Review: The Dublin Liberties Oak Devil Irish Whiskey
The Dublin Liberties Oak Devil Irish Whiskey is one of four new Irish whiskeys Quintessential Brands recently released in the US. With names like Oak Devil, Copper Alley, Murder Lane, and Keepers Coin these whiskeys pay tribute to the Liberties, an area in Central Dublin with a history of whiskey distilling, The Guinness Brewery, tanneries, and textile mills. Dublin Liberties Distillery opened its doors March 2019 in a 400 year old former mill and tannery on Mill street. Built at a cost of over $11 million this distillery is only producing triple distilled malt whiskey. Master Distiller Darryl McNally is blending sourced Irish whiskeys while his own crafted whiskey matures in barrels. Oak Devil is a 5 year old blended whiskey made from 30% malt and 70% grain. It is aged for five years in ex-bourbon barrels and non chill filtered before bottling at 92 proof. Oak Devil had previously been released as a 3 year old expression. Oak Devil is named for a carved OAK DEVIL that in the 1700’s stood over the entrance to the Dublin Liberties inciting Mayhem and Damnation within the riotous quarter know as Hell. Read more 
Review: The Whistler Double Oaked Irish Whiskey
The Whistler Double Oaked Irish Whiskey is one of three new whiskeys in the February 2020 released Whistler Trilogy series. The other two are The Whistler Irish Honey, and The Whistler Irish Cream. Each is blended at Boann Distillery while their own distilled whiskey is barrel aged. Michael Walsh the Master Distiller at Boann Distillery selects the finest blend of malt and grain whiskies that are small batch triple distilled and matured in ex-bourbon barrels. The whiskey is finished at the Boann Distillery in their signature Oloroso Sherry Casks for six months before bottling at 80 proof. Read more
Review: Mr. Whiskey Irish Whiskey IPA Cask Finish
Mr. Whiskey Irish Whiskey IPA Cask Finish was just released. It is produced by Terra Spirits & Liqueurs in Bailieboro County Cavan Ireland. Mr. Whiskey pays homage to the son of one of Ireland’s renowned distillers who learned the craft of distilling from his father. He became an expert advisor to many of the craft distilleries throughout Ireland starting in the mid 18th century. He helped create some of the finest craft Irish whiskey on the island, earning the name Mr. Whiskey. This Special Edition Irish whiskey has been made from carefully selected Irish malted barley and grain which is triple distilled and blended in equal portions. The spirit is double cask matured in first-fill bourbon casks and finally rested in Irish IPA beer casks. Read more
Review: Jameson Caskmates IPA Edition
Jameson Caskmates IPA Edition is one of four beer barrel finished Irish Whiskies produced at the Midleton Distillery. IPA was their second release. It was launched in the US January 2018. Each starts with Original Jameson Irish Whiskey made from a blend of pot still and grain whiskey. It is triple distilled and aged for a minimum four years in previously used bourbon barrels and Spanish sherry casks. Like the previously reviewed Jameson Caskmates Stout Edition Jameson shared their whiskey barrels with Franciscan Well Brewery. They age their Chieftain IPA in these barrels and then return the IPA seasoned barrels. The Midleton Distillery then refills these barrels with their Original Jameson for a final finishing. Read more
Review: Roe & Co Irish Whiskey
Roe & Co Irish Whiskey has an amazing story that starting in 1757 when Peter Roe built a small distillery on Thomas Street in Dublin, Two years later Arthur Guinness set up his brewery across the street. By 1887 the Roe family had expanded the Thomas Street Distillery to 17 acres. They were producing 2 million barrels of whiskey each year. At the time they were the largest distillery in Europe and one in four Dublin residents worked in a brewery or distillery. In the late 19th century and early 20th century things changed. Competition from Scottish blended whiskey, Prohibition in the US, the Irish War of Independence, and a trade war with Britain caused most Irish whiskey distilleries to close. In 1926 the Thomas Street Distillery itself closed. In 2014 Diageo sold the Bushmills Irish Whiskey brand. By 2017 they got back in the Irish Whiskey game with the release of a new Roe & Co Irish Whiskey, and the construction of a new distillery at the old Guinness power house on Thomas Street. That distillery opened in 2019. While their own distilled whiskey is barrel aging Master Blender Caroline Martin and five elite Dublin bartenders tasted 120 different prototypes before selecting Number 106. Prototype 106 is a blend of over 100 blended malt and grain whiskeys aged in bourbon barrels and non chill filtered before bottling at 90 proof. Read more
Review: Jameson Caskmates Stout Edition
Jameson Caskmates Stout Edition is one of four beer barrel finished Irish whiskies produced at their Midleton Distillery. Stout was the first. It was released in 2015. The other varieties include Jameson Caskmates IPA Edition, Jameson Caskmates Topcutter IPA Edition, and Jameson Caskmates Revolution Brewing Edition. Each starts with the Original Jameson Irish Whiskey made from a blend of pot still and grain whiskey that is triple distilled and aged for a minimum four years in previously used bourbon barrels and Spanish sherry casks. The original story stated Caskmates was conceptualized in 2013 when two friends Dave Quinn, Master of Whiskey Science at Jameson Distillery and Shane Long, Head Brewer at Franciscan Well Brewery were having drinks together at a local pub. Soon after Jameson shared their whiskey barrels with Shane Long and he aged his Franciscan Wells Irish Stout Beer in these once used barrels. The results were amazing. Once returned Jameson refilled these stout seasoned barrels with Original Jameson Irish Whiskey. Pernod Richard recently acquired Eight Degrees Brewing and now the story on the redesigned bottles label reads Eight Degrees Brewing is the source of the stout seasoned barrels. Read more
Review: The Dead Rabbit Irish Whiskey
The Dead Rabbit Irish Whiskey was launched February 2018 in New York and New Jersey. Irish Whiskey Master Distiller Darryl McNally of the Dublin Liberties Distillery teamed up with Sean Muldoon and Jack McGarry Co-Founders of the award winning bar, The Dead Rabbit Grocery & Grog, to create the spirit. This New York bar holds the largest collection of Irish Whiskey in North America, and was twice named the number one bar in the world. The Dublin Liberties Distillery is located in a building which was once a tannery where rabbit fur was processed. They also produce The Dubliner line of Irish whiskey. Dead Rabbit takes its name from the notorious Irish immigrant street gang in New York City of the same name. Its leader John Morrissey would later become a Democratic Congressman and Senator. The Dead Rabbit is made from a blend of Irish single malt and grain whiskeys. It is aged for five years in bourbon casks and then finishes in small half size 24 gallon virgin oak casks made by Kelvin Cooperage in Louisville Kentucky especially for this spirit. The Dead Rabbit Grocery & Grog and The Dead Rabbit Irish Whiskey has generated a lot of hype, so I am excited to finally get my hands on a bottle of their Irish Whiskey. Read more
Review: Teeling Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey
Teeling Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey is the first whiskey to be distilled in Dublin in nearly 50 years. Prior to it’s release Teeling had sourced their whiskey from the Cooley Distillery that at one time was owned by the Teeling family. Teeling Single Pot Still pays homage to a Dublin style made famous by the now closed Dublin Whiskey Distillery. It is crafted using a uniquely Irish malt bill consisting of 50% malted and 50% un-malted barley that has been triple distilled and matured in a combination of American virgin oak, bourbon, and sherry casks. The whiskey is non chill filtered and bottled at 92 proof. Read more
Review: Teeling Single Malt Irish Whiskey
Teeling Single Malt Irish Whiskey is made from 100% malted barley from a range of differently aged barrels including a malt whiskey distilled in 1991. The whiskey is sourced from the old Cooley Distillery founded by John Teeling in 1987. Beam acquired the distillery December 2011. The Teeling Distillery was founded in 2015 by John’s sons, Jack and Stephen Teeling. After aging in ex-bourbon barrels, the whiskey is finished in 5 different wine casks including barrels used to mature Sherry, Port, Madeira, White Burgundy, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Teeling Single Malt is non chill filtered and bottled at 92 proof. Today is the first day of March, 16 days away from St. Patrick’s Day. It’s a good bet this will not be our last Irish Whiskey review between now and then. Read more
Review: Jameson Cold Brew
Jameson Cold Brew Irish Whiskey was just released as a Limited Edition. At one time there was one option for coffee flavored alcohol, and that was Kahlua. There are now dozens of coffee, espresso, and cold brew spirits including liqueurs, vodka, tequila, and rums. Curiously absent was coffee flavored whiskey. This is the first Jameson flavored expression. They had previously released their Caskmates series of beer barrel finished Jameson Whiskey. This initially consisted of an IPA Edition, and a Stout Edition. They followed that up with Topcutter IPA Edition, and Revolution Brewing Edition. As the name would suggest Jameson Cold Brew infuses their Original Jameson Whiskey with Cold Brew Coffee flavor. That flavor is made from Arabica beans grown in Brazil and Columbia. No sugar is added. Read more