Eight Irish whiskeys to enjoy on St. Patrick’s Day
Barley visited this bar in Dingle to sample a few local drams
From historic Dublin pot stills to award-winning Belfast malts and craft distilleries on the remote west coast, here are the essential Irish whiskeys to toast St. Patrick’s Day in style
Often described as the perfect middle ground between the cereal-forward profile of Scotch and the sweet, corn-heavy embrace of Bourbon, Irish whiskey is primarily defined by its incredible smoothness. This is largely due to the tradition of triple distillation – one more round than most Scots – and the unique use of Single Pot Still whiskey. This method uses a mix of both malted and un-malted barley, resulting in a creamy mouthfeel and a signature spicy kick that sets it apart from any other spirit on the planet. Whether you're a seasoned connoisseur or a casual sipper, the Emerald Isle has a bottle for every palate.
Green Spot Single Pot Still
The Spot range has a delightful history as a bonder’s whiskey. In the early 1900s, the Mitchell & Son wine merchants in Dublin would send their empty wine and sherry casks to the local Jameson distillery to be filled with spirit, then mark the barrels with a dab of coloured paint to denote their age. Produced today at the legendary Midleton Distillery in County Cork (opened in 1975 to replace the old site), Green Spot remains a cult favourite. It’s a fresh, vibrant dram tasting of green apples, honey, and toasted oak. It’s famously light and approachable, making it the perfect partner for a sharp Irish cheddar or even a slice of apple tart.
Buy Green Spot From £43.90
Redbreast 12 Year Old
If Green Spot is the fresh morning of Irish whiskey, Redbreast is the warm, cosy evening. Also hailing from Midleton, Redbreast is the world’s best-selling single pot still whiskey. It earned its name because the chairman of the company at the time was a keen birdwatcher (a redbreast being of the robin variety). This 12-year-old expression is a sherry-cask heavyweight, packed with notes of dried fruits, Christmas cake, and a luxurious, oily texture. It’s basically a hug in a glass. Try it alongside some dark chocolate or a rich beef stew; the spices in the whiskey cut through the fat beautifully.
Buy Redbreast 12 Year Old From £55.75
McConnell’s 20-Year-Old (Old Cromac Collection)
McConnell’s is a name with serious heritage, originally founded in Belfast in 1776. After a long hiatus following a warehouse fire and the woes of Prohibition, the brand made a triumphant return to its home city, recently opening a stunning new distillery inside the wings of the historic Crumlin Road Gaol. To celebrate this homecoming, they released the Old Cromac Collection, and the 20-year-old expression has already been crowned Best Single Cask Irish Whiskey at the World Whiskies Awards. This single malt spent 19 years in Bourbon casks before a final flourish in Tawny Port pipes. It’s a sophisticated symphony of creamy white chocolate, dried strawberries, and a surprising tropical finish of kiwi and grapefruit. Given its prestige and Best in Class status, it’s the ultimate show-off bottle for a St. Patrick’s Day celebration. Pair it with a rich fruit-based dessert or simply a quiet moment of reflection.
Buy McConnell’s 20-Year-Old From £265
Teeling Small Batch
Teeling is the brand that single-handedly fired up the Dublin whiskey scene when they opened their doors in 2015, the first new distillery in the city for over 125 years. Located in the historic Liberties area, they aren’t afraid to break tradition. Their Small Batch is a blend finished in Central American rum casks, which adds a funky, tropical sweetness to the classic Irish profile. Expect flavours of vanilla, dried herbs, and a distinct pineapple zing. It is arguably the best-value bottle on this list and makes for a world-class Whiskey Sour.
Buy Teeling Small Batch From £33.95
Bushmills 10 Year Old
Heading north to County Antrim, we find Old Bushmills, which holds the oldest grant to distill in the world (dating back to 1608). Unlike the southern 'pot still style, Bushmills is famous for its triple-distilled single malts. The 10-year-old is their flagship – elegant, crisp, and surprisingly floral. It tastes like melted honey on toast with a hint of milk chocolate. Because it’s so clean and refined, it’s a brilliant aperitif whiskey. If you’re feeling adventurous, it’s also pairs exceptionally well with fresh oysters.
Buy Bushmills 10 Year Old From £40
Waterford The Cuvée
Waterford is the science nerd of the Irish whiskey world. Founded in 2015 by Mark Reynier (the man who resurrected Bruichladdich in Scotland), this distillery is located in an old Guinness brewery in Waterford city. They are obsessed with terroir, the idea that the soil and farm where the barley is grown changes the flavour of the whiskey. The Cuvée is their masterpiece, a blend of several single-farm origins. It’s a complex, cereal-forward malt with notes of grapefruit, orange zest, and damp earth. It’s a thinker’s whiskey, best enjoyed neat with a tiny drop of water to open up the layers.
Buy Waterford The Cuvée From 68.90
Dingle Single Malt
Located on the far western edge of Ireland in the beautiful County Kerry, Dingle Distillery opened in 2012 as one of the early pioneers of the craft whiskey movement. Their location is so remote and atmospheric that the sea air practically seasons the barrels. Their core Single Malt is matured in a mix of Bourbon and Pedro Ximénez sherry casks, offering a brilliant balance of salted caramel and dark raisins. It’s a bold, artisanal dram that feels like a trip to the Atlantic coast. It’s particularly good when sipped by a fireplace after a long walk.
Buy Dingle Single Malt From £50
Writer’s Tears Copper Pot
Created by Walsh Whiskey (who recently opened a stunning site in County Carlow), Writer’s Tears is a tribute to the champagne of Irish whiskey – a 19th-century style that blends Single Pot Still and Single Malt together. Legend has it that when Irish writers like Joyce or Yeats were struggling with writer's block, they would weep tears of whiskey (we wish!). This Copper Pot expression is famously soft and sweet, with flavours of ginger, butterscotch, and lemon peel. It’s a light-hearted, poetic dram that goes perfectly with a good book and a ginger snap biscuit.
Buy Writer's Tears From £41.20
