The Muff Liquor Company Peated Irish Whiskey Review (2025)

As we approach St. Patrick’s Day, it seems timely to explore some Irish whiskeys.

 

I’m always excited when a whiskey – any whiskey – is new to the American market. It doesn’t matter if it is American or not; for me, it is something new and shiny. Maybe that’s my ADD that kicks in.

 

Founded in 2017, The Muff Distilling Company is the brainchild of Laura Bonner, inspired by her “Granda” Philip McClenaghen, a potato farmer and distiller of Irish poitín. She was joined by her business partner, Tom Russell. The distillery is located in the village of Muff (hence its name) in the Inishowen Peninsula in County Donegal.

 

The distillery makes potato-based gin, vodka, and a blended Irish whiskey. Those have been available in Europe for several years and, with the help of celebrity investor partners Russell Crowe, Ed Sheeran, Ronan Keaton, and Jimmy Carr, are expanding globally, and Lucas Bols USA has been tapped to assist its introduction to the United States.

 

One of the things about the Irish Whiskey that commanded my attention is that it is peated. Peated Irish whiskeys are the exception, not the rule. It is made from a five-part blend of grain and malt whiskeys. Those five parts are:

 

• Irish triple-distilled grain whiskey in a virgin cask;
• Irish triple-distilled grain whiskey matured in ex-American bourbon casks;
• Sherry matured triple-distilled malt whiskey;
• Double-distilled Irish malt whiskey; and
• Peated triple-distilled malt whiskey is again matured in ex-American bourbon casks.

 

If you look at those components, you’ll discover something else that is different: most Irish whiskeys are triple-distilled. There’s a double-distilled component, which should (in theory) add a more flavorful aspect. At the same time, there isn’t a percentage breakdown for those individual whiskeys.

 

The Muff Liquor Company Irish Whiskey carries no age statement, which means the youngest component whiskey is at least three years old. There are no disclosures as to chill filtration or coloring. It is packaged at 43% ABV (86°) and is affordable at $37.99 for 700ml.

 

Before I can #DrinkCurious, I must thank The Muff Liquor Company for providing me with a sample of this whiskey in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review.

 

Appearance: I poured this Irish whiskey into my Glencairn glass to sip neat. The liquid possessed a pale straw color. A medium-thick rim formed husky, crazed tears.

 

Nose: Let’s get the obvious question out of the way: While the peat was obvious as I poured the whiskey from the bottle, it had significantly subdued once I allowed it to breathe. That allowed me to explore the aroma further, exposing my olfactory sense to lemon curd, pineapples, bananas, floral notes, and cedar. When I inhaled the air through my lips, there was lemon oil.

 

Palate: I felt a soft, creamy mouthfeel as I took my first sip. Again, there was the expected peat component, which, in this case, was on the mild side. The second sip revealed rich vanilla, fried plantains, and Granny Smith apples on the front. The peat appeared in the middle, along with walnuts and toasted coconut. I tasted dry oak, cinnamon spice, and white pepper on the back.

 

Finish: The almost never-ending finish included flavors of cinnamon spice, white pepper, gently smoked peat, toasted coconut, and very dry oak. Then, clove came out of nowhere and muted everything else. I timed the duration at 3:31.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: That finish – wow. It was big, bold, and surprisingly un-Irish whiskey-like. The peated component complimented the spice notes well. The sweet, tart, and fruity flavors were well-balanced, and I found the entire experience captivating. I commend The Muff Liquor Company for proofing this correctly and not shooting from the hip with 40% ABV. It beats so many similarly-priced Irish whiskeys on the market, and I’m thrilled to have this in my whiskey library. It ran away with my Bottle rating. Cheers!

 

My Simple, Easy-to-Understand Rating System

• Bottle = Buy It
• Bar = Try It
• Bust = Leave It

 

Whiskeyfellow encourages you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit but begs you to do so responsibly.