Single pot still whiskies have a full-bodied, slightly oily texture and a distinctive spiciness attributed to the unmalted barley. Fruity, nutty, and often slightly sweet notes are common, and each expression is influenced by its specific ageing process. Distillers craft various expressions by manipulating variables such as cask type, ageing duration, and distillation nuances to curate a wide array of flavour profiles within the single pot still category.
Single Pot Still Whisky Brands
An iconic brand, Redbreast offers a range of aged single pot still whiskeys, celebrated for their lush, sherry-inflected profile and complex, evolving flavours.
Green Spot and Yellow Spot: These are historic “spot” whiskeys, initially crafted by Mitchell & Son Wine Merchants, with the colour denoting the age and flavour profile of the expressions.
Powers produces a range of expressions, including the acclaimed Powers John’s Lane, lauded for its balance of rich, hearty pot still character and elegant oak influence.
Influence and Impact
In recent years, the revival and booming global interest in Irish whiskey have spotlighted single pot still whiskey, facilitating its triumphant return to prominence. Many distilleries, both established and emerging, are experimenting with and releasing pot still expressions, playing with variables like cask finishes and ageing durations, and even incorporating modern techniques to both honour and innovate within the category.
In the Glass
Enjoying a single pot still whiskey is often done neat, perhaps with a drop of water to open up the flavours. It's a spirit that demands contemplative sipping, allowing the layers of flavour to unfold gradually with each sip. That said, it also finds its way into high-end cocktails, where its robust character can shine through and complement other ingredients.
Single pot still whiskey embodies the rich, multifaceted history and the innovative spirit of Irish whiskey-making. It's a subgenre of whiskey that tells a story of tax laws influencing production methods, of distillers innovating within constraints, and of a nation’s spirit industry rising, falling, and rising once again. Each bottle, from widely available expressions to rare releases, offers a taste not just of the whiskey itself but of the legacy and future of Irish distillation.