"Whiskey has killed more men than bullets, but most men would rather be full of whiskey than bullets."
-Winston Churchill
Irish whiskey, believed to be one of the earliest distilled spirits, likely originated around the 1100s, when Irish monks brought back some learned techniques from southern Europe. Since its first official documented record in 1405, the production of Irish whiskey has undergone a tortuous evolution into the dynamic and delicious whiskey category we know and love today. A few pivotal moments in whiskey history were the invention of the Coffey still, hefty taxation on whiskey ingredients from the Crown, a splintering away from traditional single malt techniques, and the hardships that most distilleries faced through periods of prohibition and weak demand. What has emerged through all these difficulties is a vibrant landscape of new and old Irish whiskeys that probably sprawl across your local bottle shop, well beyond the days of there only being a few distilleries still producing Irish whiskey. You might even be staring at a liquor store shelf right now, wondering which bottle is worth your hard-earned dollar...
To help on your search for the best Irish whiskey, we'll want to first know what to look for on the label. Irish whiskey can take many forms, but thankfully, there are a few legal rulings that define the distinct categories of Irish whiskey. These categories typically taste quite different from each other, so you'll want to make sure you go for the right style for you.
Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey: Made from a majority of malted and unmalted barley (at least 30% of each) and up to 5% of other cereal grains such as oats or rye that were then distilled on a pot still at a single distillery and aged for a minimum of 3 years
Single Malt Irish Whiskey: Made from 100% malted barley that is then distilled to no higher than 94.8% ABV on a pot or column still from a single distillery in Ireland, aged for a minimum of 3 years in wood, and bottled at no less than 40% ABV with no additives except water and/or caramel coloring
Blended Irish Whiskey: Made from any combination of mash makeups from any combination of distilleries, but normally a combination of malt and grain, distilled to no higher than 94.8% ABV, and aged for no less than 3 years
Single Grain Irish Whiskey: Made from a mixture of grains such as wheat, rye, oats, corn, or barley (with a maximum content of 30% malted barley) that are typically distilled at a single distillery on a higher-throughput, flavor-stripping column still before being bottled no lower than 40% ABV
We personally prefer single pot still and single malt offerings, but all these categories are capable of producing great flavor. The best thing to do here is to taste through a few that sound up your alley.
Another major influence on the flavor you can find on the final bottled product will be the barrel types that were employed to age the whiskey. Because Ireland is scarcely populated with oak trees, most of the barrels used in the maturation of Irish whiskey are previously used barrels. Unlike bourbon, which has regulations necessitating the use of new, charred white oak barrels for aging, Irish whiskey is free to use any wood vessel that exporters can spare. Common cask types employed are bourbon, sherry, port, and madeira casks, though you'll find a plethora of finishes listed below.
There are many other factors you can dive into by thoughtfully reading some of the thorough whiskey reviews you'll find on this site. The Irish whiskey landscape is now more diverse than ever, so we try to bring the most up to date, thorough, honest reviews to you, for your reading pleasure. We hope all the nerdy details contained here have not been a bore, but if they have, let's get a move on to the real recommendations now!
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The Top 25 Irish Whiskeys as of 2025:
This is unlike any Irish whiskey you are used to. The nose offers smoked barbecue chips on a plate of fresh fried fish, hot off a smoking charcoal grill. The palate is saturated with smoke and ash from a day old camp fire, a sure sign that this is a Scotch drinker's Irish dram through and through.
ABV: 43% // Cost: $43.99
The nose offers granulated sugar, balsam fir, and vanilla bean ice cream. The palate whispers through notes of raisin bread, chestnut, orange, and fig. This is a surprisingly easy sipping Irish whiskey if that's your jam!
ABV: 46% // Cost: $290.99
The polar end of the spectrum from our last pick... This is a beast of an Irish whiskey. We're glad to see Gortinore Distillers & Co. pushing the boundaries of traditional Irish whiskey. Even at 126 proof, this is balanced and loaded with flavor. Expect to find orange zest, clove, and honey as you sip through this one. If you can't find this particular bottle, try their lower proof expression for as low as $51.99. Either are pretty great value in our book.
ABV: 63% // Cost: $89.99
The nose is quite shy throughout, with soft hints of pepper, pear liqueur, powdered sugar, and some fun umami tones. Expect vanilla biscotti cookies on the palate with red jello mixed with diced pineapple and strawberries. Yeah, this one is interesting.
ABV: 46% // Cost: $339.99
Both the pictured 22 year single cask and the 23 year cask that we reviewed were selected by the New Hampshire Liquor Commission in partnership with Bord Bia. This collaboration brought a whole slew of goodies, but this one stood out above the rest for its balance of sweet honey barbecue, bubble gum, and vanilla parfait flavors.
ABV: 52.6% // Cost: $249.99
Another doozy of a 117.4 proof cask strength Irish whiskey here; the Midleton profile gets washed away a bit by the ethanol on this one, but fans can expect a hefty taste of caramel, creamy orange, vanilla, and sweet wine influences.
ABV: 58.7% // Cost: $169.99
Expect a delicate nose with dry tropical and spice-forward aromas. We tasted a lot of bourbon influence here, but it's a fresh, creamy, and overall enjoyable profile all throughout. We've also confirmed this makes a pretty spectacular cocktail.
ABV: 42% // Cost: $34.99
This is another cask that came out of the New Hampshire Liquor Commission and Bord Bia partnership, and it's a doozy. This pour offers a dynamic nose of tropical fruit, leading into a tingling palate of pineapple and barbecue sauce. The finish is where things really turn interesting as the complex linen and umami tones round out a really unique dram.
ABV: 55.9% // Cost: $149.99
This one might come as a surprise given its availability, but when blinded against Redbreast 21 year, the 12 year shined. With an impeccable mouthfeel, this pour offers incredible depth and lingers forever. It's too beautiful to write in short form, so if you're interested in tasting notes, you'll have to read the full review. This 80 proof whiskey should be on every enthusiast's shelf.
ABV: 40% // Cost: $69.99
Yellow Spot Irish whiskey embodies the single pot still category perfectly, with notes of sweet strawberry, plum, and creamy hot chocolate. All this comes together to result in a delightful 92 proof dram fit for a whiskey drinker of any skill level!
ABV: 46% // Cost: $113.99
This dynamic pour offers aromas of tropical fruit, barbecue sauce, and a good balance. The tingling palate offers sweet and spice before finishing with a lovely bit of milk chocolate. We weren't sure about the finishing cask in our blind tasting, but it will undoubtedly excite those open to experiencing a more unique and interesting whiskey experience, much like the pictured orange wine cask finish also available from NHLC.
ABV: 56.56% // Cost: $89.99
For those who enjoy a classic and well balanced Irish whiskey, this release will not disappoint. Expect a sweet nose with a coconut forward palate. While this 13 year expression is no longer available, we believe the 7 year will be just as balanced and enjoyable as is the rest of the Glendalough lineup.
ABV: 58.7% // Cost: $94.99
This whiskey is like a liquid dessert. The nose is old-school sherry with notes of honey, tangerine, and sticky dates leaping from the glass. This is an instant classic. The palate offers plum, fig, raisin, white pepper, and farm fresh honey. Yum.
ABV: % // Cost: $69.95
This is one of those 80 proof whiskeys you could get lost in for hours as nostalgia, music, and delicacy culminate in a dreamy experience. Sliced pear, grape skins, peaches, warm bread, and biscotti are the champions of an experience that benefits from time and patience.
ABV: 40% // Cost: $175.99
This is a new bottling of the trusty old Red Spot. On first crack it didn't quite wow us, but after some time and air things really started turning magical. Expect a gentle and soft nose with sugar cookie, anise, bread dough and coconut shavings before this glass morphs into a spiced pepper note. Grapefruit, coconut and hint of bubblegum round out the palate on a pour that gets better and better with time and patience.
ABV: 46% // Cost: $204.99
Selected by River City Whiskey Society for Roco Wine & Spirits, this single malt Irish whiskey is heavy on the caramel and spice notes. Bourbon fans, rejoice; this Irish will fool you into thinking it's your favorite American dram. That familiarity makes this an easy choice to go back to time and time again.
ABV: 47% // Cost: $89.99
This is the best New Hampshire Liquor Commission selection we got to taste! A rum finished Irish whiskey may sound odd, but don't let that scare you away. This bright nose is fresh with floral tones and has a layered palate of sweet and spice. Overall, we can see this being enjoyed during a windy but mild spring day as notes of rose water and nutmeg round out a fantastic sipping whiskey.
ABV: 57.9% // Cost: $59.99
Watch out, this pour is crushable! Expect well mapped and rich flavors from rasin to ginger with a clear and welcome wine influence. Our smiles confirm that we, too, enjoyed the journey this pour took us on! The finish is all gunpowder as this potent dram produces fireworks in our eyes.
ABV: 47% // Cost: $89.99
Okay, now we're really getting into the good stuff. This whiskey is waxy up front on the nose with dominant apricot and pear tones early on. As this complex dram warms up, we find apple cider doughnuts, bananas foster, and a big kettle filled with an all day stew. The palate presents oily, thick and rich with brined ham, sourdough bread, stewed plum, apricot jelly, and a kiss of nutmeg. Goodness, this is good. The finish here isn't overpowering and this is probably Boann at their best.
ABV: 47% // Cost: $69.95
Unfortunately for modern whiskey hunters, this expression is way better than the newer 13 year release you might be seeing sitting on shelves. If you can turn this one up, expect a rich and vanilla forward nose with classic sugar cookie notes and a strong and long finish. This pour is the equivalent of getting wrapped up in a warm towel.
ABV: 51.4% // Cost: $322.99
Enjoy this one while you still can! This pour just got a proper price hike... While we don't condone such gouging, this juice is worth the squeeze. While you shouldn't expect a loud lecture from this long aged whiskey, you'll still find notes of clementine, fig, bread, and spring grasses. This rather calm pour may encourage you to sit back and listen to the quiet wisdom of well made whiskey.
ABV: 54.6% // Cost: $770.99
This is sleeper for sure, especially at this price. It's a bright and earthy pour where one can find unique notes of fruit snacks and art supplies with a foundation of familiarity on the nose. The palate is subtle but evolves with anise, wispy smoke, muddled fruit, and crisp, classic sugar cookie. Free of faults, this extremely approachable expression will go as far as you want to take it!
ABV: 46.5% // Cost: $64.99
The 2021 release is one that consistently hits all the marks of an affordable and perfectly executed Irish whiskey. Exploring through this, we find a fruit-forward nose and sultry palate stocked with rich grilled pineapple. This pour continues to receive high marks as we taste through the differences year to year. You'll find Nick waxing poetic about this one just about everywhere he goes.
ABV: 46% // Cost: $103.99
2: Powerscourt Ruby Port Finished Single Malt Irish Whiskey - Liquor Junction Single Cask
What a surprise the end of this tasting yielded... A whiskey just shy of 5 years here was singing circles around the other pours with ease. This is one of the best Irish whiskeys we've ever tasted, period. This glass produced a nose filled with grape candies, tropical fruits, and a hint of smoke. The silky palate brings forth pineapple and fruit punch with a long and decadent linger. This was a stand-out, for sure. Absolutely delicious!
ABV: 61.3% // Cost: $89.99 (Coming soon)
1: Powerscourt Cognac Finished Single Malt Irish Whiskey - Liquor Junction Single Cask
Wow. It's not often you get completely shocked by a blind tasting, but this is just what happened when we got to the end of the blind bracket that informed this power ranking. What a robust and special pour this is. It's definitely your long-time whiskey enthusiast-style dram with a solid bit of heat to it. If you're not ready, this one can certainly humble you. Taste through and you can expect sticky fig dough, baked sugar cookies, sweet earth, and a warming finish. This is the Irish whiskey we've been waiting for, finally arrived in 2025.
ABV: 62% // Cost: $89.99 (Coming soon)
In Summary:
Best Overall: Powerscourt Cognac Finished Single Malt Barrel Pick by Liquor Junction ($89.99)
Best Readily Available Option: Redbreast PX ($103.99)
Best Sub $50 Budget Option: Glendalough Double Barrel ($34.99)
Best Splurge: Redbreast 27 Year ($500+)
Best Mixer: Blue Spot ($169.99)
Well, it's been another tremendous year for Irish whiskey. We couldn't be more excited to see how this category continues to grow and proliferate as more and more spectacular distillers, bonders, and blenders come to market. Hopefully, you found an exceptional whiskey that fits your budget as part of this article. Subscribe down below if you want to hear more from the AmongstTheWhiskey.com team in the near future!
Written by: The Amongst the Whiskey Team
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What an epic blind of some truly incredible Irish expressions which resulted in a tried and true Top 2025 Irish Whiskey ranking!