Keeper's Heart Irish + Bourbon 750ML

Keeper's Heart Irish + Bourbon 750ML is a 46% ABV blended whiskey combining Irish pot still, Irish grain, and American bourbon in a 750ml bottle. This boundary-crossing expression earned Platinum and 97 points at the 2023 Las Vegas Global Spirit Awards, along with Gold and 95 points at the 2024 New York International Spirits Competition — validation that inter-style blending, done right, produces something genuinely compelling.

Quick Facts: ABV: 46% (92 Proof)  |  Origin: Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA / Ireland  |  Aged Over 4 Years  |  Distillery: O'Shaughnessy Distillery

Production & Heritage

Keeper's Heart is produced by O'Shaughnessy Distillery in Minneapolis, Minnesota, under the direction of master distiller Brian Nation, who spent seven years overseeing production at Ireland's Midleton Distillery — the home of Jameson, Redbreast, Midleton Very Rare, Spot, and Powers. The Irish + Bourbon expression marries three distinct whiskey components: triple-distilled Irish pot still whiskey made from malted and unmalted barley, Irish grain whiskey made from maize and malt, and American bourbon built on a mashbill of 75% corn, 21% rye, and 4% malted barley. Both Irish components are aged over four years in refill American bourbon barrels, while the bourbon is matured over four years in virgin American oak — a deliberate contrast that gives the blend both the creamy pot still character of Ireland and the bolder vanilla-oak signature of Kentucky-style whiskey.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Sweet caramel and vanilla rise first, followed by warm oatmeal, baked bread, and a layer of crème brûlée. Deeper in the glass, dark chocolate and pecan pie emerge, signaling the bourbon's influence on the blend.

Taste: The entry is smooth with vanilla malt and cocoa, giving way to a mid-palate that introduces herbal peppery notes and cardamom spice. Oats, malted bread, and crunchy toffee build through the peak, while grassy Irish pot still character weaves through the sweeter bourbon backbone.

Finish: Surprisingly long, with sweet oak and barrel char gradually asserting themselves alongside mild warming spice. The lingering sweetness and rich wood notes persist well beyond what the approachable nose might suggest.

How to Drink Keeper's Heart

At 92 proof, this blend opens up nicely neat or with a few drops of water, which coaxes out the pot still creaminess while softening the bourbon's oak grip. A single large ice cube works well for warm-weather sipping. For cocktails, try it in an Old Fashioned, where the caramel and toffee notes complement bitters beautifully; a Gold Rush, where honey syrup and lemon highlight the whiskey's malty sweetness; or a Whiskey Sour, where the pot still's creamy texture creates a richer mouthfeel than a straight bourbon would deliver.

Best For

• Irish whiskey drinkers curious about bourbon's bolder oak and spice character
• Bourbon enthusiasts looking to explore pot still whiskey's creamy complexity
• Gifting a whiskey lover who values unusual, cross-category blends
• Side-by-side tastings comparing Irish and American whiskey traditions

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Keeper's Heart Irish + Bourbon taste like? It leads with caramel, vanilla, and oatmeal sweetness, transitions into peppery herbal spice and toffee, and finishes with lingering sweet oak and mild barrel char. The pot still component adds a creamy, bready quality not found in standard bourbon.

How does Keeper's Heart compare to Redbreast Kentucky Oak Edition? Both expressions bridge Irish and American whiskey traditions, but Redbreast Kentucky Oak is a single pot still Irish whiskey finished in ex-bourbon barrels, while Keeper's Heart physically blends Irish pot still, Irish grain, and American bourbon into one liquid. Keeper's Heart tends to show more pronounced bourbon character — vanilla, oak, and corn sweetness — whereas Redbreast Kentucky Oak retains a more traditionally Irish pot still profile with bourbon barrel influence layered on top.

Is Keeper's Heart good for sipping neat? Yes — at 46% ABV it carries enough weight and complexity for neat sipping without excessive heat, and the interplay between creamy Irish pot still and bolder bourbon oak gives the palate a lot to explore.

Where is Keeper's Heart made? Keeper's Heart is produced by O'Shaughnessy Distillery in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Irish pot still and grain whiskey components are distilled in Ireland, while the bourbon component and final blending take place stateside under master distiller Brian Nation.

What foods pair well with Keeper's Heart? Dark chocolate truffles amplify the cocoa and toffee notes; grilled peach with brown sugar echoes the caramel sweetness; sharp aged cheddar contrasts the malty grain character; pecan pie mirrors the nutty, baked aromas; and smoked salmon plays off the whiskey's grassy, herbal undertones.

What sizes does Keeper's Heart Irish + Bourbon come in? The standard offering is a 750ml bottle at 46% ABV (92 proof).

Is Keeper's Heart worth the price? Keeper's Heart Irish + Bourbon positions as a mid-premium blended whiskey, and its Platinum rating at the 2023 Las Vegas Global Spirit Awards along with multiple gold medals suggests it punches above its price tier — especially considering the complexity of sourcing and blending three distinct whiskey styles.

Why Keeper's Heart?

Inter-style whiskey blending — combining distillates from entirely different national traditions — remains genuinely rare in the spirits world. While blends of bourbon and rye are common enough in American whiskey, merging Irish pot still and grain whiskeys with American bourbon requires navigating different raw materials, distillation philosophies, and maturation programs. Brian Nation's pedigree at Midleton Distillery, where he helped shape some of Ireland's most respected whiskeys, lends real credibility to the endeavor. The result is a whiskey that has earned consistent critical recognition, including Platinum and 97 points from the Las Vegas Global Spirit Awards and Gold with 95 points from the New York International Spirits Competition, and delivers a flavor profile that neither an Irish whiskey nor a bourbon can achieve on its own.