A New Class of Irish Whiskeys Punches Above Its Weight

This was an underwhelming year for St. Patrick’s Day, but it remains a spectacular time for Irish whiskey fans. The category is one of the fastest-growing spirits segments in the U.S., with a compound annual growth rate of 13.4% over the past five years, according to IWSR Drinks Market Analysis; domestic whiskey has grown 5.5%, Scotch whisky 0.2%.

Much of that expansion is driven by sales in the super premium range, bottles that cost more than $30. Americans are not only drinking more Irish whiskey, they’re drinking better Irish whiskey. Generally soft and rounded, it’s unpeated, with hints of caramel oakiness and a light fruitiness against a cereal backbone. In its finest expressions, the country deftly demonstrates a primary selling point: the sophistication and structure of Scottish single malt bound by the sweeter approachability of bourbon.