BROWSE & TASTE YOUR WAY THROUGH OUR COLLECTION

Don’t worry if you don’t know your single malt from your Midleton rare because we just love talking whiskey tasting. The 1852 Whiskey Club is about discovery and trying new things. We want, over time, to encourage customers to build on their knowledge of whiskey by trying as wide a variety of whiskey as possible in a comfortable and fun environment. Our Whiskey Bar is located on the ground floor facing Galway’s Eyre Square, where you’ll feel right at home learning about whiskeys of the world.

Irish Whiskey

Irish whiskey has a distinct difference to our neighbouring Scottish spirit. Our whiskey is distilled three times giving it a more smooth taste with mellowed malt and barley honey sweetness. The pot stills give it a distinctive spiciness. If you haven’t tried whiskey, it’s time you started and the Irish version is where to begin. If you want to know more about Irish whiskey history John’s knowledge will impress you. The traditional drink may be the stout but a chaser was always kept by the side of the pint and was washed down at the end of the night.

Jameson Original | Ireland | ABV 40%

Jameson is by far the best selling Irish whiskey in the world and currently sells at a rate of around 4 million cases per year. It has been tweaked over the years to make it mix well with other drinks which explains its popularity in bars and nightclubs. The blend is dominated by some light and crisp grain whiskey but also has a good dollop of heavier pot still whiskey adding some depth. Most of the ageing is done in first fill bourbon casks with only a small proportion in sherry wood. This is a good starting point for anyone wanting to try a typical Irish blend.

Jameson Crested Ten | Ireland | ABV 40%

Crested Ten is a hard to find expression of Jameson that doesn’t absorb much of IDL’s marketing budget. Around since 1963, it gets its name from the Jameson family crest and has a bit of a cult following. We think this is a far better example than the standard Jameson, it has just a bit more flavour and complexity, meaning it is a little easier to drink straight up without a mixer or ice! The blend composition is very similar to the regular Jameson but has a little more ageing (although confusingly not quite as old as ten years). Some extra use of sherry casks also adds some nice weight and spicy fruitiness.

Jameson Caskmates | Ireland | ABV 40%

The Jameson Caskmates release is a unique whiskey that has been made with the help of Cork’s Franciscan Well brewery. Barrels that had been previously used for Jameson whiskey were taken to the Franciscan Well Brewery to use in the ageing of their full-bodied craft stout. Once used for beer maturation they were sent back to the distillery where Jameson whiskey that had already been aged was filled into them for a finishing period

Jameson 12 Year Old | Ireland | ABV 40%

Jameson 12 year old has a wonderful pot still character combined with the smoothness you would expect from Jameson. The pot still content on the standard Jameson ranges from 5-7 years old. With the 12 year old, the extra ageing adds considerable depth and complexity. A heavier style of pot still whiskey is used and a good proportion is aged in sherry casks (again a higher amount than the standard bottling). The result is a whiskey that bridges the gap between standard blends and the heavier single pot still whiskeys from Jameson.

Jameson 18 Year Old | Ireland | ABV 40%

This has to be one of our favourite Jameson whiskeys. We love it because it reminds us of some of the great heavy pot still whiskeys once produced at the Old Bow Street Distillery in Dublin, albeit a lot easier to drink. Varying styles of pot still whiskeys dominate this luxury blend, which has only a small amount of grain whiskey added to bring some extra smoothness. The casks are predominantly first fill sherry and refill bourbon which are carefully selected before being married for around six months in first fill bourbon casks. It’s made in batches, so it differs a little from year to year. If you ask us this is a little more complex and spicy than Midleton Very Rare, so perhaps is a better buy if you like Irish whiskeys that have a good bit of sherry cask richness.

Jameson Select Reserve | Ireland | ABV 40%

This is one of the newest additions to the Jameson range and is also known as Jameson Black Barrel. We were impressed when we first tried this and it seems a bit different to the rest of the Jameson range having some nice flavours of chocolate and spice added to the usual mix. The term ‘Black Barrel’ was used because some of the spirit is matured in heavily charred 1st fill bourbon casks. This charring gives more cask influence with some butterscotch, dark chocolate and vanilla flavours coming through. The remainder of the casks used are 1st and 2nd fill bourbon barrels which add some balancing sweetness to the blend.

Jameson Gold Reserve | Ireland | ABV 40%

Jameson Gold started out as a limited edition expression that was originally created for the Asian market. It proved to be very popular and it was added as a permanent member of the Jameson range. The blend has been tweaked a little since it first appeared and now seems to be more rounded and harmonious than initial releases. The Jameson Gold features three well-aged pot still whiskeys, one of which was aged in new American oak barrels. New oak can be quite aggressive and tends to add a lots of flavour but also some tannin and woodiness, so it has to be used sparingly here. The composition of Jameson Gold is quite complex with lots of different pot still and grain components all coming together in an elegant and smooth package.

Jameson Rarest Vintage Reserve | Ireland | ABV 46%

The Jameson Vintage Reserve is a very special blend that draws its components from some of the oldest whiskeys available in the warehouses at Midleton. At its core is a generous amount of old pot still with some very old grain, but what sets it apart is probably the portion matured in a sweet, raisin port pipe. This is a highly complex, fruity, spicy and sweet tasting blend and must rank as one of the best Irish whiskeys currently available. A rare treat.

Red Breast 12 Year Old | Ireland | ABV 40%

On the nose it’s a mature fruit bowl (pears, brown bananas, strawberries) vanilla and cloves. On the palate it has a thick texture, floral and creamy with burnt ginger cake. Overall, it’s rich and complex but still easy-drinking.

Red Breast 15 Year Old Ireland | ABV 46%

A beautiful, pure, single pot still whiskey, Redbreast 15 Year Old is all about seductive soft fruit and hard barley. A little earthier than its 12 year old counterpart, it’s rich, thick and sweet.

Red Breast 21 Year Old | Ireland | ABV 46%

Redbreast 21 is a rich, spicy single pot still Irish whiskey matured exclusively in first-fill Sherry and bourbon casks, and this fantastic 21 year old is no exception. A masterpiece of cask selection and blending, we absolutely love this older expression with its notes of tropical fruit, menthol and a touch of leather alongside all that mouth-filling goodness.

Red Breast 12 year old Cask Strength | Ireland | ABV 59.9%

On the nose, an explosion of figs, dates, ripe banana, sultana, red apple and lime. Pot still spices combine with the sweet vanilla and pine from the casks. On the palate, dried fruit with a touch of citrus and aromatic oils and spices. Vanilla sweetness leads to toasted oak and barley. Exceedingly long with rich complexity of spices and fruit slowing fading through sweet butterscotch to barley.

Red Breast Mano a Lámh | Ireland | ABV 46%

The name comes from the Spanish and Irish Gaelic words for “hand” and reflects the ties between Midleton Distillery in Ireland and the Spanish Sherry bodegas that help season casks for Midleton.

The nose is rich with Clementine orange peels, raisins, figs. hints of muted spices including clove and dill, oak, and a touch of shortbread cookies. The taste is luscious with good fruity notes of oranges, peaches, and apricots at first, followed by a buildup of spicy notes including black pepper, dill, and clove along with honey and oak in the background

Bushmills | Ireland | ABV 40%

Bushmills Original is a blend of Single Malt Irish Whiskey with a single grain Irish whiskey. Grain whiskey reserved for Bushmills Original is slowly matured for a minimum of five years in American oak casks that are specially selected to bring out the golden hue and light, yet distinctive characteristics of the whiskey. When mature, this grain whiskey is blended with a Single Malt whiskey to balance the flavour.

Bushmills Black Bush, | ABV 40%

Black Bush is truly a legend among whiskeys-the result of dedicated care and craftsmanship perfected over the centuries. The secret lies in our choice of the single malt whiskey which has been matured in carefully selected Oloroso sherry casks and blended with our delicate grain whiskey to give black bush its intriguing flavour, as distinctive as its name

Bushmills 10 Year Old Malt | ABV 40%

Bushmills distillery is located on the northern coast of Ireland in County Antrim very close to the famous Giants Causeway. Aged predominantly in bourbon casks with some sherry wood, the whiskey is triple distilled and the malt dried in a closed kiln to ensure no peat/smoke flavours. It has a sweet spicy aroma with a hint of vanilla and toffee. Deliciously malty with notes of spices, peppers and a honeyed finish.

Bushmills 16 Year Old Malt | ABV 40%

The whiskey is aged for 15 years in 50% bourbon and 50% sherry casks. These are married in vat and recasked into port pipes for a year. ‘Nose: An exquisite belt of exotic spices, cut with rich cigar smoke. Taste: A rich start sets off tangerines, cocoa and spicy port notes. This whiskey keeps unfolding as you hold it in the mouth. Later, nutty toffee and cocoa arrive. Finish: The port really makes itself felt here. Very dry, yet sweet. Hints of bitter chocolat

Connemara 12 Year Old | ABV 40%

This beautifully crafted Connemara has a distinctly intense peat smoke character mingling with a fresh coastal breeze reminiscent of an old Port Ellen. This ruggedness is offset by a delicious vanilla sweetness adding both balance and complexity to the malt. One of the best expressions of Connemara, perfectly combines richness and smokiness.

Connemara 18 Year Old Sherry Cask

Intense and pronounced on the nose. Aromas reminiscent of kippers smoking, bonfires on the beach, tarred rope, flint smoke, hessian sacks, dried figs, dates, Christmas cake and chocolate. On the palate is starts off sweet and fruity with flavours of sultanas, dates, and candied orange peel then the smoke and spice comes through with notes of peat fires, spiced fruits and sea spray.

Connemara 22 Year Old Peated Single Malt | ABV 46%

This 22-year-old has been drawn from some of the earliest barrels filled at the Cooley Distillery and has been matured exclusively in first fill bourbon barrels. It is the oldest whiskey in the core Connemara range, famous for its peaty signature, which has somewhat softened in the barrel over the years to produce a beautifully balanced malt. Indeed, at the moment it’s the oldest age statement core whiskey produced at any of Ireland’s distilleries. Connemara 22 is non-chilfiltered, has not been coloured and is very delicious.

Connemara Peated Single Malt | ABV 40%

Connemara was the first peated malt whiskey produced by Cooley distillery. Once the malted barley has germinated it is dried over a peat fire, the smoke rising through the malted barley giving it a distinct peaty flavour and aroma. ‘Nose: Pronounced smoke, rather than peat, though both are evident. Palate: Syrupy. Sweet grass. Smoky, some drier hints of phenol. A suggestion of juicy wood extracts, or sherry, rounding out the flavours. Finish: Smoky and emphatically grassy. Sweet grass, but also spicy dryness.

Paddy | ABV 40%

Paddy is one of Ireland’s favourite whiskeys and is the only major Irish whiskey to use single malt in its blend, thus creating its uniquely rich & mellow flavour. First distilled in 1779, the whiskey originally sold under the unlikely name ‘Cork Distilleries Company Old Irish Whiskey’ until a young salesman by the name of Paddy Flaherty joined the company in 1881.

Paddy Centenary Edition | ABV 43%

The Paddy Centenary single post still is the first pot still bottling of Paddy, released to celebrate the centenary anniversary of the brand. This seven year old spirit has aromas of fruits and spices, with flavours of dried fruit and a lively palate.

Powers | ABV 40%

James Power founded his distillery in 1791 at John’s Lane in Dublin. His son, Sir John Power, expanded the business greatly in the 1800’s and alongside John Jameson, established the worldwide reputation of Dublin whiskey.

Powers is a great example of how tradition and craftsmanship can meet innovation. While staying true to its traditional style of Irish pot still whiskey.

Powers 12 Year Old John Lane | ABV 46%

The Powers John’s Lane Distillery was renowned for its Pot Still Irish whiskeys, bursting with flavour and character. Single Pot Still whiskey is unique to Ireland in general and to the Midleton Distillery, Co. Cork, in particular, and is regarded as the quintessential style of Irish whiskey. Made from a mash of malted and unmalted barley and then triple distilled in traditional copper pot stills, Pot Still whiskeys are characterised by full, complex flavours and a wonderful, creamy mouthfeel.

Powers Signature Release | ABV 46%

Powers Signature Release is the second Single Pot Still whiskey to be added to the Powers family, following the release of the ultra-premium Powers John’s Lane Release in May 2011. The new expression bears the hallmark spicy flavours that are typical of the Powers whiskeys, with black pepper, honey, vanilla and berries in abundance. Using the signature Powers pot still distillate, it has been matured mainly in American bourbon barrels with the subtle inclusion of whiskey matured in Spanish Oloroso sherry casks.

Powers Three Swallows | ABV 40%

Powers Three Swallow Release is the 21st century embodiment of the traditional pure Pot Still whiskey style which made Powers famous around the world. Three Swallow features all the singular characteristics of traditional Irish Pot Still whiskey – robust, spicy and powerful. It is matured primarily in American bourbon barrels where these characteristics are amplified and complemented with strong wood character. Marrying with a small sherry aged component gives Powers Three Swallow Release balance and finesse.

Teelings Single Grain | ABV 46%

Single Grain- Recently Awarded World’s Best Grain at the World Whiskies Awards, 2014. This award-winning addition is one of only a handful of Single Grain Bottlings in the world. It is fully matured in Californian red wine barrels resulting in an intensely fruity and beautifully amber liquid, with lush berry notes. Hand selected casks, bottled at 46% with no chill filtration to ensure all the unique flavour is captured.

Teelings Single Malt | ABV 46%

A newly released single malt that is drawn from various ages of whisky from a single Irish distillery. The oldest malt in this dates back to 1991 and the various components have been matured in different types of barrels including Sherry, Port, Madeira, White Burgundy and Cabernet Sauvignon.

The Irishman 12 Year Old

The Irishman 12 Year Old Single Malt is a timeless Irish Malt which is matured in first fill, flame charred Bourbon barrels. Each year we will select only a handful of the best barrels, to make ‘the cut’ for our 12 Year Old. From the exquisite aroma there is no mistaking the influence of the ex-Bourbon casks with the light sweet spicy notes of Vanilla, Cinnamon and even a tincture of Clove. All balanced with Apples and Pears, some charred wood and freshly cut hay.

Tullamore Dew 10 Year Old | ABV 40%

Our 10 Year Old Single Malt is a nod to Tullamore D.E.W’s history in unbridled creation, being the only Irish Single Malt in existence matured to perfection in four different types of cask: old bourbon, dry oloroso sherry, port and madeira.

Tullamore Dew Phoenix

This special limited edition is a triple distilled blend of all three types of Irish whiskey; golden grain, malt and pure pot still whiskey. It is characterised by its high content pot still whiskey finished in old oloroso sherry casks and comes to you at 55% ABV. Tullamore D.E.W. Phoenix is a medium bodied whiskey, with distinctive sherry notes and pleasantly spicy creamy pot still whiskey flavours nicely balanced

List of Whiskies

  • Macallan Ruby 18 Year
  • Macallan Ruby 12 Year
  • William Lawson Scotch
  • Johnnie Walker Gold
  • Johnnie Walker Black
  • Johnnie Walker Red
  • Green Spot
  • Powers Signature Release
  • Jameson Vintage Reserve
  • Jameson 18 Year Old
  • Locke’s 8 Year Old Single Malt
  • Glenmorangie 18 Year Old
  • Glenmorangie 10 Year Old
  • Wild Geese Rare
  • Irishman Founders Res Blen
  • Writers Tears Potstill Blend
  • Bushmills 21 Year Old
  • Tullamore Dew 12 Year
  • Tullamore Dew 10 Year
  • Tullamore Dew Crock
  • Tullamore Dew Phoenix
  • Midleton Dair Gaelach
  • Red Breast 12 Year Old
  • Red Breast 15 Year Old
  • Red Breast 21 Year Old
  • Red Breast 12 Year Cask Strength
  • Red Breast Mano Lamh
  • Connemara Peated Single M
  • Connemara 12 Year Old
  • Connemara 22 Year Old
  • Glenmorangie Lasanta
  • Glenmorangie Nectar
  • Glenmorangie Quinta
  • Chivas Regal 12 Year Old
  • The Glenlivet 12 Year Old
  • Glenfiddich Malt 12 Year Old
  • Talisker 10 Year Old
  • Oban 14 Year Old
  • Lagavulin 12 Year Old
  • Jamenson 12 Year Old
  • Bulleit Rye Bourbon
  • Auchentoshan American Oak
  • Suntory Hibikki 17 Year Old
  • Aberlour 10 Year Old
  • Johnnie Walker Blue Label
  • Powers 3 Swallows Release
  • Bowmore 12 Year Islay Malt
  • Bowmore 18 Year Islay Malt
  • Jack Daniels Gentleman Jack
  • Jack Daniels Single Barrel
  • Bunnahabhain 12 Year
  • Chivas Regal 18 Year Old
  • Four Roses Single
  • Glenfarclas 15 Year
  • Glenrothes Single
  • Knappogue Single Malt
  • Nikka From Barrel
  • Nikka Pure Malt Black
  • Teelings 21 Year
  • Teelings Single Grain
  • Teelings Single Malt
  • Teelings Small Batch
  • Wild Geese Limited Edition
  • Glenlivet Founders Res
  • Ballantines Finest
  • Macallan Amber 12 Year
  • Arbeg
  • Longmore 16 Year
  • Talisker Storm
  • The Singleton of Dufftown 12 Year
  • Wild Geese Classic
  • Wild Geese Single Malt
  • Wild Geese Rare Blend
  • Kilbeggan Irish
  • Kilbeggan 8 Year Old
  • Kilbeggan 21 Year Old
  • Tyrconnell Single Malt
  • Tyrconnell 10 Year Shery
  • Tyrconnell 10 Year Made
  • Bushmills 1608
  • Bushmills 1975 Single Malt
  • Lagavulin 16 Year Old Single Ma
  • Laphroaig 10 Yers Single
  • Arran 10 Year Old
  • Arran 12 Year Old
  • Arran 14 Year Old Single Ma
  • Arran 18 Year Old
  • Arran Port Cask Finish
  • Ancient Age Bourbon
  • Eagle Rare 10 Yers Old
  • Elijah Craig 12 Yers
  • Old Grandad Bourbon
  • Pearse Lyons Reserve