Irish Whiskey Reviews

Poitin, pronounced 'poe-cheen', is the original 'uisce beatha', the water of life. The pre-cursor and grandfather of Irish Whiskey, Irish Poitin has a long, sometimes illicit, history. Referred to by many as moonshine, un-aged whiskey, or mountain dew, Poitin has gone from un-licensed spirit to protected category in Ireland. After being banned for over 200 years, Irish Poitin received protected category status in 2016 under the Geographic Indication (GI) European regulations.  As a protected category, to be called Irish Poitin, the spirit has to abide by rules much like Irish Whiskey. To make Irish Poitin, you must have a license...

  The Waterford Distillery is aptly named, not just because of its location, but because it has arguably been making 'waves' since its opening in 2015. Founded by maverick Mark Reyneir, Waterford Distillery has been breaking boundaries and challenging traditional norms in the Irish Whiskey industry ever since. From the beginning, Waterford espoused the idea of terroir in whiskey, a concept traditionally used for wine. Trumpeting the use of Irish barley, Waterford created a plan utilizing a vast network of Irish farms to produce unique Irish single malt whiskey. This plan was met with some skepticism as others championed the...

2024 is shaping up to be a big year in Irish Whiskey. Several of the new wave of Irish distilleries have launched their inaugural releases this year. Clonakilty is part of this trend having launched their Single Pot Still in Ireland earlier this year. In September, their first 100% distilled at Clonakilty Distillery expression made its way from the Wild Atlantic Way to US shores.  The Clonakilty brand is no stranger to US Irish whiskey fans having had a strong presence for a number of years both in retail stores and with their US online store. Clonakilty is arguably the...

  Triple Dog is a blended Irish Whiskey brand launched in the United States in early 2023. Founded in Texas, this new independent brand is geared for the American market.   How do you set yourself apart as a new entry in a crowded market? You lean heavily on marketing. So many 40% abv sourced independent Irish whiskey brands are based on places, people, or history in Ireland. Triple Dog does none of this but rather highlights its origin story. The brand name is derived from the popular phrase 'triple dog dare' after friends in a Dublin pub expressed bravado about starting...

The Limavady Single Malt burst onto the Irish Whiskey scene in 2021 to much fanfare. Limavady's history mirrors many other Irish whiskey brands which flourished until the early 20th century before shuttering due to wars and US Prohibition among other factors. Now back after more than 100 years, the re-launched version brings many unique qualities to the growing Irish whiskey scene. The Limavady Distillery opened in 1750 in the town of Limavady located between Derry and Coleraine along the Causeway Coast of now Northern Ireland. Known for its single malt, the distillery ultimately closed in 1915. The Limavady name is derived from...