W.D. O'Connell

A bonder buys whiskey from distilleries, matures it and sells it under its own name. In Ireland this was once common practice, but the tradition almost disappeared. W.D. O'Connell is bringing it back: the company works as bonder, blender and bottler and answers to no distillery, parent company or house style. That lets it choose, bottle by bottle, which whiskey and which cask work best together.

Bill Phil combines two things that rarely go together in Ireland: peat and triple distillation. The whiskey was distilled at the Great Northern Distillery in Dundalk and was presented at launch as the first peated, triple-distilled Irish single malt in more than fifty years. It is softer than an Islay whisky, with smoke that stays in balance. A great choice if you appreciate both Irish whiskey and smoke.

Creamy and spicy, with red fruit and a sweet port finish. The Tomásín is a single pot still: Irish whiskey made from malted and unmalted barley in pot stills, which gives a full mouthfeel and spice. It was distilled in 2017 at the Great Northern Distillery, matured first in ex-bourbon and then for four years in a Ruby Port cask. It is bottled at 52.2% ABV in an edition of 200 bottles.

Soft, sweet and surprisingly rounded. Grain whiskey is usually made in column stills and is lighter than malt whiskey; after ten years of maturation it shows plenty of vanilla and honey. This 10 Year Old belongs to W.D. O'Connell's Bourbon & Rye series: it matured in first-fill ex-bourbon casks and was finished in ex-rye casks, which adds a gently spicy edge. A lovely bottle for discovering how versatile grain whiskey can be.

Yes, Union Road is the most approachable bottle from W.D. O'Connell and a great introduction. It is a 5 year old blend of single malt and grain whiskey matured in four cask types: ex-bourbon, virgin oak, ex-oloroso sherry and re-charred bourbon casks. That makes it layered and gently spicy, and suitable both neat and in a cocktail such as an Irish Old Fashioned.