Top Picks for Irish Single Malt Whiskey

Golden amber color. Aromas and flavors of pomegranate, cantaloupe, and mango, lemon, green apple, and phyllo dough, pickled ginger, banana bread, and and candied bacon with a fat body and a very long finish with notes of cooked mango rolled in walnut, grilled peaches, cinnamon roll, and banana bread. An incredible example of Irish Whiskey; lush and balanced flavors, extraordinarily well done.

Gold color. Grainy aromas and flavors of strawberry syrup, vanilla cream, and shortcake, oatmeal cookie, and banana bread with a round, vibrant, bone-dry medium body and a seamless, involved, medium-long finish with suggestions of peaches and cream, lemon creme brulee, peanut oil, and sweet tobacco. A fruit and grain balanced Irish Single Malt with vanilla and spice from the oak that could be sipped all day, but with complexity such that it deserves to be savored.

Gold color. Aromas and flavors of honey and vanilla glazed apple fritter fresh from the oven, oak and leather, and sea spray with a round, lively, dry medium-to-full body and a tingling, involved, medium-long finish displaying nuances of cinnamon and sugar on hot buttered multi grain toast, beef stock, orange marmalade, and banana. A structured, elegant, and balanced Irish Malt for uncomplicated sipping.

Golden amber color. Aromas and flavors of peach, starfruit, spiced caramel, butter cookies, and hints of grapefruit with a velvety, vibrant, dryish medium-full body and a peppery, very complex, very long finish conveying impressions of toasted scones with honey, baked apples, roasted nuts, and toasted sourdough. A complex Irish Single Malt with big impact and big elegance.

Awards: 2021 Best Irish Single Malt Whiskey

Light gold color. Confected, citrusy, floral, fruity aromas and flavors of pineapple, mint, banana, ginger, with muddled blueberry and raspberry, strawberry, lemon, and orange, and cherry blossom with an oily, bone-dry medium-to-full body and a tingling, subtle, medium-length finish that exhibits suggestions of dark chocolate covered salted caramel, strawberry-cherry nougat, and walnut. A scrumptious menagerie of fruited confections drizzled in vanilla and chocolate.

Gold color. Aromas and flavors of candy corn, vanilla cream, marzipan, and sage and sassafras root with a full body and an elegant, medium-long finish imparting nuances of caramel drizzle on white peach and cooked oranges, toffee bread pudding, and marzipan. A fruity, floral Whiskey with roasted malt and pastry tones to sip and enjoy with an Irish Red Ale.

Gold color. Aromas and flavors of apple cobbler and baked peach, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, ginger, and honey, and kola nut and butter cream with a round, vibrant, dry medium-to-full body and a tingling, very complex, medium-long finish with notes of apple pie crust with extra baking spice, vanilla cream and cocoa nibs, green savory lift on the finish, and raisined fruit. A delicious and lingering Irish Single Malt full of flavor and matured with care; delicious on its own but would be lovely with a single ice cube or a few drops of water.

Golden amber color. Aromas and flavors of apple blossom and honey on a warm multi grain biscuit, marzipan, pecan, and chocolate covered orange with a velvety, crisp, dry medium body and an interesting, long finish that presents accents of brown sugar and molasses, apple and pecan, and toasted brioche. A full bodied, rich, and wonderful Single Malt that’s full of flavor and character, and asks to be pondered over; pair with a moderately robust cigar.

Gold color. Aromas and flavors of fennel seed, red berries, cracked black pepper and roasted beef, and canelé with a satiny, lively, dry medium body and a tingling, complex, medium-long finish revealing notes of apple butter and poached pear, angelica root, anise, and orange peel. A fruit-forward Whiskey with rich and delicious under currents of baking spice.

Gold color. Jammy, nutty, mature, woody, umami aromas and flavors of dried red berries, dates and figs, cinnamon and sugar roasted walnuts and pecans, potpourri, and green apple jolly rancher with a glycerous, vibrant, bone-dry medium-to-full body and a smooth, complex, long finish displaying accents of fig preserves on toasted multi seed oat bread, butterscotch, papaya, stone fruit, fruit cup, and canned pears, over ripe pineapple, redhot candies, and and lemon peel. A mature spirit that still shows a balance of grain and barrel flavors, and is a benchmark of the category.