Brothership 10 Year Irish American Whiskey 750ML

Brothership 10 Year Irish American Whiskey 750ML is a 45% ABV (90 proof) blended whiskey that combines 10-year-old Irish pot-still whiskey with 10-year-old American whiskey in a single 750ml bottle. Marketed as the first true Irish-American whiskey, Brothership earned a 92-point Gold Medal at the 2017 Ultimate Spirits Challenge and 90 points from Wine Enthusiast magazine.

Quick Facts: ABV: 45% (90 Proof)  |  Origin: Ireland & United States  |  Age Statement: 10 Years  |  Distilleries: Connacht Distillery (Ballina, Ireland) & New Liberty Distillery (Philadelphia, PA)

Production & Heritage

Brothership is a collaboration between two sister distilleries: Connacht Distillery in Ballina, County Mayo, Ireland, and New Liberty Distillery in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Master distiller Robert Cassell blended the two sourced 10-year-old whiskeys at a precise ratio of 52% Irish to 48% American, then bottled the final product at New Liberty Distillery. The specific provenance and production details of the individual component whiskeys have not been publicly disclosed by either distillery, though the Irish component is identified as pot-still whiskey—keeping with Ireland's most traditional distillation style.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with light sea salt and a wisp of smoke before giving way to warm spice—nutmeg and ginger are prominent. Behind those, expect faint caramel sweetness, soft floral notes, honey, straw, and a hint of hot fudge.

Taste: The entry is creamy and syrupy-thick, leading into a mid-palate layered with caramel candy, bright tropical fruit, lemon curd, and pear. As the whiskey develops, flavors of clove, black pepper, lemon zest, honey, and vanilla emerge alongside a subtle oak backbone. There is a pleasant interplay between sweet, fruity, and spicy elements that keeps the palate engaged.

Finish: The finish is lingering, with peppery spice and a touch of oak that gradually fade into softer notes of honey and vanilla. It carries moderate warmth without harshness, closing with a faintly floral and grassy quality.

How to Drink Brothership 10 Year

At 10 years old and 90 proof, this whiskey rewards neat sipping with a few drops of water to open up the tropical fruit and spice interplay. A single large ice cube also works well, tempering the pepper while amplifying the caramel sweetness. For cocktails, consider an Old Fashioned, where the honeyed spice and caramel stand up to bitters and sugar; a Whiskey Sour, where the natural lemon curd and tropical fruit notes play beautifully against fresh citrus; or a Gold Rush, which highlights the honey character already woven through the blend.

Best For

• Whiskey enthusiasts seeking a genuinely unusual cross-country blend
• Gifting someone with Irish and American heritage or dual citizenship
• Adding a conversation starter to a home whiskey collection
• Side-by-side tastings comparing Irish pot-still whiskey with American whiskey styles

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Brothership 10 Year taste like? Brothership 10 Year delivers a creamy, medium-bodied palate of caramel candy, tropical fruit, lemon curd, and pear, followed by warming clove and black pepper spice. The interplay of Irish pot-still sweetness and American whiskey oak gives it a layered, slightly syrupy character.

How does Brothership 10 Year compare to a blended Scotch? Several reviewers have noted that Brothership drinks more like a Speyside-heavy blended Scotch than a typical Irish or American whiskey, with its balance of honey, fruit, and gentle smoke. However, it carries a thicker mouthfeel and more prominent peppery spice than most standard blended Scotch whiskies at a similar age.

Is Brothership 10 Year good for sipping neat? Yes—at 45% ABV and with a decade of aging, it has enough complexity and smoothness to reward neat sipping, though a splash of water can further open the tropical fruit and floral notes.

Where is Brothership 10 Year made? Brothership is a joint project between Connacht Distillery in Ballina, County Mayo, Ireland, and New Liberty Distillery in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The final blending and bottling take place at New Liberty Distillery.

What foods pair well with Brothership 10 Year? The caramel and honey notes complement smoked salmon or charcuterie boards. Its lemon curd and tropical fruit character pairs naturally with key lime pie or lemon tart. The peppery finish matches well with aged cheddar or Gruyère, and the creamy mouthfeel works alongside dark chocolate truffles.

What sizes does Brothership 10 Year come in? Brothership 10 Year Irish American Whiskey is available in the standard 750ml bottle size.

Is Brothership 10 Year worth the price? Brothership positions itself in the premium tier, justified by its 10-year age statement, dual-country sourcing, and the novelty of being one of the only true Irish-American blended whiskeys on the market. Its 92-point Gold Medal from the Ultimate Spirits Challenge and 90-point rating from Wine Enthusiast reinforce its quality credentials at this price level.

Why Brothership 10 Year?

What makes Brothership genuinely notable is its category-defying concept: no other widely available whiskey blends aged Irish pot-still whiskey with aged American whiskey in a single bottle. The 52/48 ratio between the two creates a flavor profile that reviewers have compared to Speyside-influenced Scotch blends, yet it fits neatly into neither Irish nor American conventions. Backed by a 92-point Gold Medal at the 2017 Ultimate Spirits Challenge and a 90-point score from Wine Enthusiast, it has the critical credentials to match its novelty. For drinkers who have explored both Irish and American whiskey and want something that genuinely sits between the two traditions, Brothership 10 Year occupies a lane almost entirely its own.