PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
It had been more than a century since a single drop of whiskey was legally distilled anywhere in Connacht, Ireland's western province — a genuinely remarkable gap that PJ Rigney's The Shed Distillery finally closed when it opened in Drumshanbo, County Leitrim, in December 2014. Drumshanbo Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey, the distillery's flagship whiskey release, holds the distinction of being the first Irish whiskey to come out of Connacht in over 105 years — a genuinely historic milestone for one of Ireland's most singular and least-represented whiskey-producing regions.
Head Distiller Brian Taft built the whiskey around a mash bill of malted Irish barley, un-malted Irish barley, and Irish Barra oats — a combination Taft describes as central to what The Shed calls its "Premier Grand Cru" ambition. Each grain plays a distinct role: un-malted barley brings spice and depth, malted barley delivers sweetness and fuller body, and the Barra oats — a genuinely unusual inclusion for the category — contribute the elegant, distinctive creaminess that sets this whiskey apart. Patrick Rigney, managing director, put it directly: "we are thrilled to restore Irish oats to the distillation of Single Pot Irish Whiskey, resulting in this rare Irish whiskey of extraordinary depth, creaminess and elegance." The whiskey is triple distilled across three of the distillery's five copper pot stills — all crafted by Arnold Holstein in Germany — with the whiskey stills producing only around one cask of spirit each day, a genuinely small-batch pace. Every single cask is personally tasted and hand-selected by Brian Taft to guarantee consistency across every bottle. Maturation happens primarily in first-fill Kentucky bourbon casks, with a smaller portion resting in Sherry Oloroso casks, bottled with no added colour and non-chill filtered.
Master of Malt's official tasting note describes "creamy rice pudding and vanilla initially, with toasted oats and classic pot still spice, leading into chocolate-coated raisin," building through "fruitcake and melted milk chocolate, followed by creamy orange curd and buttered scone," closing on "a warming finish of chilli heat and caramelised nuts" — a whiskey that's earned more than 35,000 five-star reviews on that retailer alone. The Whiskey Wash's official notes found "winter spice, redcurrant, and coconut" shifting elegantly to "dark chocolate, almond, and oak," with "a creamy, full-bodied mouthfeel with unexpected depths," closing on "scintillating sweet wine notes, with a slide of dry spice that lingers delicately, sublimely on the palate." Bourbon Obsessed's independent review offered a genuinely different, more fruit-driven take, finding "fresh green apples, tangerines, blackberry jam," with "mild light honey sweetness, light caramel, malt" on the nose, and a similarly bright, fruit-forward palate. This is a whiskey with real regional significance behind it, and enough tasting-note variety across reviewers to suggest a genuinely complex, layered spirit worth exploring for yourself.
The Shed Distillery opened in December 2014 in Drumshanbo, County Leitrim, in the heart of rural Ireland, founded by PJ Rigney — making history as the first distillery to open in the northwestern province of Connacht in over 100 years. Drumshanbo Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey is the distillery's flagship whiskey release and its first global whiskey export, distinguished as the first Irish whiskey to actually come out of Connacht in over 105 years.
Head Distiller Brian Taft built the whiskey around a mash bill of malted Irish barley, un-malted Irish barley, and Irish Barra oats — a combination central to meeting the legal requirements of the Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey category, which mandates at least 30% each of malted and unmalted barley in addition to standard Irish whiskey rules. The exact proportions of each grain are not publicly disclosed. The whiskey is triple distilled, in copper pot stills crafted by Arnold Holstein in Germany — three of the distillery's five total stills are dedicated to whiskey production, with the remaining two used for Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin, and two separate column stills producing the distillery's Sausage Tree Pure Irish vodka. The distillery's whiskey stills produce only around one cask of spirit per day, a genuinely small-batch pace, and every single cask is personally tasted and hand-selected by Taft to ensure consistency across releases. The whiskey is aged primarily in single-use, first-fill Kentucky bourbon casks made from American oak, contributing vanilla and caramel sweetness, with a smaller portion matured in first-fill Sherry Oloroso casks for added warmth and honeysuckle character. Bottled at 43% ABV with no added colour and non-chill filtered, packaged in a premium gift carton, and distributed in the US by Palm Bay International.
No numerical critic score is confirmed for this product at this time.
Patrick Rigney, Managing Director, The Shed Distillery:
"We are thrilled to restore Irish oats to the distillation of Single Pot Irish Whiskey, resulting in this rare Irish Whiskey of extraordinary depth, creaminess & elegance."
Master of Malt (official tasting note, 35,000+ five-star reviews):
"Creamy rice pudding and vanilla initially, with toasted oats and classic pot still spice, leading into chocolate-coated raisin. Fruitcake and melted milk chocolate, followed by creamy orange curd and buttered scone. A warming finish of chilli heat and caramelised nuts."
The Whiskey Wash (official tasting notes):
"Palate: Winter spice, redcurrant, and coconut shift elegantly to deeper notes of dark chocolate, almond, and oak. A creamy, full bodied mouthfeel with unexpected depths. Finish: Scintillating sweet wine notes, with a slide of dry spice that lingers delicately, sublimely on the palate."
Bourbon Obsessed (extended independent review):
"Nose: Fresh green apples, tangerines, blackberry jam; mild light honey sweetness, light caramel, malt; alcohol appropriate for the proof. Taste: Green apples, tangerines, caramel, blackberry jam, moderate sugar sweetness."
Hard To Find Whisky (extended tasting note):
"Tons of vanilla with back notes of figs, raisins, red berry jam and sweet spice. Warming notes all round; think Christmas cake, toasted oak, orchard fruit, fig, sherry and milk chocolate."
Norfolk Wine & Spirits (extended tasting note):
"Nose: Toffee, caramel and a pinch of white pepper lead to orchard fruit and a touch of crunchy barley-sugar sweetness."
The Shed Distillery (official tasting note):
"Rich and extravagant, yet balanced with aromatic warm pot spice, vanilla and dried fruit aromas. Complex and fully balanced, a glorious marriage of pot spice, fig, Oloroso sherry and toasted oak notes. Elegant with a wonderfully creamy mouthfeel. It lingers sublimely on the palate."
Nose
Toffee and caramel lead, joined by a pinch of white pepper and orchard fruit, with crunchy barley-sugar sweetness. Vanilla runs throughout, alongside creamy rice pudding, toasted oats, and classic pot still spice. Some tasters find fresh green apple and tangerine brightness leading the profile instead, with blackberry jam and light honey.
Palate
Warm pot spice, vanilla, and dried fruit carry the entry, developing into chocolate-coated raisin, fruitcake, and melted milk chocolate. Creamy orange curd and buttered scone add richness, while winter spice, redcurrant, and coconut shift elegantly toward dark chocolate, almond, and oak. A creamy, full-bodied mouthfeel throughout, with genuine depth.
Finish
Warming, with chilli heat and caramelised nuts closing things out, alongside scintillating sweet wine notes and a slide of dry spice that lingers delicately and sublimely on the palate. Elegant and complex, reflecting the whiskey's Oloroso sherry and Kentucky bourbon dual-cask maturation.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Style | Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey |
| ABV / Proof | 43% ABV / 86 Proof |
| Mash Bill | Malted Irish barley, un-malted Irish barley, Irish Barra oats |
| Distillery | The Shed Distillery — Drumshanbo, Co. Leitrim, Ireland |
| Founded | December 2014 by PJ Rigney |
| Head Distiller | Brian Taft |
| Historic Significance | First Irish whiskey from Connacht province in over 105 years |
| Distillation | Triple distilled, copper pot stills (Arnold Holstein, Germany) |
| Production Scale | ~1 cask of spirit per day — genuine small batch |
| Cask Selection | Every cask personally tasted and selected by Brian Taft |
| Aging | First-fill Kentucky bourbon casks (primary) + first-fill Sherry Oloroso casks |
| Colour | None added |
| Chill Filtered | No |
| US Distribution | Palm Bay International |
| Style / Identity | Creamy, elegant, "Premier Grand Cru" Single Pot Still — genuinely regionally significant |
| Aromas & Flavors | Vanilla, toffee, caramel, orchard fruit, fig, Oloroso sherry, toasted oak, dried fruit, chocolate, winter spice |
| Bottle Size | 750ml |
Best enjoyed neat or with a small splash of water in a Glencairn glass to fully appreciate the creamy texture and layered spice built by the dual-cask maturation.
Bottle Size: All bottles are 750ML/700ML unless otherwise noted.
21 and Over: Adult Signature Required
Your cart is empty
Start shopping
