Drumshanbo Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey
Drumshanbo · The Shed Distillery of PJ Rigney
A genuinely original pot still whiskey that expands what the category can mean. The unconventional inclusion of Irish-grown rice sounds gimmicky until you taste it — it adds a delicate floral lift to the classic pot still weight. Worth seeking out for anyone who thinks they know Irish whiskey.
Nose
Warm barley bread and toasted oats lead, followed by orchard fruit — baked apple and quince — with a curious floral thread of jasmine rice and orange blossom. Underneath, gentle vanilla and a whisper of clove.
Palate
Full and creamy on entry, with the signature pot still oiliness. Layers unfold slowly: green apple skin, honeyed cereal, cracked black pepper, and a distinctive delicate rice-cake sweetness. Mid-palate develops orange zest and toasted almond, with light oak tannins framing everything.
Finish
Long, warming, and dry — cereal sweetness fades into white pepper, dried orange peel, and a lingering nuttiness. The cask strength delivery keeps the spices humming well after the swallow.
- Distillation
- Double distilled
- Maturation
- Matured in a combination of ex-bourbon barrels and Oloroso sherry casks
- Single Pot Still
- No
- Chill-Filtered
- Non-chill filtered
Cocktail Suggestion
The Leitrim Hush — 2 oz Drumshanbo Single Pot Still, 0.5 oz Pedro Ximénez sherry, 0.25 oz honey syrup (2:1), 2 dashes orange bitters. Stir with ice for 30 seconds, strain into a chilled coupe. Express an orange peel over the surface and drop in.
Food Pairing
Roast pheasant with quince glaze and wild rice pilaf, or an aged Coolea cheese with oatcakes and honeycomb.
Founded in 2014 by PJ Rigney in a corrugated-iron shed in Ireland's smallest county, The Shed Distillery quietly matured its pot still spirit for years before releasing it — a stillness of purpose in a hurried industry.
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