The best Irish whiskey

Irish whiskey: an introduction

The last few years have seen an exciting resurgence in Irish whiskey, with distilleries old and new producing some of the world’s best spirits. From just four to more than 30 and counting in the space of 10 years, if the boom in new distilleries is anything to go by, then the Irish whiskey category is coming back stronger and better than ever.

With new brands coming to the market every month, it can be difficult to know exactly who is nailing it and what you should be looking for when it comes to choosing the right bottle from the Emerald Isle.

What you need to know

All Irish whiskey must be aged for a minimum of three years in wooden barrels such as oak in Ireland (including Northern Ireland). There are currently four spirit categories in Irish whiskey:

Single malt: made by one distillery, distilling 100% malted barley in a pot still. Typically giving notes of toasted oak, biscuits and malt chocolate.

Single grain: made by one distillery, distilling no more than 30% malted barley with the majority unmalted cereals (typically corn, wheat or barley) and distilled in a column still. This style usually gives light floral notes of sweet grain and honey.

Single pot still: made by one distillery, distilled from a minimum of 30% malted barley and a minimum of 30% unmalted barley with up to 5% cereals added. This is classed as the most traditional style of Irish whiskey. It’s classically a heavier style with flavours that can range from baking spices and vanilla to rich Christmas cake.

Blended: a combination of two or more styles of Irish whiskey blended together. A very exciting classification of whiskey which allows brands the space to create stunning blends.

As Irish whiskey is not strictly held to maturing in oak casks, there has been a huge surge in exciting cask aging outside of the whiskey norm. Another point to keep in mind is that while a lot of brands will triple distil their whiskey, it is not a legal requirement, and is instead a style that adds to the adventurous nature of the category.

Not sure where to start? Check out our pick of some of the most category-defining and innovative Irish whiskeys out currently. As a lot of brands are testing the water with products, you might have to be quick to snap up a new Irish whiskey gem. Then, try our recipe for Irish coffee.

Best Irish whiskey to buy at a glance

• Best Irish whiskey for beginners: Green Spot single pot still, £42.90
• Best easy-drinking Irish whiskey: Samuel Gelston's single malt, £26.70
• Best smoky Irish whiskey: Micil Inverin small batch, £44.50
• Best for summer: Teeling single grain whiskey, £43.95
• Best Irish whiskey blend: Pearse Lyons ‘The Original’ Five-Year-Old blend, £41.99
• Best example of whiskey bonding: JJ Corry The Flintlock 14 Year Old Batch 2, £144.90
• Best unique flavour: Currach Atlantic Wakame seaweed cask, £52
• Best small-batch Irish whiskey: W.D. O’Connell Bill Phil Batch 02, £61.99
• Best budget Irish whiskey: Jameson Original blended and triple distilled, £20
• Best classic Irish whiskey: Bushmills 10-Year-Old Irish single malt, £33.25
• Best luxury Irish whiskey: Redbreast 27-Year-Old Ruby Port Cask single pot still, £479

Best Irish whiskey to buy 2024

Green Spot single pot still

• Available from Master of Malt (£42.90), The Whisky Exchange (£44.75), Harvey Nichols (£50)

Best Irish whiskey for beginners

A favourite of newbies and connoisseurs alike, Green Spot is a seven to 10-year-old whiskey boasting an elegant and rich body with notes of baking spices, crisp green apples and chewy toffee, showcasing the single pot still category very well. It’s also a great whiskey for an old fashioned, making a sweet and balanced cocktail.

Available from:
Master of Malt (£42.90)
The Whisky Exchange (£44.75)
Harvey Nichols (£50)

Samuel Gelston's single malt

Best easy-drinking Irish whiskey

An easy-drinking and approachable whiskey matured in ex-bourbon casks, this has aromas of cereal, spice, vanilla and orchard fruit that develops into lots of nuttiness on the palate. A good choice for cocktails, try in an old fashioned.

Micil Inverin Small Batch

Best smoky Irish whiskey

Warm and rounded, this peated and triple cask-finished blended whiskey has an evocative bonfire smokiness, along with spiciness, vanilla and notes of baked orchard fruit.

Teeling single grain

• Available from Master of Malt (£41.95), The Whisky Exchange (£42.75), Amazon (£41.94)

Best for summer

A corn-heavy triple-distilled Irish whiskey aged exclusively in French oak ex-cabernet sauvignon casks from California, expect sweet marmalade flavours and a dry red wine finish. Made for a highball drink on a hot summer’s day.

Available from:
Master of Malt (£41.95)
The Whisky Exchange (£42.75)
Amazon (£41.94)

Pearse Lyons ‘The Original’ Five-Year-Old Blend

• Available from The Bottle Club (£41.99)

Best Irish whiskey blend

From the skilled brewing and distilling Lyons family, The Original is a Dublin blend of malt and grain whiskey with smooth notes of vanilla, caramel and oak. Part of this whiskey has been distilled in their stunning St. James’s Church distillery.

Available from:
The Bottle Club (£41.99)

JJ Corry The Flintlock 14 Year Old Batch 2

• Available from The Whisky World (£144.90)

Best example of whiskey bonding

Whiskey bonding refers to the practice of sourcing spirit from other distilleries to be matured, blended and bottled. Once widespread in Ireland, the art of bonding had all but died out until a few years ago, when it made a comeback thanks to modern whiskey bonder J.J Corry.

From a 400-bottle second batch, The Flintlock showcases J.J. Corry’s blending and bonding skill, having created what is effectively an alcoholic vanilla ice cream with helpings of luscious syrupy pear notes and a long finish. Enjoy as a treat to kick off a bank holiday weekend in style.

Available from:
The Whisky World (£144.90)

Currach Atlantic Wakame seaweed cask

• Available from Irish Malts (£52)

Best unique flavour

Aged in first-fill American oak barrels before being finished in seaweed charred casks, this single malt boasts unique sweet maritime flavours, white pepper and an umami finish.

Available from:
Irish Malts (£52)

W.D. O’Connell Bill Phil Batch 02

• Available from The Vineyard (£61.99)

Best small-batch Irish whiskey

A small-batch, triple-distilled peated Irish whiskey with balancing notes of sweet smoke, stewed orchard fruits and rich malted biscuit. A continuation in the Bill Phil range and limited to 600 bottles, this is a gem in the Irish whiskey world.

Available from:
The Vineyard (£61.99)

Jameson Original blended and triple distilled

Best budget whiskey

The world’s biggest selling Irish whiskey and for good reason. It is a vanilla-filled, smooth and approachable whiskey aged in ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks. Jameson is still one of the best all-round whiskeys pound for pound for every occasion.

Bushmills 10-Year-Old Irish single malt

Best classic Irish whiskey

Aged for a minimum of 10 years in ex-bourbon and oloroso sherry casks, Bushmills 10 is the benchmark of Irish single malts. It brings to the palate lashings of malted biscuits and honey, and is great in a manhattan.

Redbreast 27-Year-Old ruby port cask single pot still

• Available from The Whisky Exchange (£479)

Best luxury Irish whiskey

As the oldest permanent expression in the Redbreast family this does not disappoint. Each component has been matured for at least 27 years in ruby port, oloroso sherry and bourbon casks which creates one of the most astounding whiskeys in the world. Notes of blackcurrants, fresh stone fruit, nutmeg, honey, raisins and the list goes on. A whiskey saved for a special occasion that will definitely make it even better.

Available from:
The Whisky Exchange (£479)

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