The Best Irish Whiskey: Single Pot Still, Blends and Single Malts, and What to Buy After Jameson
Most people meet Irish whiskey through Jameson, and that is a fine start. But behind it is a whole category that most drinkers never explore: creamy single pot stills, fruity single malts and blends that are much richer than the bottle you know. We sort the shelf by style and by how you drink, and we tell you exactly what to grab when you're ready to move past Jameson. Every bottle below ships nationwide.
In This Guide
Our Picks at a Glance
- Best Irish whiskey overall: Green Spot. Bright, fruity single pot still that is easy to love neat.
- Best Irish whiskey to sip: Redbreast 12 Year. The benchmark single pot still: rich, creamy and spicy.
- Best Irish whiskey for beginners: Jameson. Light, smooth and honeyed.
- Best Jameson upgrade: Jameson Black Barrel. Same family, more flavor.
- Best Irish whiskey under $30: Bushmills Original and Slane Triple Cask.
- Best Irish whiskey for Irish coffee: Powers Gold Label. Spicy and higher proof, so it shows through the coffee and cream.
- Best Irish single malt: Bushmills 10 Year.
- Best Irish whiskey gift: Yellow Spot 12 Year or our Irish Whiskey Trio.
The Best Irish Whiskey, Compared
ABV is the producer's published US strength. Price tiers reflect our current shelf price; the product page always has the exact number.
| Bottle | Style | ABV | Flavor | Price tier | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Redbreast 12 | Single pot still | 40% | Sherry, dried fruit, spice, cream | $60 to $75 | Sipping |
| Green Spot | Single pot still | 40% | Green apple, barley sugar, spice | $50 to $60 | Sipping, best overall |
| Yellow Spot 12 | Single pot still | 46% | Honey, stone fruit, sweet wine | $100 and up | Gifts, splurge |
| Powers Three Swallow | Single pot still | 40% | Orange peel, pepper, vanilla | $40 to $50 | Value pot still |
| Jameson | Blend | 40% | Honey, vanilla, light fruit | Under $30 | Beginners, shots, highballs |
| Jameson Black Barrel | Blend | 40% | Toffee, toasted wood, vanilla | $30 to $40 | Jameson upgrade |
| Powers Gold Label | Blend, pot still heavy | 43.2% | Spice, honey, malt | $30 to $40 | Irish coffee |
| Bushmills Black Bush | Blend, high malt | 40% | Sherry, nuts, dark fruit | $30 to $40 | Value sipping |
| Teeling Small Batch | Blend, rum cask finish | 46% | Vanilla, tropical fruit, spice | $30 to $40 | Cocktails, sipping |
| Bushmills Original | Blend | 40% | Light malt, honey, fruit | Under $30 | Value, highballs |
| Slane Triple Cask | Blend | 40% | Caramel, baking spice, fruit | Under $30 | Value, Irish coffee |
| Bushmills 10 | Single malt | 40% | Honey, vanilla, orchard fruit | $50 to $60 | Single malt intro |
Best Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey
Single pot still is the style only Ireland makes: a mix of malted and unmalted barley, distilled in copper pot stills at one distillery. The unmalted barley gives a creamy, oily texture and a spicy finish that no other whiskey quite matches. If you want to know what makes Irish whiskey special, start here.
Our pick for the best Irish whiskey overall. A Dublin wine merchant's whiskey, made at Midleton. Lighter and brighter than Redbreast: green apple, barley sugar, mint and that signature pot still spice. Our favorite bottle to pour someone trying single pot still for the first time.
Our pick for the best Irish whiskey to sip. Aged in a mix of bourbon and sherry casks, it is rich with dried fruit, toasted nuts, ginger and a creamy texture that coats the glass. This is the bottle we hand to Scotch and bourbon drinkers who think Irish whiskey is light.
The most affordable way to taste single pot still. Orange peel, vanilla and black pepper, with a dry finish. Excellent neat and even better in a whiskey sour.
Green Spot's older sibling, aged in bourbon, sherry and Spanish Malaga wine casks. Honey, stone fruit and a sweet-wine richness. A beautiful gift for someone who already loves Irish whiskey.
Buying a gift? Our Irish Whiskey Trio ($100 and up) pairs Jameson, Bushmills Black Bush and Green Spot in one set, priced below the three bottles bought separately.
Best Jameson Upgrades
If you like Jameson and want more flavor without leaving the family, these are the next steps, in order.
Jameson with more pot still whiskey in the blend and time in double-charred bourbon barrels. Toffee, vanilla and toasted wood, with more body than the green label. The easiest upgrade on the shelf.
Also made at Midleton, but built with a higher share of pot still whiskey and bottled a bit stronger. Spicier and more robust than Jameson. A classic Dublin pub pour.
The big step. If you like Jameson's smoothness and want something richer, Redbreast is where most of our customers land, and stay.
Best Irish Whiskey Blends
Blended Irish whiskey mixes lighter grain whiskey with pot still or malt whiskey. It is the most popular style, and the best blends are far from boring.
The world's best-selling Irish whiskey. Triple distilled, light, honeyed and smooth. Perfect for beginners, highballs with ginger ale, and the famous Jameson shot.
One of the best values in Irish whiskey. A high share of malt whiskey aged mostly in sherry casks gives dried fruit, nuts and a rich body. It drinks well above its price.
From the family that brought whiskey distilling back to Dublin. Finished in rum casks and bottled at 46% without chill filtering, so it is fuller and more flavorful than most blends. Vanilla, tropical fruit and spice. Great neat or in cocktails.
Aged in three kinds of casks: virgin oak, former bourbon barrels and Oloroso sherry casks. Caramel, baking spice and dried fruit. A very good everyday Irish whiskey for the money.
Best Irish Single Malt
Irish single malt is made from 100% malted barley at one distillery, like single malt Scotch, but it is usually unpeated and often triple distilled. The result is lighter and fruitier.
The classic Irish single malt. Honey, vanilla, pear and a light, clean finish. A great bottle for a Scotch drinker curious about Irish malt.
Aged in five different wine casks, so it is fruitier and more complex than most Irish malts. Red fruit, spice and a little tropical sweetness.
Aged in bourbon and sherry casks, then finished in port pipes. Dark fruit, chocolate and almond. A special-occasion splurge and a strong gift.
Best Irish Whiskey for Irish Coffee
An Irish coffee is hot coffee, brown sugar, Irish whiskey and a float of lightly whipped cream. Coffee and cream mute delicate flavors, so pick a whiskey with spice and proof.
Our top pick. The higher strength and pot still spice cut right through the coffee and cream, so you still taste the whiskey.
For a softer, sweeter Irish coffee, or when you're making a batch for a crowd. Jameson is light and honeyed. Slane brings a bit more caramel.
Irish Whiskey Styles Explained
What makes it Irish whiskey
Irish whiskey must be distilled and aged on the island of Ireland, which includes Northern Ireland, for at least three years in wooden casks. Many Irish whiskeys are triple distilled, which helps give the category its smooth reputation, but it is not a legal requirement.
Single pot still
Malted and unmalted barley, distilled in pot stills at one distillery. Creamy, oily and spicy. Redbreast, Green Spot, Yellow Spot and Powers Three Swallow are all single pot still.
Single malt
100% malted barley from one distillery, distilled in pot stills. Usually lighter and fruitier than single pot still. Bushmills and Teeling make well-known examples.
Single grain
Made mainly from corn or wheat in column stills. Light, sweet and soft. Try Teeling Single Grain to taste it on its own.
Blended
A mix of two or more of the styles above, usually grain whiskey with pot still or malt. Jameson, Powers, Bushmills Original and Slane are blends.
How to Drink Irish Whiskey
- Neat: one to two ounces at room temperature. Best for single pot still and single malt.
- With a splash of water: opens up the aroma, especially on Redbreast Cask Strength and other higher-proof bottles.
- Highball: Jameson or Bushmills with ginger ale and a lime wedge. Simple and hard to beat.
- Irish coffee: one and a half ounces of whiskey, a teaspoon or two of brown sugar, hot coffee and lightly whipped cream floated on top.
- Whiskey sour: two ounces of Irish whiskey, three quarters of an ounce of lemon juice, three quarters of an ounce of simple syrup, shaken hard with ice.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best Irish whiskey?
Green Spot is the best Irish whiskey for most people: bright, fruity and creamy at a fair price. Redbreast 12 Year is the richer pick for sipping, and Jameson is the best for beginners.
What is the best Irish whiskey for beginners?
Jameson is the best Irish whiskey for beginners. It is light, smooth and affordable. Bushmills Original is another easy first pour.
What is better than Jameson?
Jameson Black Barrel is the closest upgrade. For a bigger step, try Powers Gold Label, then Redbreast 12 or Green Spot.
What is the best Irish whiskey for Irish coffee?
Powers Gold Label is the best Irish whiskey for Irish coffee, because its spice and higher strength show through the coffee and cream. Jameson works well for a softer version.
Redbreast vs. Green Spot: what's the difference?
Both are single pot still whiskeys from Midleton. Redbreast 12 is richer and heavier, with more sherry cask influence. Green Spot is lighter and fresher, with green apple and mint.
Irish whiskey vs. Scotch: what's the difference?
Irish whiskey is usually unpeated and often triple distilled, so it tends to be lighter and smoother. Scotch is usually double distilled, and some is heavily peated and smoky. Ireland also has single pot still, a style Scotland does not make.
Shop Irish Whiskey at The Liquor Barn
Single pot still, single malt and the best Irish blends, from Jameson to Bushmills 16. Ships nationwide. Family-owned since 1982.
Shop Irish Whiskey All Whiskey Irish Cream and Cream LiqueursThe Liquor Barn operates three retail locations in Vernon Hills, Wheeling, and Niles, Illinois. We are a licensed Illinois retailer and ship to states where direct-to-consumer alcohol shipping is permitted. Prices and availability change; the product page always has the current price. Questions about shipping to your state? Contact us here. Please drink responsibly.
