Top 5 Beginner Irish Whiskey: Part 1

[@richardwallace102]

The standard Bushmills is a fantastic whiskey too.

[@whiskeyisajourney]

I need to try more from them. This is the only bottle I have from them.

[@petemcfeet28]

Bushmills Black Bush is more my idea of "beginner" Irish whiskey. Not everyone wants to spend $70-100 on a whiskey they may or may not like. Black Bush is a great whiskey that punches way above its price point and one you absolutely would not feel guilty using to mix a drink. That to me is a beginner whiskey. These are all great choices and in most markets readily available but not all markets. Cheers to good choices.

[@whiskeyisajourney]

I've heard good things about Black Bush and this just reaffirms that point. Thanks for sharing. Cheers!

[@geraldfrieberg7921]

yep ! Agree. The Black Bush, for the money, is really hard to beat !

[@richardwallace102]

That Powers John's Lane is one of my favourite Irish Whisky

[@whiskeyisajourney]

It's a very good bottle. Have you had or seen the cask strength version yet? I'd love to get my hands on that. Cheers!

[@joseferreira2809]

Awesome video! Been down the bourbon and scotch road of exploration. Definitely want start the Irish one!

[@whiskeyisajourney]

Thanks! Irish is what got me into my journey. They are flavorful, but more subdued than scotch and bourbon in my opinion.

[@rma73]

I love your setups and themes, great unique take on a list format.

[@whiskeyisajourney]

Thank you Richard. I appreciate the feedback. Cheers!

[@graveshotx]

Another great video! I have to admit I have yet to try a single irish single malt. This video gives me some great leads on where to start. If I did a top 5 for beginners for irish based on what's on my shelf, I would do the following: Redbreast 12, Green Spot, Powers 3 swallows, Kilbeggan Rye Whiskey, and Kilbeggan Single Grain, with a special pour of High & Wicked's The Wild Rover (basically sourced Busker Irish Whiskey that's extra aged/finished and cask strength). On another note, just want to compliment you on finding the perfect volume level on your background music (and that you went with an irish theme for today). It's easy to hear what you're saying.

[@whiskeyisajourney]

Thanks Anthony and I appreciate you adding your list. You've got some good pours in there. If I were pressed to choose single malt Irish or single pot still Irish. I would lean towards single malt. In my opinion it's not as sharp. They are both good, but I'd lean single malt. Cheers! Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

[@dane5896]

Jameson Black Barrel, most beginners I give it to, like it. (Blended Whiskey)

[@whiskeyisajourney]

Crazy and a little embarrassed to say, but I don't have a single bottle of Jameson in my collection.

[@andrewbutler7681]

Good list! I don't have any Redbreast, but would definitely include Green Spot and Powers John's Lane in a line-up. I'd probably choose the standard Tullamore Dew blended, rather than the age-stated single malt. I'd also include The Sexton (even though the bottle is difficult to pour from!) and either The Quiet Man or Limavady to round out the normal bottles. For 'special' it would have to be Midleton Barry Crockett Legacy, although that is rather pricey... Depending on budget, there are other things I could go for.

[@whiskeyisajourney]

Great list Andrew. Limavady will show up for me in part 2 next month. Cheers!

[@pyroman6000]

Wholeheartedly agree with Sexton. Very affordable, and it tastes and smells amazing. I always thought guys were full of it, claiming to find chocolate notes- until I popped this bottle open. Holy crap- it really does smell chocolatey!!! I went for the bog standards at first: Bushmills, Jameson's, etc. Then snapped up a bottle of Redbreast 12, which I love. Jameson's Stout cask, and Black Barrel came next- both are delicious. A couple of other picks for beginners- like me!- Dubliner, and Powers Gold Label. Both are very nice tasting, smooth and easy to drink, and go really nicely with a bit of ginger ale. (I like that mix, because it doesn't cover up the taste of the whiskey- it merely compliments it. ) Both will be repurchased when I finish them! As a specialty bottle: One Foot Cock Irish whiskey. Sourced in Ireland, finished in Buffalo, NY in port casks. Not sure how widely it's distributed, though. VERY good tasting- quite similar to Redbreast, but the port adds it's own flavor. Added bonus: Fun to say at get togethers, lol. I have a whole collection of other bottles unopened. A few are for special occasions, the rest will be opened one at a time, to replace a current bottle when empty. (any I repurchase simply get added to this rotation.) I know I have: Tullamore DEW; Green Spot, Redbreast Lustau; Glendaloch; Black Bush; 2Gingers; Fighting 69th; and some I can't remember. Would love to try Roe&Co, if I could find it

[@glenngardin3561]

Excellent video, Peter! Been waiting for you to do Irish whisky. Looking forward to the next few reviews. Irish whisky was my 'go to' for a long time, until I discovered bourbon. Red Breast 12, Jameson's Cask Mates Stout, Bushmills Black Bush, Jameson's Black Barrell and the Sexton are among my favourites. But to top off the night, Writers Tears, Copper Pot. Nice green shirt BTW.

[@whiskeyisajourney]

Thanks Glenn! Thanks for adding your list. All good choices. Irish was my go to as well when I started out with whisk(e)y. Now I'm all over the place and like them all! Happy St. Patrick's Day.

[@TexasCigarRoadshow]

I almost bought a Bushmills 12 but went with Kavanagh Single Malt and of course paired with a Candela cigar.

[@whiskeyisajourney]

Nice! I hope you enjoyed it. Cheers!

[@cristiandori4273]

Another well done video! Thank you. Don’t forget about Redbreast 15.

[@whiskeyisajourney]

Redbreast 15 will make an appearance in part 2 or part 3. Stay tuned. Sláinte

[@rhayes458]

Happy St Patrick’s Day, Peter! Great video. I’m enjoying this series and your take on a flight of available and affordable pours! Of these, I only have the Redbreast 12. I think it’s pretty darn good. Compared to the few other Irish whiskeys I’ve had (mainly blends), the Redbreast 12 definitely gives off that Sherry finish well. It’s a pleasant sip. Cheers!

[@whiskeyisajourney]

Redbreast 12 is a good one. Stay tuned for part 2 and 3. Cheers!

[@lyacoubian]

Absolutely wonderful selection Peter. 🥃 When you pulled out the Teeling, my reaction was “Where is the Bushmills..!!!” Bushmills 16 is a perennial favorite of mine. I would have included one bottle of a single grain or a blended. There are some really good ones out there.

[@whiskeyisajourney]

Thank you Lorenz. Part 2 of the series a single grain might make an appearance. Stay tuned. Bushmills 16 was my Irish Whiskey of the year in 2022. One of my favorites as well. Cheers!

[@BarrelsandBark]

Great breakdown on Irish whiskey. Good list, love all those. Red Breast and Green Spot my top two.

[@whiskeyisajourney]

Thanks. Happy St. Patrick's Day! Cheers! Sláinte!

[@richardwallace102]

​@whiskeyisajourney No I haven't seen it. I'm from Northern Ireland so I am sure I can find it. Have you tried Yellow Spot? I couldn't reply to your last message so had to post here to reply.

[@whiskeyisajourney]

Yes I've had and enjoy Yellow Spot. Probably the one I prefer in the lineup.

[@011humphrey]

I like the content you're making. My first irish whisky was gjven to me by my (steph)father. It was a Jameson. Recently i've tried Hinch single pott still, Teeling single malt and Redbreast 12. The last two I have in my collection. Redbreast is a productline I would like to explore deeper, although the Teeling pineapple rum cask is also nice, Teeling is doing some great stuff but that's just my opinion, keep up the good work.

[@whiskeyisajourney]

Thank you. I'll keep posting as long as people find value in it. And I agree with you about Teeling. They are doing some good things. Cheers!

[@pyroman6000]

Not for nothing, but regular old Bushmills and Jamesons are actually pretty decent. Great standard pours for cocktails. A list like this almost HAS to include Jamesons- it checks all your boxes, including being literally available everywhere. And it tastes like "Irish Whiskey"- just without any overly dominant or challenging flavors that are more acquired tastes. Ie a good introduction to that flavor profile. I had always been told that Bushmills was harsh, burny, and mostly for hardcore drinkers. When I actually tried it, I was VERY surprised that it was anything but. It has a light, pleasant flavor, and is fairly smooth. VERY different from Jameson's, which has all the classic Irish flavors, just proofed down a bit. Of course, compared to the rotgut sold as "blended whiskey" in US and Canadian brands- which is mainly Grain neutral spirits (Aka cheap vodka), blended with whiskey and with added color and flavors- pretty much anything tastes smooth... That stuff is almost certainly responsible for a high percentage of whiskey haters. It probably goes without saying for most people, but when introducing a beginner to Irish, get them to SIP it, not down it!! That way, you get the taste, without the explosion of ethanol. I STILL remember when someone handed me a shot at a bar many years ago, that turned out to be Black Velvet... "GAAAA- What the EFF was THAT???"

[@whiskeyisajourney]

Looking back I probably should have included Jameson, but at the time I did not have a bottle in my collection.

[@cancelchannel3394]

Great list

[@whiskeyisajourney]

Thanks! Cheers!

[@johnconroy9517]

Please try Donegal Crolly whiskey

[@whiskeyisajourney]

I will keep my eye out for it, but I am pretty sure I don't get it in my area. I like Irish and I am always looking for something new to try. Cheers!

[@JohnSmith-vt5ry]

I need your help. I am new to whiskey and love your channel. I do like bourbon and have figured that out. However I just don’t like Scotch and I think it’s the malted barley flavor but not certain. I just tried Kilbrin Irish from Total wines and love the mild grain notes and fresh crisp fruit but the fruit is weak. Can you try this whiskey and then tell me one that is similar on the grain and ABV but has more fruit or sweet flavor?

[@whiskeyisajourney]

My initial response would be Redbreast 12 or Green Spot, but they have some malted and un-malted barley in it. Try looking for Teeling single grain, but that's $46.00. I think Slane special edition is also good and runs about $40. They also have a Slane for $24 it's lower ABV. If you are looking for more fruit notes look for something that is matured or finished in Sherry casks Oloroso or PX. Hope this helps. You have options.

[@CA_Scotty]

Great list. The Irish bottles I have are very heavily Middleton Distillery. Red Breast, Spots, Powers and Jameson. I need to try bottles distilled at Walsh, Teeling, Bushmills, Tullamore and even Waterford distilleries. I did get a Keepers Heart, but that is really a blend of what I believe is Bushmills and MGP Bourbon or Rye, so I won’t count it. Thanks for sharing - it has encouraged me to expand my Irish collection

[@whiskeyisajourney]

Irish whiskey is getting expensive these days. I've seen a big jump in prices in my area over the past few months. That's unfortunate.😕

[@CA_Scotty]

@@whiskeyisajourney agree. Although the Green spot and RB 12 were at a local Costco for a very reasonable price and an addition $5 off. The Yellow Spot is pricey as is the Bushmills 16 (and 21) , but not as crazy as the Blue Spot or the RB 21 or 27. I also have not tried the John’s Lane, my Powers is the Three Swallow and I really like that one. Once that is gone, I will replace it with a John’s Lane. Thanks again for the great videos. I recently discovered and have really enjoyed.

[@neilrobertson6849]

Powers all day every day, twice on Sundays. I know everyone loves Redbreast, but for me Sexton beats it for half the price. Green Spot was my pick over all the other spots. Egan’s Fortitude for a Sherry bomb. Special pour would be either Dingle single malt or Glendalough 7 year mizunara finish.

[@whiskeyisajourney]

Oh man! Dingle is fantastic stuff. Cheers and great list.

[@johnconroy9517]

Manchester uk here

[@whiskeyisajourney]

Welcome! Cheers!

[@nickp5511]

Still watching:)

[@whiskeyisajourney]

Whiskey is a Journey marathon. I like it. Don't burn out on the content. Too much of a good thing is bad. 🤣

[@40MikeActual]

All great choices, however none of these are really beginner friendly. Plain Jameson, Bushmills, Powers, Tullamore D.E.W., or Teeling would be proper beginner Irish Whiskey. Not Aged 7, 12, 14 or 16 year Irish Whiskeys, these are all more for the people who have tried the default minimum age variants of these brands who are looking to get into finer tasting of whiskey. Most of these whiskeys are aged in a number of barrel types that are meant to bring out more subtle tasting notes, someone who had just started drinking whiskey or Irish whiskey to be specific might not be able to properly apricate the more subtle notes. Therefore I must objectively disagree with your list, however I will not deny that you have demonstrated a wide variety of taste for Irish whiskey. For me personally If someone came to me and asked me what my top 5 recommendations are for trying to get into Irish Whiskey would be, it would be the following: Powers Gold Label, Paddy's, Tullamore D.E.W. Original, Glendalough Double Barrel, and Jameson Original. I believe these give a proper easy price range to get into Irish Whiskey with a decent taste pallet to introduce a newcomer to. If someone was trying to get into aged Irish whiskey I would then recommend they try Green Spot, Knappogue Castle Single Malt 12 year, and Redbreast 12 year. These are relatively more expensive than the previous things I listed, but wont immediately make you go broke trying to get into the more aged Irish Whiskeys. (TLDR: I enjoyed the video but disagree.)

[@whiskeyisajourney]

Thank you for taking the time to comment on the video. I appreciate the feedback and understand your point. This entire series of "beginner whisk(e)y" videos I made was intended to introduce my friends to the world of whisk(e)y over the course of a few months and not taken as a stand alone video. If you go back and watch some of the other beginner videos I think you would come to the same conclusion as this one. I feel that you would disagree with them all and that is perfectly fine. Whenever someone creates list of their "top" things there will always be disagreements. Cheers!

[@Vechking]

Tullah- more. Not toola-more 😅

[@whiskeyisajourney]

Got it. Cheers!

[@championhomestead6273]

Is the party at my house?

[@whiskeyisajourney]

YES!

[@VicariousReality7]

Youre recommending 16 year old bottles to beginners? Does your family own a gold mine?

[@whiskeyisajourney]

No. I was taking bottles I had in my collection at the time and setting up a tasting with my friends that were beginners. The premise of the entire series was introducing different types of whiskey to my friends that were all beginners. I didn't think "beginners" should go out and buy 16 year old bottles. Just like I wouldn't expect beginners to buy a high proof bourbon like I had in the lineup in my beginner bourbon part 1 video. I couldn't figure out how to title the video. 😕 Cheers!