness and treacle toffee add richness, while walnuts and toasted oak acknowledge the supreme cask selection.
- Taste: Incredibly rich in texture with a luxuriously fruity introduction. Ripe red-fleshed plums, black cherries, and summer berries are balanced by the prickle of chili oil. Cherry menthol introduces vanilla and cinnamon sweet spices combined with red pepper, nutmeg, and toasted oak for an intriguing complexity.
- Finish: A satisfyingly long balance of ripe fruit and wood spices, worthy of a journey of nearly three decades.
2. Gold Spot 9 Year Single Pot Still
A. Bottle Information
A thirteen-year aged whiskey, matured in a combination of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks, with a unique maturation in Valpolicella Ricciotto Italian wine casks for 16 months. This extraordinary expression blends Irish whiskey and Italian wine traditions.
B. Tasting Notes
- Nose: Red apples and dark fleshy fruits at first, accompanied by fragrant blossom notes with sweet and woody undertones. Spices of clove and light dustings of nutmeg along with subtle hints of almond.
- Taste: Luscious and sweet with generous servings of red berry compote, toffee apple, and raisin. The wine-seasoned casks and oak impart delicate tannins, working in tandem with pot still spices and fruits, while the sweetness adds intricate flavors.
- Finish: A lingering finish where the oak slowly fades, allowing the sweet wine and pot still spices to have the last word.
3. Red Spot 15 Year Single Pot Still
A. Bottle Information
A triple-distilled, single pot still Irish whiskey matured for a minimum of 15 years in a combination of bourbon, Oloroso sherry, and Marsala wine casks. This release delivers a full-bodied, complex, and characterful flavor.
B. Tasting Notes
- Nose: Pot Still spices with rich cooked fruit, baked apple, mango, and black cherry. Hazelnut and a touch of new leather fuse with toasted American Oak.
- Taste: A mix of ripe fruit sweetness from the Marsala seasoned wine casks. Sweet red pepper and cracked black pepper add spiciness, finished by notes of American Oak and barley.
- Finish: An extra long infusion of fruits and spices.
4. Writer’s Tears Cask Strength
A. Bottle Information
An exceptional marriage of aged Single Pot Still and aged Single Malt Irish whiskeys, selected from a handful of exceptional casks each year. Bottled at 54.8% ABV, this non-chill filtered whiskey is a full-bodied, high-strength, flavorsome whiskey with just 8,700 bottles created.
B. Tasting Notes
- Nose: Notes of ginger and pepper spice alongside rich butterscotch.
- Taste: Hints of toasted oak, biscuit, and dark chocolate mingle with sweet vanilla.
- Finish: An exceptional finish, bursting with character and flavor.
5. Bushmills 21 Year Single Malt
A. Bottle Information
Aged for a minimum of 19 years in former Oloroso sherry and bourbon-seasoned casks, then married and transferred into Madeira casks for a further 2 years. Awarded ‘Best Irish Single Malt 2013’ and a rare 96 points from Whisky Advocate.
B. Tasting Notes
- Nose: Huge depth that interweaves dried fruit flavors with spicy, aromatic maltiness, subtle nutty raisin notes, and a rich finish that seemingly never ends.
6. Powers 12 Single Pot Still
A. Bottle Information
John's Lane Release is a celebration of the original style of Powers Whiskey. Matured for 12 years, this whiskey offers a lingering, robust taste.
B. Tasting Notes
- Nose: An abundance of earthy aromas, leather, tobacco with layers of charred wood, dark chocolate, and treacle toffee.
- Taste: Full-bodied spice front followed by vanilla, honey, and dried apricot.
- Finish: Lingering honey sweetness on toasted oak.
7. Midleton Very Rare Barry Crockett Legacy
A. Bottle Information
Named after the celebrated second-generation Midleton Master Distiller, this whiskey is a selection of pot still whiskeys matured exclusively in American bourbon barrels, with a subtle contribution from a pot still distillate matured in an unseasoned American barrel.
B. Tasting Notes
- Nose: Elegant aroma of vanilla and toasted oak complimented by a touch of lime, succulent green berries, pears, and green sweet pepper.
- Taste: Light pepper carries onto fresh citrus, limes, and mandarin orange sweetness. A hint of cinnamon with vanilla and oak reveals its years spent in American oak.
- Finish: The full spectrum of flavors lasts well into the finish, slowly fading to expose the clean American oak foundation.
8. Redbreast 12 Year Cask Strength
A. Bottle Information
Made from a mash of malted and unmalted barley and triple distilled in copper pot stills, this whiskey is matured in a combination of bourbon seasoned American Oak barrels and Oloroso Sherry seasoned Spanish oak butts. The Cask Strength expression gives a full-flavored taste of Redbreast 12.
B. Tasting Notes
- Nose: Succulent exotic fruit with a little citrus, complementing deeper notes of dried apricot and sultana. Infusion of assorted spices and toasted wood.
- Taste: Rich, fully rounded, and mellow with luscious fruit and spices. Sweetness of vanilla and a touch of oak.
- Finish: Satisfyingly long with the sophisticated combination of fruit and spices slowly giving way to toasted oak, then barley.
9. Teeling Single Grain
A. Bottle Information
Crafted using an unconventional mash bill of 95% corn and 5% malted barley, triple distilled and matured exclusively in French oak ex-Cabernet Sauvignon red wine barrels. This single grain whiskey delivers a modern twist.
B. Tasting Notes
- Nose: Red grape, berry, spice, and sweetness.
- Taste: Smooth, spice, berry.
- Finish: Unique, tannic, short, dry.
10. Connemara 12 Year Peated
A. Bottle Information
A bright golden peated whiskey with vibrant aromas of crème brûlée, singed flowers, dense spices, and Provence herb soap. It offers a round, supple entry to a dryish medium-full body with layers of praline, vanilla bean, and exotic peppercorns.
B. Tasting Notes
- Nose: Vibrant aromas of crème brûlée, singed flowers, dense spices, and Provence herb soap.
- Taste: Round, supple entry to dryish medium-full body with layers of praline, vanilla bean, and exotic peppercorns.
- Finish: Very long, evolving honeyed cereal and grassy.
Discovering the best Irish whiskeys can be an enchanting journey through rich flavors and history. At The Barrel Tap, we're dedicated to bringing you the finest selections to enhance your collection or to find the perfect gift for someone special. Explore these exceptional whiskeys and more on our website, where each bottle tells a story of tradition and innovation.
For more in-depth whiskey explorations, check out our other articles and dive deeper into the world of fine spirits. Cheers!
