Two Stacks Brings Out An Irish Single Grain Whiskey
Two Stacks Irish Whiskey is giving the often overlooked category of single grain whiskey some real attention with its latest offering, now available throughout the US through importer Foley Family Wines & Spirits. It is available in both a 700 ml bottle and the unique 100 ml Dram in a Can.
As one of only three recognized whiskey bonders currently operating in Ireland when there used to be hundreds before the 1930s, Two Stacks is constantly on the hunt for traditional Irish whiskeys that will offer something beyond the ordinary, delving deep into heritage and lore. Two Stacks Single Grain Double Barrel uses double barrel aging to put a twist on a category that heretofore was best marked by the well-received Teeling Single Grain Whiskey, which itself has been a sleeper bottle for years.
“I think a lot of folks in Ireland thought we were mad when we told them we were coming out with an Irish Grain Whiskey,” said Two Stacks Co-Founder Liam Brogan. “We were confident with the right blend and aging/finishing we could produce something rather sophisticated and unexpected that honored the legacy of this workhorse stalwart in Irish whiskey history.”
While not as historically entrenched as the famed Single Pot Still whiskeys of the 18th and 19th centuries, the single grain style gained momentum with the advent of column stills in the mid-1800s. However, it wasn’t until the establishment of Cooley Distillery in 1987 and The Great Northern Distillery in 2015 (both founded by John Teeling, David Hynes, and Jim Finn) that the style truly came into its own in modern Ireland. The whiskey from those distilleries is blended and bonded for this bottling.
Two Stacks Single Grain Double Barrel starts with a mashbill of 94% maize and 6% Irish malted barley. The technical file for Irish Grain Whiskey requires that it is produced with malted barley (not exceeding 30%) and includes un-malted cereal grains, in this case corn. The small, but impactful, inclusion of 6% Irish malted barley brings subtle richness, enhancing the creamy, honeyed sweetness of the maize.
The distillate is first aged for 3-5 years in former bourbon barrels, followed by 1-3 years in Oloroso sherry casks, both in a traditional Irish rickhouse on the Cooley Peninsula. The dual maturation imparts layered notes of vanilla, coconut, dried fruits, and baking spices—resulting in an 86-proof whiskey that is light, elegant and nuanced.
Two Stacks was founded in 2020 by three friends, Shane McCarthy, Liam Brogan and Donal McLynn, whose friendship began over 15 years ago, rooted in a shared love of Irish hospitality and a deep passion for Irish history & culture. Their singular goal of changing the narrative on Irish Whiskey would be achieved by reaching into Ireland’s deep whiskey roots and putting real people back into the fine art of Irish Whiskey making to create complex, sophisticated blends capable of challenging any Whiskey in the world.
In addition to a 700 ml sustainable bottle made from 100% recycled glass ($44.99 MSRP), Single Grain Double Barrel is also available in a ground-breaking 100 ml Dram in a Can ($6.99 MSRP). Both products may also be purchased online https://twostackswhiskey.com/. The recyclable aluminum can provides added convenience for those wanting to enjoy a high-quality whiskey on the go. With the new embossed bottles, Two Stacks was one of the first spirit brands in the world to use 80% recycled glass, along with all-natural cork and recycled plastic seals.
