Liquor stores picking their own barrel is out. Government agencies forming international partnerships to bring unique Irish whiskeys to the U.S. is in. Or at least I hope this is the first of many.
The New Hampshire Liquor Commission and Bord Bia, the Irish Food Board, teamed up to give the NH Liquor & Wine Outlet customers exclusive access to a collection of unique Irish whiskeys. Meanwhile, my local ABC store in Charlotte struggles to get a bottle of Buffalo Trace.
The 20 ultra-premium Irish whiskeys have little to no distribution in the U.S. and are all extra-aged, special cask finishes, or unique blends. For example, it includes Fercullen Single Malt Marsala Finish, a 22-year-old single malt, and The Irishman 17-Year-Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey, of which only three casks exist.
Hopefully, this general concept will continue to grow. The NHLC and Bord Bia partnership is a great starting place, given that many people only picture Jameson regarding Irish whiskey. Meanwhile, there’s such a wide range of amazing spirits to explore. I’ll gladly get nuts with single-origin collections.
Spirit of Ireland Event
The downside is that the partnership only benefits the folks in New Hampshire or near enough to drive. Kudos to you, Granite State. If you do happen to live in NH, you can try all 20 Irish whiskeys at the “Spirit of Ireland” event on March 7 at the Manchester Country Club in Bedford. Tickets are $65, which seems ridiculously cheap.
Irish whiskeys included in the new partnership
Drumshanbo Single Malt 2023 Galanta Release ($89.99)
With only 5,000 cases of the Drumshanbo Galanta Release Single Malt whiskey worldwide, this rare mix boasts excellent and rich flavors in every sip. As the first Irish whiskey from the Western province of Connacht in over 107 years, every drop has been triple-distilled by The Shed Head Distillery to guarantee a smooth finish.
Waterford Cuvee Irish Whiskey ($89.99)
The Waterford Cuvee Irish Whiskey is produced through blends from 25 individual farms that have generated the highest quality barley and aged the mixture for six years. This Irish single malt whisky was finished in a combination of first-fill and virgin American Oak, French Oak and sweet wine casks to provide a series of unique tasting notes.
Teeling Wonders of Wood Single Pot Still ($89.99)
Recognized as the World’s Best Single Pot Still Whiskey in 2022, this bottle is crafted using rare styles of wood for maturation. The Teeling Wonders of Wood Single Pot Still whiskey contains a recipe of 50% malted barley and 50% unmalted barley which has been triple-distilled and fully matured in virgin Portuguese Oak casks at Teeling Whiskey’s Dublin distillery.
West Cork IPA Cask Matured Irish Whiskey ($29.99)
The West Cork IPA Cask Matured Irish whiskey is a combination of 75% Irish wheat and 25% malted barley, which has been triple-distilled in copper pot stills and aged four years in first-fill bourbon casks. The blend is finished for 6 months in casks that previously held the rich contents of Black of Kinsale IPA Beer.
West Cork Stout Cask Matured Irish Whiskey ($29.99)
Similar to the West Cork IPA Cask Matured whiskey, this bottle is a 75% and 25% fusion of grain and malt Irish whiskey. The blend was triple-distilled and aged in first-fill bourbon casks for four years, and soon after, aged for an additional six months in casks that once held Ireland’s Blacks of Kinsale’s Stout.
Clonakilty Irish Barley Wine Cask ($59.99)
The Clonakilty Irish Barley Wine Cask is a unique and smooth mixture exclusively offered in New Hampshire. This single cask started its journey at Black Button Distillery in Rochester, New York to then be locally transferred to Rohrbach Brewing Company, where it was filled with barley wine ale and shipped to Ireland for the mix to be finished for an additional 13 months.
Clonakilty Irish Port Cask ($59.99)
The Clonakilty Irish Port Cask is one of three Port Cask single barrels available in the United States. Finished for seven months in a barrel from Portugal’s Douro Valley, this award-winning bottle offers a premium blend of single grain and single pot still whiskey.
Clonakilty Irish Rum Cask ($59.99)
The Clonakilty Irish Rum Cask originated from Martinique in the French West Indies. This whiskey spent eight months being finished before bottling, guaranteeing its complex flavors.
Writers’ Tears Marsala Cask Irish Whiskey ($99.99)
Aged in a 21-year-old single cask, this limited-edition blend is a combination of single pot and single malt whiskeys, finished in five Marsala Wine Hogshead casks from the Florio Winery in Sicily, Italy. The Writers’ Tears Marsala Cask Irish whiskey was A gold medalist in the International Spirits Challenge in 2022.
Writers’ Tears Tequila Cask Irish Whiskey ($94.99)
This unique mix is the first-ever tequila cask-finished Single Pot Still Irish whiskey. When assembling the blend, Writers’ Tears Single Pot Still Irish whiskey is first matured in bourbon barrels, before finishing the whiskey in Añejo Tequila barrels over nine months creating a perfected series of warm tasting notes.
Writers’ Tears Cask Strength Irish Whiskey ($169.99)
With only 8,700 bottles produced worldwide, the Writers’ Tears Cask Strength Irish Whiskey is a rich fusion of single pot still and single malt whiskey bottled without chill filtration and aged in rare American Oak bourbon barrels. Tasting notes include cinnamon, fennel, honey, pear and toffee, creating a spicy but fruity experience throughout every sip
Writers’ Tears Japanese Cask Irish Whiskey ($139.99)
This unique blend was initially a travel retail exclusive created to celebrate the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan. Today, this limited-edition oriental single cask showcases the stunning influence of Japanese Mizunara Oak from the foothills of Mount Fuji The triple-distilled mix of Irish single pot still is joined with Irish single malt to produce this award-winning blend, named the Best Irish Blended Limited Release at the Irish Whiskey Awards in 2023
The Irishman Single Malt Irish Whiskey ($59.99)
The Irishman Single Malt Irish Whiskey was matured in American Oak Bourbon and European Oak Oloroso Sherry casks, offering exceptional flavor and complexity. This mix holds rich tasting notes as it is triple-distilled and crafted from a mash bill made entirely of Irish barley.
The Irishman 17-Year-Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey ($199.99)
With only three casks produced each year, this single malt is triple-distilled from Irish barley and aged in a first-fill Oloroso Sherry butt. The Irishman 17-year-old Single Malt is bottled as a single cask expression without chill filtration, and was recognized as the Best Single Malt Whiskey 16 Years and Older by the 2023 Irish Whiskey Awards.
Fercullen Single Malt Marsala Finish ($249.99)
The Fercullen Single Malt Marsala is a 22-year-old single malt that is yet to be released in the United States. This product of Powerscourt Distillery was initially matured in an ex-bourbon barrel, to then be finished for over 2 years in a Marsala barrel, with natural coloration and non-chill filtration, the mix was bottled at 54.4% ABV and 108.8 proof.
Fercullen Single Malt Ex-Bourbon Finish ($109.99)
This 5-year-old triple-distilled Single Malt Irish whiskey was matured exclusively in an ex-bourbon barrel. With non-chill filtration and bottled at a cask strength of 61.3% ABV and 122.6 proof, this distinct mix is the first barrel in the United States and has only been produced in less than 300 bottles.
The Whistler Imperial Stout ($31.99)
The Whistler Imperial Stout is exclusively sold through once-a-year limited releases containing 3,000 bottles per batch available in the United States. This divine mixture is made when single malt casks are infused with the award-winning flavoring of O’Hara’s Irish Stout. The seasoned casks are filled with a blend of Irish malt and single-grain whiskeys, to then be aged for 12 months resulting in a perfected combination of roasted coffee and cocoa bean tasting notes.
The Whistler Dark Symphony ($39.99)
Unreleased in the United States, this mix acquires its rare finish through New Era Oak Cask Cognac barrels. Triple-distilled, the bottle features the finest Irish malt and grain whiskeys to create oak spiciness and candied fruit-tasting notes.
The Whistler 10-Year-Old French Oak Single Malt ($74.99)
Boasting a full-bodied and honey profile, the Whistler 10-Year French Oak Single Malt is first matured in American Oak and finished in French Oak barrels infused with the finest Bordeaux wine. This unique single malt combination of natural spices is unreleased in the United States.
The Whistler 16-Year-Old Palo Cortado Sherry Finish ($199.99)
Produced by Boann Distillery, in County Meath, Ireland, this blend features a rare variety of sherry flavoring. Only released in limited quantities, the mix is matured in second-fill bourbon barrels for 14 years, and finished in sweet Palo Cortado casks for two years to give it a rich and sophisticated taste.
