The Irishman line of Whiskeys comes from the upstarts at Walsh Whiskey who set out to rediscover Irish-style Whiskey as it was made 200 years ago. When Walsh Whiskey first started, they contracted their distilling to Bushmills. But their success has allowed them to build out their own distillery in Carlow — in the heart of Ireland’s southern farm country — where they make four versions of The Irishman, three Writer’s Tears, and two varieties of Irish Cream Liqueur.
The Irishman 12 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey was launched in 2013, and demand has been high. But due to the limitations of being a smaller production house, only6000 bottles of the 12 YO Single Malt are being made each year. This is accomplished by hand selecting the best cast from inventory and giving them extra time to rest.
Both of their Single Malts are triple distilled — as Irish Whiskey should be — and aged in a combination of ex-Bourbon and ex-Sherry casks without chill filtration. Upon initial release it was an instant classic, winning Gold and Best in Class at the International Spirits Challenge.
What does The Irishman 12 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey taste like?
The Flavor Spiral™ shows the most common flavors that you'll taste in The Irishman 12 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey and gives you a chance to have a taste of it before actually tasting it.
We invented Flavor Spiral™ here at Flaviar to get all your senses involved in tasting drinks and, frankly, because we think that classic tasting notes are boring.
Dog Dogson's
Smartass Corner
The Harp is the official emblem of Ireland, not the shamrock. The reason for shamrock’s fame is Saint Patrick.
Very smooth. Smells sweet. Tastes after vanilla and something "sweet, smooth, good". Very little spicy. Like it quite a lot. Will buy. Only tasted.
Krissy,
This is spicy up front, smooth in the middle, and finishes peppery, but not overpowering. Like it a lot.
Matt,
Pleasant
A good all round whiskey. Oaky and peppery but also smooth. Some sweetness. Not bad.
Christopher,
I would buy this again.
Tyler,
N: Rounded aromas of cocoa, maple, a bit of dark fruit and barrel char.
P: Peaches and cream. Later there is mint, pepper, and some astringent fruit notes like honeydew melon. Like a bright vibrant summer salad but not overly sweet.
Medium finish. The peach and pepper linger.
This is the best Irish whisky I've had. One that belies Irish whisky's little brother status to Scotland's single malts. This will have permanent residence on my shelf now.
Charlotte,
Says it's an Irish whiskey. Tastes like a good 10 year peated scotch.
Daniel,
Great smooth flavor with a nice bite in the end. Sweetness comes through with hints of spice and nutty.
Andrew,
Exceedingly smooth. Fudge and cream linger in the finish, yet the whiskey avoids being exceedingly sweet. Complex whiskey that earns a spot in my home bar
Declan,
First time trying The Irishman. Decent nose of clove, toffee and fudge. Palate is smooth although there is a touch of heat initially.
Bradley,
Really smooth, no heat or harsh after taste.
Matthew,
Appearance: Color is amber, decent legs... Nose: Clove, trace bright fruit, vanilla, subtle roasted peanut, and some cocoa notes... Palate: Dark fruits, strong vanilla flavor, oatmeal note. Late transition to dark chocolate note... Mouthfeel: Slightly thicker than average... Finish: Long sustained malty flavor than hangs around well beyond other flavors... Overall: Good Irish Whiskey that sets out to compete with Scotch and does so well.
Bill,
Very light and smooth. No after bite.
Lars,
This is by far my favorite (so far) whiskey. Nice and smooth, no aftertaste, just overall a pleasant drink.
Guy,
Sweet, balanced, nothing punching the taste buds
Luke,
So smooth, this is the best I've tried so far
Lawrence,
Bits of vanilla and sherry
Jaakko,
Medium colour, greyish gold. Nose light also, egg shells??? Wheat or some grain. Grapes?
What an interesting taste! Spicy, fruity, some burnt notes. Losing it while sipping continues though. Butter? I like it. It’s nice, there’s enough character to make it interesting but not to make it unpleasantly eccentric. Could fall back to this after experimenting around a bit more. Nice one.
David,
Smooth start with a little kick. The start of the flavor profile is strong but fades at the end. I appreciate the work put into this whiskey
John,
I’d put the sweet as number 3 in the flavor profile. The rating is because I’m finding this isn’t my style. But I appreciate that there isn’t a bunch of smoke up front.
Douglas,
This was great
Nicholas,
Sweet with a bit of spice. Definitely has a little clove. After running through a few Irish Whiskeys I think I'll stick with Scotch.
Robert,
The aroma is apples, as is the initial taste. Definite burn and I can’t place the aftertaste.
Adding water brings out a sweetness.
Definitely won’t be buying this.
Taking a second taste.
Very sweet with a burn.
Martyn,
Very smooth at the beginning,A good whiskey but not the best 12yr old ive had
Samantha,
Smooth and absolutely delicious
Geoffrey,
I found this to be enjoyable. Compared to my favorites I found it to be mild, start to finish. An easy going sipper with a nice almond cookie memory.
Joel,
Sweet smooth front with strong cloves middle and a mild finish
Steve,
Not one of my favorites, sorry. Kind of lacks flavor to me. A bit bland and just tastes like rubbing alcohol to me.
Dustin,
Smooth. Little pepper up front, velvety finish. Big fan
Denise,
Enjoyed from the peppery beginning through the dessert sweet finish. Could be great in mixed drinks or just to sip.
Kyle,
Pangalactic gargle-blaster, but gives way to a pleasant sweetness, after your tongue recovers from the fire, that is. Not the best, but not the worst either. Strong, bold, and slightly spicy, this one finishes like an Irish Whiskey, not a Scotch. It has a sweet nose and notes of a sweet gloss before the finish. I'm a bourbon drinker, so I'm not seeing the "heavy" vanilla by comparison but it's there. I wouldn't turn it down, but it wasn't my favorite of the three in the tasting. A good strong second.
Jasson,
Love the spiciness on the tongue. It's a complex taste. Not a huge fan of the soft finish, but the flavor is remarkable.
Olivia,
Delightful - toasted almond notes, pear finish.
John,
Soft and balanced. A very nice taste, a new favorit.
Amanda,
The subtlety here sells it. On first taste it’s simply an incredibly smooth Irish whiskey, but multiple tastings reveal the notes once missed. Currant, banana, and an apricot finish makes this whiskey a more complex experience. I understand the price tag, and can easily recommend regardless.
Lori,
Much to my liking. Very smooth and balanced.
Lara,
A little soft and light on the finish for me.
Ellen,
Bought this as a gift for my father who isn't a fan of single malts generally. His verdict: this could convert him from the blended whiskeys he prefers. I'd say that counts as high praise.
Andrey,
Impressively soft whiskey with very rich taste. Finish is intriguing, I could even make it to feel currant after the second sip. I would definitely order a bottle for my home bar!
michael,
Not as smooth as you'd expect from a 12 yr old, nice strong oak finish
Steven,
Stronger bite than expected from an Irish whiskey. strong peach, almond and bready-- almost oatmeal-like flavor with a long oak finish. Over all decent, but I prefer smoother whiskey
Simon,
A strong smokey whiskey. Great after the first zip.
Joe,
Starts strong but finishes mellow.
Chris,
Mello and not to spicy. Decent finish but doesn’t taste overly complex
Bryon,
Smooth, good flavor. Traditional Irish Whiskey flavor
Kellen,
Eh.
Ron,
Smooth and sweet. Great caramel and leather nose. Smells like a baseball game. I’m partial to peat, but this Irish is high on my list of favorites.
Fergal,
A nice smooth whiskey, with a small late kick that doesnt last too long but warms. Goes down smooth. Id drink again.
Cory,
Bit of a spice note but I liked it.
Owen,
Not bad
Panagiotis,
Very smooth, fruity and surprisingly enjoyable. The perfect bottle to serve your appreciated friends who are not dedicated whiskey lovers. Totally balanced.
Grant,
Very smooth. Love the taste. Would love to have a bottle of this in my bar
Dave,
We enjoyed the Powers more. It was decent, but bland/nothing special about it.
AJ,
This is one of my favorites! Just really good!
Luke,
Nose: honey, light wood smell
Taste: fruity and heavy, balanced, some honey and vanilla, a touch of smoke on the finish, a little harsh
Calley,
Strong up front taste but then a smooth after taste with a vanilla flavor. Not my cup of tea but good.
Raoul,
A bit sharp and grassy, a disappointment.
Antti,
It is an outstanding, balanced, Single Malt Irish Whiskey with a delicate birth; while a full life; leads to a long death.
Greg,
Not a fan. Okay but more leather than I prefer; seem to overwhelm the vanilla undercurrent. Might work as a mixer.
Price point is too high.
Timothy,
Simple and smooth. A very easy drinker
arne,
big fan, very easy to drink, I like the fruitiness, the apricot finish is pronounced and unique
Scott,
Sweet sweet vanilla
Steven,
Great, smooth tast, mellow finish
Matthew,
I loved this one. Smooth, flavorful, long finish. It’s a delicious easy drinker.
alexey,
Smooth, with a hint of vanilla. Very nice.
Josh,
Finish was a bit strong, but delicious flavor. I still prefer the small batch from Irishman.
George,
Clean and crisp. Light and airy. Citrus. Good for sipping
Clay,
Probably my uneducated pallate but seemed a little bland and had a single note. Not bad, just not overly interesting.
Jeffrey,
Very smooth but I did not love it.
Ivan,
I like this a lot. Glad I ventured into the Irish whiskeys. I would buy this. Very smooth, a little spicy. My sample ran out too soon.
Zack,
A little sweet, but not in a bad way. The flavors are distinct and mix well without stepping on one another. I’d buy this as a bottle.
Catherine,
I thought this was very smooth
Anthony,
Smooth from start to finish. Mixes well with sodas if you choose but of course very appealing on or off the rocks.
Duane,
Very meh. I was disappointed.
Sylvia,
The Irishman was a wonderful surprise. Very smooth and flavorful. Will buy again!
Michael,
An extreamly strong whiskey that takes time to acquire a taste for. Really enjoyed sipping on a glass of it over an hour period.
Scott,
A good whiskey. I will buy it. Smooth with little after taste or burn.
Michael,
Very tasty spicy
Shant,
Right off the bat, the aroma of the whiskey is a pleasant vanilla. Nice and smooth mouthfeel with lingering notes of fudge. Definitely deserves a place in any whisk(e)y lover's home.
Dan,
Good front and backend
Martin,
Very pleasant when nosing. Vanilla at the beginning and then a hint of pear, apricot and a just a hint of sherry. Short aftertaste. Smoother after the first taste. Enjoyed it. One that you would want to have a bottle on the shelf to change your other tastings up a bit.
Steven,
Delicious. Caramel and spice. Smooth.
Guillermo,
I definitely taste the apricot, vanilla, the sherry, pear and malted barley. Very smooth at the beginning and at the end.
Michael,
It goes down a bit harsh but has a smooth and very pleasing finish.
Jarrod,
Light but tasty with hints of pear to end.
Matt,
Pretty tasty at first but has a very boozy aftertaste.
Robert,
remained of a good Bourbon
Eoin,
Really like the Walshs Whiskeys. This one is quite subtle, doesn't have a strong punch but is a quality whiskey for the price and to my mind beats the likes of Redbreast hands down.
David,
Not bad, somewhat smooth, but lacking in body/taste.
Kenneth,
Loved it...ordered a bottle to share with friends!
Lorenzo,
Not bad but not great. Compared to other 12 YO like Redbreast, this one's lacking, decent Sherry notes in, but finished flat.
Matt,
Had a tasting tonight with 3 other whiskey fans and universally this pour was dead last by all four of us . This might be the worst 12 year pour I have ever had