Irish Whiskey
Irish whiskey is popular the world over. No matter where you are in the world you are sure to find an Irish whiskey like Bushmills or Jameson behind the bar at the local pub. What makes Irish whiskey so popular? Apart from their origin, what is the difference between Irish whiskey and Scotch or American whiskey?
The main difference between these whiskies is their ingredients. Malted barley is the main ingredient in Scotch whisky, while American whiskey is made with corn, rye, or wheat and Irish whiskey is made using a combination of both malted and un-malted barley.
Another key factor is the length of production time. Irish whiskey is aged for a minimum of three years to ensure the maximum flavor while American whiskey is only aged for a minimum of two years. Like Irish whiskey, Scotch whisky must be matured for a legal minimum of three years.
Irish Whiskey in Phnom Penh
At The Wild Rover Irish Pub, Phnom Penh, you will find what is quite possibly the largest selection of Irish Whiskey in Cambodia! With 18 different blends of Irish Whiskey behind the bar you are sure to find something to excite your taste buds! If you are not into whiskey, don’t worry, you can always have a Guinness instead! If you are an Irish Whiskey fan then you might want to cast your eyes over our Irish Whiskey menu:
The Wild Rover Irish Whiskey Tour – BUSHMILLS TO CLONAKILTY/ Co Antrim to Co Cork.
1. Bushmills Original Irish Whiskey
With a recipe that dates back before Prohibition, there is no better whiskey for making a classic, pre-Prohibition cocktail than Bushmills Original.
2. Black Bush Irish Whiskey
Bushmills BLACK BUSH Irish Whiskey combines an exceptionally high amount of malt whiskey married with a lighter grain whiskey, and then matured in former Oloroso Sherry and Bourbon casks.
3. Bushmills 10-Year-Old Irish Whiskey
The “youngest” of Bushmills single malt, think of this as the gateway to the greatest single malt whiskeys of the world. Bushmills Single Malt Whiskey 10-year-old is triple distilled from 100% malted barley and matured for a minimum of 10 years in former Sherry casks and bourbon-seasoned casks which gives it its honey, vanilla and milk chocolate aroma.
4. Bushmills 12-Year-Old Irish Whiskey
The Bushmills 12-year-old is a blend of single malts matured for a minimum of 11 years in oloroso sherry seasoned casks and ex-bourbon barrels.
5. Bushmills – Black Bush 80/20
(PX Sherry Cask) reviews highlight a rich, fruity, and spicy profile with prominent sherry sweetness (raisins, dark fruits, allspice) from Pedro Ximenez casks, balanced by nutty, oak, and malty notes, though some find it less intense than standard Black Bush, with a shorter, sometimes bitter finish; it’s praised as an easy-drinking, full-bodied Irish sipper, especially for sherry lovers, but opinions vary on batch consistency.
6. Bushmills 16-Year-Old Irish Whiskey
Aged in bourbon barrels before finishing in cognac casks, this unique single malt whiskey has notes of toasted oak with rich fruit, chocolate, and almond flavours.
7. Bushmills Port Cask Reserve Irish Whiskey
This Irish whiskey is a further release from the acclaimed Steamship collection. The initial palate is that of honey and a touch of cinnamon.
8. Bushmills Millennium Cask Irish Whiskey
A special, limited-edition single malt releases from Bushmills Distillery laid down in the mid-1970s (like 1975), aged for the millennium celebration, often directly from private bourbon casks, offering intense, pure, cask-strength character, prized by collectors for their rarity and unique, unadulterated Irish whiskey profile.
9. Jameson Original Irish Whiskey
Jameson Irish Whiskey is a blended Irish Whiskey. What’s that we hear you say? Well first we take the best of pot still and fine grain whiskeys. Then we triple distill them- not because we have to because we want to as it gives it its signature smoothness.
10. Jameson Triple Triple Irish Whiskey
Introducing NEW Jameson Triple Triple. Triple Distilled, Triple Cask… and some say, Triple Smooth. Jameson has always brought new friends to the table, so this time we introduced our Bourbon and Sherry casks to hand-selected Chestnut casks. It turned out to be a match made in wood heaven.
11. Jameson Stout Edition
is a triple-distilled Irish whiskey finished in stout-seasoned oak barrels from a craft brewery (like Franciscan Well or Eight Degrees), adding rich notes of coffee, chocolate, butterscotch, and hops to its signature smoothness, making it a more complex, affordable alternative to regular Jameson, great for beer lovers.
12. Jameson Crested
is a premium Irish whiskey from Jameson, notable for its rich, full-bodied taste with prominent sherry, spice, fruit, and chocolate notes, resulting from a blend of pot still and grain whiskies matured in both sherry and bourbon casks, celebrating the first whiskies bottled at Bow Street. It offers a deeper flavor than the standard Jameson, showcasing a balanced mix of aged spirits and cask influence, with a warm, lingering finish.
13. Jameson Round
This is a hard to find expression of Jameson that is normally only found in airport retail. The ‘Round’ combines a perfect balance of grain and pot still whiskeys which have been collectively matured in a combination of virgin (new) American oak, ex-Bourbon barrels and Sherry butts.
14. Jameson Bold
A rich, spicy, pot-still led Irish whiskey from Jameson’s Deconstructed Series, highlighting its pot still character with notes of spices, vanilla, barley, and baked apples, offering a bolder, more robust flavor than the original, featuring a creamy texture with a lingering spicy finish. It’s known for its intense spice and barley sweetness, making it a full-bodied, flavorful sipper.
15. Jameson Blender’s Dog
This is a blend of both grain and pot still whiskeys that have been aged in ex-Bourbon and ex-Sherry barrels. Apparently three different spirit types are used in the grain and pot still element and four different barrel age profiles.
According to Irish Distillers this ‘delivers butterscotch sweetness with a prickle of spice and tannins. Making whiskey requires a fair deal of science, but blending is an art.’
16. Jameson 18-Year-Old Irish Whiskey
Jameson 18 Years Limited Reserve is a flavourful and elegant whiskey that’s been aged for 18 years in the finest oak barrels. It’s the kind of whiskey you pull out for special occasions, like when you’re celebrating with your best mates.
17. Redbreast 12-Year-Old Irish Whiskey
Redbreast 12-Year-Old boasts the complexity and distinctive qualities of pot still whiskey. Matured in a combination of bourbon and sherry casks.
18. Redbreast 15-Year-Old Irish Whiskey
Redbreast 15 is richer, earthier and stronger than its 12-year-old sibling, and makes for an essential part of any whiskey drinker’s education.
19. Redbreast 18-Year-Old Irish Whiskey
Matured by the Master Blender in a combination of ex-bourbon barrels and casks seasoned with the finest oloroso sherry, cream sherry and ruby port to elevate Redbreast’s Single Pot Still Whiskey to new heights. Bursting with berry fruit aromas, hazelnut chocolate tones, and caramelised stone fruit sweetness, the latest addition introduces a captivating array of new flavours that complement that signature Redbreast taste.
20. The Dubliner Reserve
A 3-year-old blend of malt and grain whiskey rested in bourbon casks for a silky-smooth finish. Notes of fresh apple, melted butter and a hint of toffee makes for a great drink neat, with ice or in a tall glass with cloudy apple juice.
21. The Dubliner 10 Years
The Dubliner range grew in mid-2016, with the introduction of their 10 year old Irish single malt whiskey! This has been drawn from casks that previous held Kentucky bourbon and has been bottled at 42% ABV.
22. Eiregold Reserve
This well-rounded, smooth Irish whiskey is distilled, matured, and bottled in Country Cork along the coast of the Wild Atlantic Way. Expect vanilla-rich notes with hints of cinnamon, cloves, succulent sweet caramel, and a long lingering finish.
23. Eiregold Potstill
An Irish whiskey known for its traditional profile, often triple-distilled and featuring malted and unmalted barley in its mash bill, matured in bourbon casks for a smooth, classic taste, making it great for sipping neat or in Irish Coffee. It’s an accessible way to experience authentic Irish single pot still character, offering a balanced mix of spice and sweetness.
24. Tullamore D.E.W. Irish Whiskey
Tullamore Dew is a resoundingly popular Irish blend, particularly in overseas markets, where it is second only to Jameson.
25. McConnell’s 5-Year-Old Irish Whiskey
Aged 5 years, McConnell’s is a fine blend of Irish malt and grain whiskies which have been gently rested in select bourbon casks.
26. McConnell’s 5-Year-Old Sherry Cask Irish Whiskey
McConnell’s Sherry Cask Finish is aged for 5 long years, matured in 1st fill select Bourbon barrels, then finished in the finest Oloroso Sherry Casks.
27. Liberties Oak Devil
Matured in ex-bourbon casks and bottled at 46% ABV (non-chill filtered), this whiskey is bursting with character. The nose teases with baked apples, fresh hay, and warm brown sugar, while the palate delights with toffee apples, cider, and rich caramel. The fiendish finish lingers with gentle notes of nutmeg, cinnamon spice, and a touch of sweetness that tempts you back for another sip. A wickedly smooth Irish single malt!
28. Liberties 10 Years
The Liberties Irish Whiskey 10 Years refers to The Dublin Liberties Copper Alley 10 Year Old Single Malt, a premium Irish whiskey aged in bourbon casks and finished in Oloroso sherry casks, known for rich notes of honey, fruit, spice, and dark chocolate, offering a sweet, complex taste with a long finish.
29. Kilbeggan
Kilbeggan is the flagship blend from the Kilbeggan Distilling Company (previously called Cooley Distillery). Most of the whiskey that goes into the blend is matured in the town of Kilbeggan, however the spirit is distilled at Cooley in County Louth. Kilbeggan is a smooth and warming blend with some nice oak character and good depth of flavour.
30. Waterford Hook Head Irish Whiskey
Hook Head 1.1 is part of Waterford’s Single Farm Origin series and is made exclusively with Irish Propino barley from Hook Head farm’s 2015 harvest.
31. Green Spot Irish Whiskey
The accessible but complex Green Spot is a delightful combination of fruit, toffee and malt, and a fine example of Irish pot still whiskey.
32. Yellow Spot
Yellow Spot is special in that it contains whiskey that has been matured for a full 12 year period in three oak cask types: American bourbon barrels, Spanish sherry butts, and uniquely, Spanish Malaga casks.
The Malaga cask brings an exotic sweet note to the whiskey making it a truly delightful taste experience. Only extremely limited quantities of Yellow Spot have been bottled making it a whiskey to seek out and savour as a true rarity.
33. Clonakilty Irish Whiskey
A single batch Irish whiskey from Clonakilty, finished in virgin oak casks and matured in a warehouse overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Soft aromas of sweet spices, freshly-cut grass, ripe orchard fruits and leather fill the nose, and the palate offers notes of fresh ginger, cubeb pepper, hazelnut, almond and grass.
The Oldest Whiskey in the World
The Old Bushmills distillery in County Antrim Northern Ireland, holds the title of the oldest licensed whiskey distillery in the world. They were granted their license to distill way back in 1608!
“For over 400 years, we’ve carried on an ancient whiskey tradition. Generations have passed down a handcrafted art, triple-distilling our “smooth and mellow” whiskeys.”
Fancy a dram of Irish Whiskey? Head on down to The Wild Rover Irish Pub on St. 178 in Phnom Penh! Probably the best pub in Phnom Penh for Irish Whiskey!