6 Must-Try Irish Whiskeys For St. Patrick’s Day

Mar 09, 2025

ByErik Ofgang

, Contributor.

Shot glass full of whisky with a four leaf clover as a lucky garnish. Focus is on clover petals.

Irish whiskey is celebrated the world over for its smoothness. These whiskeys can be enjoyed any time of year, but they tend to grow more popular as soon as the St. Patrick’s Day festivities begin and we all start doing our best (okay, our worst) Irish brogues.

There’s a wee bit of debate about whether whiskey was invented in Ireland or Scotland, but for the month of March, let’s go ahead and give the tie to the Irish and pretend that it’s settled history. In contrast to Scotch, Irish whiskey is often thought of as less smoky, but that’s not always the case. You can have smoky Irish whiskeys—and there are plenty of no-smoke Scotches, for that matter. So as a style, Irish whiskey can have a wide range of tastes and characteristics, and that’s part of what makes tasting different Irish whiskeys interesting.

Below are six of my favorite Irish whiskeys. Some meet the characteristics frequently associated with Irish whiskey—lightness, smoothness, a fruity profile—and others are more expressive, and even a little smokey.

Glendalough Distillery's pot still whiskey is made in Ireland with traditional methods

I’ll admit it, the haunting image of St. Kevin—an Irish saint who dedicated himself to nature—may have been what first drew me to this whiskey. However, what’s made me come back to it again and again is its flavor. It’s aged on Irish oak casks that are made from Wicklow mountain wood harvested in a continuous cover forest management system in which seven saplings are planted for every oak felled and no clear-cutting is used. The final product is smooth but not thin, with a thick and intriguing mouthfeel. It’s distinctive and enchanting.

The Muff Liquor Company's Irish whiskey uses a blend of five different whiskeys.

Five separate Irish malt and grain whiskeys join like Voltron to create an excellent and still-approachable whiskey with lots of character. Irish triple-distilled grain whiskey matured in former bourbon casks gives this its light and sweet notes, while peated triple-distilled malt whiskey gives it a nice but not overpowering burst of sweetness. Other whiskeys round out the process and add to a symphony of flavor that’s got some peat-forward, lightly smokey notes that I love.

North Cross Irish whiskey is beloved for its complexity.

A double gold medal winner at the 2023 San Francisco Spirits Competition, the North Cross Triple Wood Irish Whiskey is a blend of copper still whiskeys aged in ex-bourbon and sherry casks. The finished whiskey is full of malt and sweet flavors with a rich character and mouthfeel. This is a wonderful and always crowd-pleasing Irish whiskey.

Two Stacks makes a variety of whiskeys, including this double barrel offering.

Two Stacks Single Grain Double Barrel whiskey stood out during my blind taste test for its depth of character while staying smooth and oh, so easy to drink. Others detect notes of orange and citrus; I didn’t quite get that myself, but I enjoy its overall delicate nature and sippability. I also like that Two Stacks has begun canning some of its whiskeys. This makes them easy to grab and take on a trip.

Jameson Black Barrel is a whiskey every Irish whiskey fan should try.

It is hard to talk about Irish whiskey without mentioning the quintessential Irish whiskey producer, Jameson. If you are looking for a classic triple-distilled Irish whiskey that can deliver smoothness and sweetness balanced with a bit of oak and spice, look no further: the Jameson Black Barrel Irish Whiskey is the whiskey for you.

Bushmills The Original Irish whiskey is a quintessential Irish whiskey

Another quintessential Irish whiskey, Bushmills Original, is triple-distilled and made with a single malt whiskey that is blended with a lighter grain whiskey that has been aged in Kentucky bourbon barrels and sherry casks. The resulting whiskey is light-bodied and full-flavored with a hint of spice. It’s a must-try Irish whiskey for new whiskey drinkers, especially around St. Patrick’s Day.