Irish Whiskey Reviews

Accord Stone Irish Whiskey is an independent brand that launched in 2025. This premium sourced blend is named for an ancient part of Celtic folklore. So what is an Accord Stone? The story goes that ancient Celts placed standing stones containing a hole on common ground for the purpose of taking oaths or marriage vows, sealing agreements, and binding contracts. This was done by shaking hands through the stone. Most of these stones have been lost to time; however, there are several notable examples remaining in Ireland.  The most famous accord stone is probably located at the Old Head of...

Kilkenny, Ireland is credited as the birthplace of Irish Whiskey, attributed to the first written recipe of 'uisce beatha' in the Red Book of Ossory back in 1324. Ballykeefe Distillery brought whiskey making back to Kilkenny when it opened in 2016. Located just a few minutes outside Kilkenny city, Ballykeefe is a family owned, single farm, grain to glass operation.  The distillery is the brainchild of Morgan Ging, who after years of research, launched the distillery on the farm to diversify and sustain the family business for future generations. The artisinal, single estate operation began distilling in 2017, reviving a...

The Natterjack is Ireland's only native toad. An endangered species, the toad is hard to find but can be located primarily in County Kerry. Luckily, the Natterjack Irish Whiskey range is much easier to locate across the USA.  Natterjack toads are part of folklore and magic rituals which have a similar process to whiskey making. One ritual magic practice sought to obtain the toad bone, a talismanic object giving its holder power over horses. The ritual involved first placing a Natterjack toad in a copper pot with holes before then burying it in an ant hill long enough for the...

Boann Distillery's trilogy of core expression single pot still Irish Whiskeys arrived in the USA in 2025. Our April review coincides with Arbor Day to recognize Boann's dedication to planting 1,000 trees per year as part of their cask sustainability program. We wouldn't be going "out on a limb" to acknowledge Boann Distillery as both an innovator and restorer of Irish Whiskey's heritage. Boann Distillery, located in Drogheda, Co. Meath, started distilling in December 2019. Owned and operated by the Cooney family, Boann brought distilling back to Drogheda, once home to 18 Irish distilleries in Ireland's whiskey heyday. The distillery...

Irish Whiskey's 2nd renaissance is not just a revival of the industry but a resurgence led by innovation and experimentation. Examples include non-traditional wine cask finishing like marsala, bordeaux, and burgundy along with unique Irish oak, acacia, and chestnut wood aging. Beer cask collaborations have become commonplace along with increased use of oats, wheat, and rye into the unique single pot still style. Peated Irish whiskeys are also growing in volume adding to the extremely diverse range available today. Arguably the most distinctive Irish whiskey brand is Currach, due to its use of seaweed in the cask maturation process. Currach...