Keeper's Heart Irish + Bourbon Cask Strength 700ML

Keeper's Heart Irish + Bourbon Cask Strength 700ML is a 118-proof blended whiskey combining Irish pot still whiskey, Irish grain whiskey, and American bourbon in a 700ml bottle at 59% ABV. It earned 94 points from Wine Enthusiast and a Double Gold at the 2024 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, placing it among the most critically lauded cross-category blends on the market.

Quick Facts: ABV: 59% (118 Proof)  |  Origin: Minneapolis, Minnesota & Ireland  |  Blended Whiskey (Irish + Bourbon)  |  Distillery: O'Shaughnessy Distilling Co.

Production & Heritage

Keeper's Heart is produced by O'Shaughnessy Distilling Co. 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, the Spot range, and Powers. The Cask Strength expression is a triple blend composed of 41% Irish whiskeys and 59% bourbon. The Irish component includes triple-distilled pot still whiskey made from malted and unmalted barley, aged over four years in refill American bourbon barrels, alongside Irish grain whiskey made from maize and malt with similar maturation. The bourbon portion carries a mashbill of 75% corn, 21% rye, and 4% malted barley. The whiskey is bottled without chill filtration at full cask strength, preserving the texture and intensity of the blend.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Pronounced vanilla and coconut lead, followed by caramel, charred oak, and a distinct red apple note. Earthy pot still character weaves underneath, carrying herbal and orchard fruit tones that grow more complex as the whiskey opens up in the glass.

Taste: The entry is sweet and syrupy — light honey, simple syrup, and caramelized vanilla arrive first, giving way to robust baked apple and butterscotch at the mid-palate. As the proof asserts itself, tart orange and grapefruit citrus notes emerge alongside building black pepper spice and a creamy pot still richness that anchors the bourbon sweetness.

Finish: Long and warming, with peppery virgin oak, freshly charred wood character, and lingering herbal earthiness. Subtle barley cereal notes and residual pot still spice carry through to a dry, satisfying close.

How to Drink Keeper's Heart Cask Strength

At 118 proof, this whiskey rewards a patient approach — try it neat first to appreciate its full intensity, then add a few drops of water to unlock the pot still creaminess and temper the bourbon heat. On a single large ice cube, the blend opens dramatically as dilution reveals more fruit and cereal grain complexity.

• Gold Rush: The honey-forward sweetness and barrel spice stand up beautifully to lemon and honey syrup without losing character.
• Irish Old Fashioned: The pot still earthiness and bourbon vanilla create a layered, complex take on the classic that benefits from the higher proof.
• Whiskey Sour: At cask strength, the bold baked apple and butterscotch notes punch through citrus and egg white without being buried.

Best For

• Bourbon drinkers curious about Irish whiskey complexity
• Gifting a whiskey enthusiast who appreciates barrel-proof expressions
• Building a home bar collection focused on unique blending styles
• Side-by-side tastings comparing Irish and American whiskey traditions

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Keeper's Heart Cask Strength taste like? The dominant profile is sweet caramel, vanilla, and baked apple from the bourbon component, layered with earthy pot still spice, herbal notes, and citrus from the Irish whiskeys. The 118-proof intensity amplifies everything, delivering a rich, syrupy mouthfeel with a peppery, oak-driven finish.

How does Keeper's Heart Cask Strength compare to Redbreast Cask Strength? Both are barrel-proof expressions featuring Irish pot still whiskey, but Keeper's Heart intentionally incorporates American bourbon (59% of the blend), giving it more pronounced vanilla, charred oak sweetness, and corn-driven richness than the purely Irish, sherry-cask-influenced Redbreast Cask Strength, which bottled at 117.4 proof leans toward dried fruit and baking spice.

Is Keeper's Heart Cask Strength good for sipping neat? Yes — despite the 118-proof strength, the blend's syrupy sweetness and pot still creaminess provide enough body and balance to make it approachable neat, though a few drops of water help integrate the alcohol and reveal additional complexity.

Where is Keeper's Heart Cask Strength made? The bourbon component is produced in the United States, while the Irish pot still and grain whiskeys are distilled and aged in Ireland. Final blending and bottling are overseen by O'Shaughnessy Distilling Co. in Minneapolis, Minnesota, under master distiller Brian Nation.

What foods pair well with Keeper's Heart Cask Strength? Smoked pork belly or barbecue ribs complement the charred oak and caramel sweetness. Apple tart or crumble mirrors the baked apple notes. Aged cheddar or Gruyère matches the pot still earthiness. Dark chocolate with sea salt highlights the vanilla and spice. Pecan pie echoes the nutty, honey-forward bourbon character.

What sizes does Keeper's Heart Cask Strength come in? The standard release is a 700ml bottle, which is the primary format available for this expression.

Is Keeper's Heart Cask Strength worth the price? It positions as a premium expression within the Keeper's Heart range and the broader blended whiskey category. The combination of cask-strength bottling, a 94-point Wine Enthusiast rating, a Double Gold from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, and the pedigree of master distiller Brian Nation place it firmly in competitive territory for barrel-proof whiskey at its tier.

Why Keeper's Heart Cask Strength?

What makes this expression genuinely unusual is not just the blending of Irish and American whiskey — a category very few producers have attempted seriously — but who is doing the blending. Brian Nation's seven years overseeing Midleton's portfolio gives him an intimate understanding of pot still whiskey that most American distillers simply do not possess. The results have been validated repeatedly: a Platinum and 97 points at the 2023 Las Vegas Global Spirit Awards, Double Gold at the 2023 New York World Wine & Spirits Competition, and Best High Proof Bourbon at the 2023 Sommelier Challenge, in addition to the 94-point Wine Enthusiast score and 2024 SFWSC Double Gold. At full cask strength, this bottling represents the most uncompromising version of the Irish-bourbon concept, delivering a whiskey that belongs to neither tradition entirely but draws the best from both.