Irish Whiskey Reviews

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...

Teeling Distillery brought the "Spirit of Dublin" back to the historic Irish Whiskey city in 2015.  Teeling was the first new distillery to produce and release a Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey in Dublin back in 2018. Since that initial 3yr release of 50% malted and 50% unmalted barley, further maturation and cask types have created a range of Single Pot Still (SPS) whiskeys to encroach on the category style once exclusive to only Midleton Distillery.  The latest Teeling SPS bottling is the 3rd release from the Wonders of Wood series. Most Irish Whiskeys are matured in ex-bourbon American oak...

  The Tyrconnell Single Malt holds a special place in Irish Whiskey history. Upon its initial release almost 150 years ago, it became one of the best selling Irish whiskeys in the USA from one of the largest Irish distilleries.  In 1876, Andrew Alexander Watt at Watt Distillery honored his chestnut colt, The Tyrconnell, for winning the renowned The National Produce Stakes, despite odds of 100 – 1, by naming a single cask release after it. The whiskey remained part of the core range and a best seller until the distillery closed in 1925.  In 1988, John Teeling of Cooley acquired the...