PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
The Dunbrody was a real sailing ship of the 1840s — famous, and tragic, as one of the "famine ships" that carried Irish families fleeing to America during the Great Famine. One of the descendants of a passenger who survived that perilous transatlantic passage founded this whiskey brand specifically to honor that history, and a full-scale replica of the original Dunbrody now sits moored at New Ross docks in Ireland as a visitor center, keeping that mass migration story alive. Every Dunbrody expression carries that same name forward, distilled at the Great Northern Distillery in County Louth.
Unlike most Irish whiskeys, which distill a single, standard mash bill and simply age different batches in different barrel types to create variety, Dunbrody builds each individual expression around its own genuinely distinct mash bill, matured entirely — start to finish — in the specific barrel named on the label. Bourbon Cask uses 71% corn, 20% rye, and 9% barley, a recipe deliberately built to echo a classic high-rye American bourbon, then matured entirely in real ex-bourbon barrels — a genuine bourbon-drinker's Irish whiskey, built to feel immediately familiar to anyone who reaches for a rye-forward American whiskey.
Harvest Wine & Spirits' official tasting notes describe "vibrant black tea up front" leading "to rich notes of toffee," with "light vanilla" pairing "with subtle rye spice to round out the finish," alongside "brighter acidity with integrated levels of light caramel, candied walnuts, orchard fruits and a peppery as well as sweet finish." The Bartender Spirits Awards' independent tasting, which earned this exact release a Silver Medal, found "vanilla and caramel aromas with soft spices" making "way for a similar palate, joined by wood tannin," with "notes of dried orchard fruit" carrying "it over the palate to a moderately long finish." This is genuinely well-crafted, high-rye Irish whiskey — a real crossover pick for bourbon drinkers curious about Ireland's own take on that classic American profile, with a real historical story behind the name.
The Dunbrody Bourbon Cask Irish Whiskey is produced by LHK Spirits Group, distilled at the Great Northern Distillery in County Louth, Ireland. The brand takes its name from the Dunbrody, an actual 1840s sailing ship that carried Irish emigrants fleeing the Great Famine to America — the brand's founder is a descendant of one of the ship's passengers. A full-scale replica of the original vessel is moored today at New Ross docks as a historical visitor center.
Unlike most Irish whiskeys, each Dunbrody expression is built from its own unique mash bill and matured entirely in the barrel type named on the bottle. Bourbon Cask uses a mash bill of 71% corn, 20% rye, and 9% barley — deliberately similar to a high-rye American bourbon — matured entirely in ex-bourbon barrels. This exact release earned a Silver Medal at the Bartender Spirits Awards, 2024.
Silver Medal — Bartender Spirits Awards, 2024
Bartender Spirits Awards (extended tasting note):
"Vanilla and caramel aromas with soft spices make way for a similar palate, joined by wood tannin. Notes of dried orchard fruit carry it over the palate to a moderately long finish."
Nose
Vibrant black tea leads, joined by vanilla and caramel aromas, alongside soft spice and dried orchard fruit.
Palate
Rich toffee carries the entry, with light vanilla and subtle rye spice developing, balanced by brighter acidity, light caramel, candied walnut, and orchard fruit, with genuine wood tannin depth.
Finish
Moderately long, closing peppery yet sweet, with rye spice rounding out a genuinely bourbon-like character.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Style | Irish Whiskey — Bourbon Cask Matured, High-Rye Profile |
| Mash Bill | 71% Corn / 20% Rye / 9% Barley |
| Maturation | Entirely in ex-bourbon barrels |
| Distillery | Great Northern Distillery — County Louth, Ireland |
| Producer | Dunbrody Irish Whiskey (LHK Spirits Group) |
| Awards | Silver Medal, Bartender Spirits Awards 2024 |
| Sister Expressions | Caribbean Rum Cask, Madeira Cask |
| Brand History | Named for the Dunbrody famine ship; founded by a descendant of its passengers |
| Style / Identity | A genuinely bourbon-drinker-friendly Irish whiskey — high-rye, toffee-and-black-tea-forward |
| Aromas & Flavors | Black tea, toffee, vanilla, rye spice, candied walnut, orchard fruit |
| Bottle Size | 700ml |
Whiskey Sour
2 oz Dunbrody Bourbon Cask · fresh lemon juice · simple syrup.
Old Fashioned
2 oz Dunbrody Bourbon Cask · sugar cube · Angostura bitters · orange twist — the rye spice cuts cleanly through the classic build.
Bottle Size: All bottles are 750ML/700ML unless otherwise noted.
21 and Over: Adult Signature Required
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