The Irishman whiskies

History

Bernard and Rosemary Walsh started at the end of the 1990s with an Irish coffee liqueur, and shortly afterwards launched their first whiskeys under The Irishman brand, made with spirit from other Irish houses. Over time they also created Writers’ Tears, inspired by the relationship between Irish writers and whiskey. For a few years they took part in building a distillery in Carlow, although they later went their separate ways from their partners, and the company has changed hands in recent years.

House style

The Irishman’s style is smooth, fruity and spicy. Its Founder’s Reserve blends malt and pot still matured in bourbon casks, with fresh fruit, honey, vanilla and the characteristic pepper of pot still. It is a whiskey with more character than a blend with grain, but just as easy to drink. It is enjoyed neat, on the rocks or in cocktails, and works very well in an Irish coffee. The house also offers older malts and single cask editions, much more intense, for those who want to delve deeper into its style.

Where to start

The Irishman Founder’s Reserve is the catalogue’s entry. If you like it, try Writers’ Tears Copper Pot, from the same house and with a similar blend, and compare it with a pure pot still such as Redbreast 12 or Green Spot to see what the malt brings. That way you’ll see what each style of Irish whiskey brings to the blend and why this kind of grainless blend has more body than the usual ones.

• The Irishman Founder's ReserveBlend · 40% ABV