Irish Whiskey for Bourbon Drinkers

This sourced blended whiskey is the first whiskey release from Niche Spirits while the brand plans its own distillery. While the most famous Quiet Man is John Wayne from the movie of the same name, the quiet man here is bartender John Mulgrew who knew how to keep a patron's secret.

Introduced in 2017, this blended Irish whiskey is triple-casked in heavily-toasted, medium-charred virgin oak, seasoned Tennessee whiskey barrels, and ex-oloroso sherry casks. Slane was founded in partnership with Brown-Forman and the Conyngham Family of Slane Castle, home of legendary open-air rock concerts since 1981. Slane Distillery sits adjacent to the castle. (SRP $28)

This limited edition Irish whiskey was made in collaboration with Endemol Shine North American and Caryn Mandabach Productions, the official brand owner and series producer for the British drama series Peaky Blinders. It was crafted by Bushmills' Master Distiller Colum Egan who blended together 3, 4, and 5 year-old Irish whiskeys which had aged separately in ex-bourbon barrels. It's bottled at 92 proof without chill-filtration. The bottle is a recreation of a vintage Bushmills bottle which was used as a prop in several episodes of the series. Available in the US as of June 2022.

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.

Diageo re-entered the growing Irish Whiskey category early 2017 by releasing Roe & Co, a blended Irish whiskey made from grain and malt whiskeys. Roe & Co Irish Whiskey matured in bourbon casks, a great proportion of which were first-fill barrels. Bottled at 45% ABV without chill-filtration. (SRP $34.99)

Writers' Tears is a brand owned by the Walsh Whiskey Distillery, the same folks that are behind The Irishman line of whiskeys. This was produced at an undisclosed distillery. It is a blend of single-pot still and triple-distilled malt whiskeys and was aged in ex-bourbon casks. The vatting of the two types were done by Bernard Walsh. (SRP $45)

Jameson Black Barrel is a whiskey comprised of (a high proportion of) single pot still and grain whiskey aged first in a mix of ex-sherry and ex-bourbon. The whiskey is then aged in extra charred ex-bourbon barrels, hence the name. The age of the whiskey ranges from 8-16 years of age.

McConnell's Irish Whisky is a brand that was first established in Belfast in 1776 by brothers John & James McConnell and is the oldest whisky brand to come from Ireland. Although the brand went dormant in 1958, Conecuh Brands has relaunched it in 2020. Great Northern Distillery based in Co. Louth made the whisky as the brand awaits its own distillery in Belfast to open. This is an Irish blend that aged 5 years in American oak. Bottled at 42% ABV.

Crafted at Irish Distillers' Midleton Distillery, Powers Irish Rye Whiskey is made from 100% Irish rye sourced from the Cooney Furlong Farm in Co. Wexford. The rye whiskey was aged in a mix of virgin oak, first fill and refill casks. Bottled at 43.2% ABV, Powers Irish Rye will be released from 20th February 2023 in the US, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Dublin Airport and online at PowersWhiskey.com with other markets to follow in the coming months. SRP €40 (US$32/£32)

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.