Irish Whisky is one of the most popular types of whisky on the planet. A type of spirit is made completely in Ireland (hence the name), and remains one of the greatest styles of whiskey in the world. Its exceptional smoothness is actually what makes it so popular.
Irish whisky is often compared to Scotch, as they are both older styles of the dark distilled spirit. There are a few types of Irish whisky available, namely blended Irish whisky, single malt Irish Whiskey, single pot still whisky, grain Irish whisky, single grain Irish whisky, and Potcheen.
Best Irish Whiskey Brands
There is a wide variety of Irish whisky available for grabs, and there are many breweries producing them. Here are 15 of the best Irish whisky:
JAMESON The Original Irish Whiskey (Triple Distilled)
JAMESON Irish Whiskey is a type of blended Irish whiskey. Originating from Ireland, this bottle has 40% of alcohol inside it, with a volume of 70cl. The best pot still and fine grain whiskeys were selected, and they go through triple distillation.
This process is to produce its signature smoothness to create an exciting bottle and one of the best Irish whiskeys. They are then aged in oak casks for a minimum of 4 years before being sold on shelves. Coming in a rich, deep amber colour, you can get yours for only RM245.
TEELING Small Batch Whiskey Miniature In Jar
The Teeling Whiskey Company is a new independent Irish whiskey company, and they produced this miniature bottle that comes in a jar, which is adorable. Do not look down on it though, as it contains up to 46% of alcohol in a 70cl bottle.
It is a great gift to be considered for Christmas, as it comes with a moulded screw-top glass jar with handles and a 5cl miniature bottle of Teeling Blended Irish Whiskey.
When opened, hints of vanilla and spice waft through the air, alongside sweet notes of golden rum.
BUSHMILLS Black Bush
Bushmills is one of the best Irish whiskey brands. The Bushmills Black Bush is a bottle of a rich, dark, Irish blended whisky that contains a high proportion of triple-distilled single malt. The bottle is also aged in Oloroso sherry casks for a period of 8 to 10 years before it is mixed with grains.
This bottle has a unique taste to it, with the first sips being overwhelming, and quickly turning into a light aftertaste that carries a hint of spicy fruit. A bottle costs approximately RM282 to purchase, and it comes in 70cl with 40 alcohol in it.
Teeling Single Malt Whiskey
The Teeling Single Malt Whisky is the third release in the premium range of Teeling expressions, which completes the set of non-age statements of best Irish whiskeys. The Single Malt bottling is made out of handpicked casks with extraordinary elements and taste, creating the best Irish Whisky has to offer.
This single malt Irish whiskey is a favourite among many! The bottle consists of different wine casks, Sherry, Port, Madeira, White Burgundy, and also Cabernet Sauvignon finished Irish Malt whiskeys. Similar to all Teeling whiskeys, this bottle has 46% of alcohol without any sort of chill filtration, which allows each part of the whiskeys’ natural flavors to be preserved.
SINGLETON Glen Ord 12 Year Old
This bottle is a remodelled version of the Glen Ord 12 years, set for part of Diageo’s ‘Singleton’ range that was meant to be released in the Japanese market only. It is a bottle of fruity and well-composed Singleton, with light and smooth flavours that do not compromise any depth of flavour or fullness of the palate itself. The Glen Ord is perfectly matchable with summer fruits and rose petals.
This version comes in special packaging that packs a Glen Ord glass tumbler, a pourer and a jigger, with sharing purposes implemented into it.
Tullamore Dew Original Irish Whiskey
This bottle of the best Irish whiskey is widely known throughout the world because of its smooth and gentle complexity, making it an extremely sought after blended Irish whiskey. Before it goes to the shelves, each bottle undergoes triple distillation to maintain the smooth texture and then aged in a combination of ex-bourbon and sherry casks. 
The whisky has party flavours on the palate, as it contains grain whisky, pot still whisky and malt. These ingredients reflect floral flavours, soft spicy notes, and also citrusy flavours respectively, in conjunction to each ingredient.
On a finishing note, there are hints of nutty and marzipan combined with strong vanilla tastes. This is all because of the sherry and bourbon casks used during maturation.
TULLAMORE DEW 10 Y.O Single Malt
A bottle of Tullamore Dew 10 contains 70cl and 40% of alcohol. This whisky is malt-blended and aged in old bourbon, port, madeira and sherry casks. This feat results in the 10 Year Old Single Malt Irish whiskey being the only whisky in Ireland to bring together whisky from four different types of used barrels, and is the only one of its kind in the world.
The TULLAMORE 10 Year Old Single Malt presents a deep golden honey look, which is very much different from the typical paleness of young and middle-aged Irish whiskeys. It gives off a smell of toasty oaks and drying tobacco, enhancing the experience.
Overall, the look and scent of the whiskey are very fetching, and the aroma in particular comes across as having a lot of complexity for a 10 Year Old.
BUSHMILLS 10 YO
This bottle of whisky is the standard for Bushmills as their constant single malt for quite a number of years. The end product is drawn from triple distilled malt that is aged in both bourbon and sherry casks. The sherry cask has a great influence on the subtlety of the whisky itself, giving a light and delicate taste to it.
This is more about good bourbon casks maturation and it has a creamy, yet light mouth feel, along with some crisp barley, warm vanilla and gentle pepper and spice flavours.
Knappogue Castle 12 Years Old Chateau Pichon Baron Finish
This bottle is an extremely rare and limited release, with only less than 1100 bottles produced that were able to hit the U.S. markets. The reason for its rarity is because it spent around 12 years in ex-bourbon barrels, and an additional 10 months in Pichon barrels from Bordeaux.
With such a long period of time taken for fermentation, the taste is sweet, light and juicy, with a finishing touch that gives you a traditional oakey/vanilla/spice profile from common spirits.
Emerald Isle Collectible Whiskey Set
Speaking of the best Irish Whiskey, this oldest triple-distilled bottle in the world is definitely a must-have. With its high cost and high difficulty in finding a bottle, it is one of the most sought after Irish whiskeys in the world.
The distiller, Craft Irish Whiskey Co. collaborated with Fabergé on this seven-piece custom-made whiskey set which celebrates the ‘Seven Wonders of Ireland’. Each set contains features two bottles of 30-year-old Irish whiskey, two exclusive creations from Fabergé, a humidor with two Cohiba Siglo VI Gran Reserva cigars, a gold-plated cigar cutter, gold plated water pipette, pure obsidian whiskey stones, a hip flask with a sample of the Emerald Isle whiskey and a carafe filled with Irish spring water from the same region where the whiskey was made.
The bottle is only obtainable through private auctions, so be ready to grab it if you see one.
The Irishman Single Malt
One of the most popular and best Irish Whiskeys is The Irishman Single Malt. The Walsh Whiskey Distillery is one of the distilleries in Ireland that produces amazing Irish whiskey. The Irishman is one of two labels produced there and the Single Malt is not only top-rated and award-winning, it is also a mid-range bottle that’s relatively affordable.
The distillery limits batches of this triple-distilled single malt to just 6,000 bottles. After ageing in oak bourbon barrels, it’s finished in Oloroso sherry casks. The taste offers delicious fruits, vanilla, and almond flavors wrapped in a perfectly sweet, exceptionally smooth, 80-proof whiskey.
Green Spot Single Pot Still
This particular bottle is made out of 7 and 10-year-old pot still whiskeys. The Green Spot Single Pot Still has pleasant aromas, including scents of banana muffin, creamy oat, and golden raisin that draws you in slowly. On par with the scent, the palate also experiences a promising delivery as well.
Beyond its depth of flavors, there’s a complex texture, which grabs the attention. Slightly tannic like a strongly brewed tea, a pleasant black pepper spice lingers on the palate. This bottle is a true ambassador of Irish whiskey and the pot still style and is one of the best blended Irish whiskeys on the market.
Glendalough Pot Still
This Glendalough release was meant to be full-Irish, as they planned to complete Ireland’s signature whisky style in new Irish oak casks for a full year. This additional process creates layers to the spice that it has because of the base blend of malted and unmalted barley.
It provides great taste overall, as it delivers the traditional opulent pot still mouthfeel, and crescendos with notes of oatmeal and golden honey.
Redbreast 12-Year-Old Single Pot Still
Redbreast was the only company that kept pot stills alive for decades, until different distillers began to embrace newer pot still styles. Redbreast’s contribution towards Irish whisky is more than historical, creating a product that is phenomenal.
For those who want to try it out, this single malt Irish whiskey is easygoing and approachable for pot still. It is filled with toffee apple and cereal notes, which makes it on the sweeter side instead of being too strong for first-timers. The palate has a luxurious texture and memorable finish.
Kilbeggan Single Pot Still
This single pot still whisky from Kilbeggan has 2.5% of oats included in the mash bill. The influence of the cereal is notable, with wafts of warm oatmeal rising from the glass before a rich, creamy mouthfeel.
With added aromas of banana chips, hazelnuts, and raisins, and an earthy streak to the palate, this Irish whiskey promises to convert Scotch drinkers.
Conclusion
In general, Irish whisky is expanding with the different types available to the public and its increasing popularity. Being one of the most sought after spirits in the world, distilleries are producing more and more bottles to keep up with the high demand. With that being said, most of these whiskeys are easily available to the public, especially online. So if you are looking to try it out, it shouldn’t be a problem to find a suitable bottle that fits you.
