Exploring Irish Whiskey

THE EMERALD ISLE'S BEST CAN BE SORTED INTO THREE DISTILLATE BUILDING BLOCKSAND MYRIAD BLENDS

- JONNY MCCORMICK

IN Ireland, streams of whiskey are flowing again. Best known for smooth, golden, blended whiskeys, the Emerald Isle is having a phenomenal run, now offering a wide spectrum of delicious styles and flavors. The industry endured a mid-20th century slump—at one point reduced to just two distilleries—but now boasts more than 40 operational distilleries.

In just over a decade, global sales of Irish whiskey have grown from fewer than 5 million 9-liter cases per year to more than 14 million cases. While the standard blends from Jameson and Bushmills continue to perform, they’re now joined by premium renditions, a new wave of peated expressions and experiments in cask maturation. All this innovation and evolution is making Irish whiskey markedly better—and ever more collectible, too.

Irish whiskey can be divided into four main categories: single malt, single pot still, single grain and blends. The fourth, as you might expect, are combinations of two or more of these categories. Across the board, all styles of Irish whiskey must be matured in a wooden cask for a minimum of three years, with oak by far the most common wood used in aging.

Ready to enjoy Irish whiskey beyond St. Patrick’s Day? In this guide, you’ll find numerous high-scoring whiskeys reviewed by our sister publication, Whisky Advocate, as well as tips for picking the best of the best from Ireland’s golden bounty.

SINGLE MALT