Best Irish Whiskey Finalists and Winner: 2023 New York World Wine & Spirits Competition

by The Tasting Alliance Team  |  09.20.2023

Join us in raising a glass to honor the Best Irish Whiskey among this year’s distinguished finalists at the 2023 New York World Wine & Spirits Competition.

Best Irish Whiskey Finalist; Best Blended Irish Whiskey: Sailor’s Home Journey Irish Whiskey

The Journey Irish Whiskey is a testament to the brand’s unwavering commitment to crafting exceptional and distinctive whiskey experiences. This remarkable expression undergoes a meticulously curated aging process, beginning with the initial maturation in Virgin American oak barrels. It then embarks on a second journey, finding its home in American Bourbon barrels, where it gains further depth and character. To add a unique twist, malt Irish whiskey is aged in American Bourbon barrels and then graced with a finishing touch in Jamaican Rum casks. This infusion of tropical fruit and delightful rum notes creates a unique flavor profile.

Best Irish Whiskey Finalist: Keeper’s Heart 10-Year-Old Single Malt

The brand’s first aged statement is made from a mash of malted barley, distilled in copper pot stills, and aged for 10 years in Bourbon barrels. This expression has all of the complexity malt whiskey is known for. It is then finished in Malaga wine casks which add notes of stone fruits and marzipan that marry wonderfully with the malty character.

Best Irish Whiskey Finalist; Best Irish Single Malt Whiskey: Waterford Whisky Organic Cuvée Gaia

The combination of these individual Waterford Whiskies takes the form of a masterful ensemble, the Cuvée. This enigmatic synthesis of Single Farm Origins represents a milestone in our journey—a textured, complex, and utterly captivating experience that defines Waterford Whisky. It’s our LodeStar, our ultimate expression.

Best Irish Whiskey Finalist: Teeling Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey

Teeling Whiskey Single Pot Still is a limited release. It is crafted using a recipe of 50% unmalted spring barley and 50% malted barley which is triple distilled and matured in a combination of virgin oak, ex-wine, and ex-bourbon barrels.

Best Irish Whiskey: Sailor’s Home Haven Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey

Single Pot Still is a globally celebrated style of whiskey unique to Ireland – triple pot distilled, a mash bill of malted and unmalted Irish barley, and this one includes oats for a creamy mouthfeel.

The brand journeyed East and West to select Spanish Oloroso Sherry and American Bourbon casks to mature this special spirit to perfection reflecting centuries of trade from Spain through Limerick and on to the New World.

The Sailor’s Home was built in 1856 to provide welcome and sanctuary to seafarers on their journeys. A haven really.