Community Favorites: Affordable Irish Whiskeys

Unlike the Original bottling which is a blend, this 10 year bottling is a single malt aged in used bourbon barrels. The whiskey then finishes aging in a variety of types of used casks: used ex bourbon, ex Oloroso sherry, port wine, and Madeira wine.

This blended whiskey is made with both grain and malt whisky in 3:1 grain to malt ratio. These whiskeys are matured initially in ex-bourbon barrels before they are married and placed into Central American rum casks for up to 12 months. This rum finished whiskey is bottled at 46% ABV without chill-filtration. (SRP $32.99)

This single grain whiskey is produced using predominately corn with just a splash of barley. Typically, single grain whiskey is used for blending, but Greenore is not only produced to shine on its own, but is aged for 8 years. First fill bourbon barrels are utilized here.

2 Gingers is a twice distilled, blended whiskey made at the Kilbeggan Distillery. The founder of the brand, Irish born Kieran Folliard, launched the brand in Minnesota where he lives and owned four Irish pubs. Recently purchased by Beam, the product has now been launched nationwide.

Mark Edwin Andrews is an American who, in the 1960's, purchased, and with his wife, restored an Irish castle named Knappogue. He also acquired casks of Irish Whiskey which he aged and bottled for sale. Knappogue recently began to release age statement bottlings rather than vintage dating their bottles. This is a single malt whiskey that is triple-distilled and aged for 12 years in ex-bourbon casks.

Tyrconnell was an Irish whiskey brand produced at now defunct Watt Distillery. They named a whiskey after their horse, The Tyrconnell, which subsequently won a race at 100 to 1 odds back in 1876. This whiskey is currently distilled at Cooley Distillery (and soon at the refurbished Kilbeggan Distillery) and is a double distilled single malt whiskey. Most Irish whiskeys on the market are triple distilled and/or blended, but that is trend is slowly changing.

Tullamore D.E.W. Original is a blended Irish whiskey comprised of single malt, grain, and pot still whiskey. It's triple distilled and aged in three types of casks: refill barrels, ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks. D.E.W. are the initials of a Mr. Daniel E. Williams, a gentleman that worked for Tullamore back in the late 1880's. He made his way up the ranks from shoveling barley to Distillery Manager to owner. He stamped his initials on the bottles as a sign of quality and they have remained since.

Kilbeggan is a blended Irish whiskey brand that is double rather than triple distilled. It matures for a minimum of four years in ex-bourbon barrels. The Kilbeggan Distillery was restored in 2010 after previously being a museum and warehouse for aging whiskeys made at Cooley Distillery. Kilbeggan itself was distilled at Cooley Distillery so older bottlings may reflect that.

Launched in 2000, but not released in the US for another 10 years, the Special Reserve is a blended whiskey comprised of pure pot still and grain whiskies. The whiskey is between 12-24 years old and aged primarily in used American oak barrels.

It is probably fair to say that if you've ever consumed whiskey in your life, you've had Jameson Irish Whiskey. A stand-in wingman, it's been a reliable go-to even in the most barren of bars. As to some technical data, it is a blended whiskey comprised of single pot still and grain whiskeys all produced at the Midleton Distillery.