Collection
Ireland
Buying Irish whiskey at Mood4Whisky means choosing between two characterful names from the new generation of Irish whiskey. Silkie comes from Sliabh Liag Distillers on the rugged coast of Donegal and is named after the seal women of Celtic mythology. The whiskey house of Daithí O'Connell, founded in 2019 in County Waterford, releases small-batch bottlings as an independent bottler from distilleries including Cooley and Great Northern.
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Irish whiskey is known for being smooth and approachable, but this collection shows other sides too: from single pot still in the W.D. O'Connell Tomásín 8 Year Old Port Cask to peated single malt in the Bill Phil. Silkie appears in three profiles of the M4W Flavour Compass: the Armagnac Cask in Smooth & Fruity, The Legendary and The Dark Silkie in Rich & Sweet and The Midnight Silkie in Spicy & Lively. Read more about the makers on the Silkie and W.D. O'Connell pages.
What is single pot still whiskey?
Single pot still is a typically Irish style, made at a single distillery from a mix of malted and unmalted barley and distilled in copper pot stills. The rules require at least 30% malted and 30% unmalted barley. The unmalted barley gives a creamy texture and a spicy edge. At Mood4Whisky you can taste the style in the W.D. O'Connell Tomásín 8 Year Old Port Cask, distilled at the Great Northern Distillery and matured in ruby port casks.
Is Irish whiskey always triple distilled?
No, although triple distillation is the Irish tradition and most pot still whiskey is made that way. The rules also allow double distillation. Distilling three times produces a lighter, softer distillate, which explains Irish whiskey's reputation as an approachable drink. If you want to taste the difference, pour an Irish and a Scottish single malt side by side and pay attention to texture and finish.
Is there smoky Irish whiskey too?
Yes, although it is rare: most Irish whiskey is made without peat. The W.D. O'Connell Bill Phil is a peated Irish single malt from the Great Northern Distillery in Dundalk, with which the bottler started out in 2019. Thanks to triple distillation the smoke is softer and sweeter than in many peated Scotch malts, with honey, citrus and warm spice. On the M4W Flavour Compass it sits in Smoky & Powerful.
Which Silkie suits your taste?
The Legendary Silkie is the smooth, honey-sweet core bottle from ex-bourbon casks. The Legendary Silkie Armagnac Cask adds floral notes and white grape. The Dark Silkie matures in sherry casks and is fuller, with raisin, nuts and cinnamon. The Midnight Silkie is an Irish single malt, also from sherry casks, and the spiciest of the four. If you are just starting, choose The Legendary; if you want depth, go for The Dark or The Midnight Silkie.
How long must Irish whiskey mature?
Irish whiskey must mature for at least three years in wooden casks on the island of Ireland; this can be in either the Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland. Many whiskeys mature for longer: the W.D. O'Connell 10 Year Old Single Grain matured for ten years, first in first-fill ex-bourbon and then in ex-rye whiskey casks. Union Road is a five-year-old blend matured in four cask types. The age on the label is always that of the youngest whiskey.