Two Stacks Double Barrel - Single Grain Irish Whiskey Review

Two Stacks Whiskey Co. is a whiskey brand founded in 2020 by Shane McCarthy, Liam Brogan, and Donal McLynn. Before its founding, the trio had been friends for 15 years, sharing a love of Irish hospitality, history, and culture.

 

I’ve had a handful of prior experiences with Two Stacks – all of which have been excellent, including its Dram in a Can offerings. Yeah, they put whiskey in a can, and it is the same whiskey you’ll get from the bottled version. Two Stacks is one of only three independent bonding and blending facilities in Ireland. Before Prohibition hit the United States, there were hundreds.

 

One of the things I admire about Two Stacks is its transparency. They’ll tell you everything you would ever want to know (as well as information you didn’t think of). If you want to geek out, go to the Two Stacks website. Seriously, some of their information borders on technical papers.

 

The newest release from Two Stacks is called Double Barrel – Single Grain. It is the first Single Grain whiskey the brand has released and fits Ireland’s Single Grain Irish Whiskey category, which requires no more than 30% malted barley in the mash and must include unmalted cereal grains.

 

Single Grain whiskeys, no matter where they originate, tend to have a poor reception, much in the same vein as blends. Those who find them as “lesser” whiskeys are cheating themselves out of some fantastic pours. Don’t let anyone try to talk you out of ignoring an entire whiskey category. Always #DrinkCurious!

 

“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. 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.” – Liam Brogan, Co-Founder

 

Two Stacks was kind enough to provide samples of Double Cask – Single Grain in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review. Let’s taste how this one turned out.

 

• Whiskey Type: Single Grain Irish Whiskey
• Distiller: Great Northern Distillery Co
• Age: 3 to 5 years in Bourbon barrels, then 1 to 3 years in Oloroso Sherry Casks
• Mashbill: 94% maize, 6% malted Irish barley
• Alcohol Content: 43% ABV (86°)
• Price per 700mL: $44.99 / Price per 100mL: $6.99
• Non-Chill Filtered
• Naturally Colored

 

Appearance: I poured Double Barrel – Single Grain into a Glencairn glass to experience neat. It looked like liquid gold and created a bold rim with widely spaced, thick, fast tears.

 

Nose: After allowing about ten minutes for the whiskey to breathe, I brought the glass beneath my nostrils and inhaled. The aroma smelled of caramel, lemon zest, oranges, almonds, and floral notes. Pulling that air through my lips, I found raw almonds.

 

Palate: A light, buttery mouthfeel introduced flavors of almonds, vanilla cream, and lemon zest to the front of my palate. Next came pears and nutmeg. The back featured white pepper, oak, and muted leather.   

 

Finish: The white pepper and oak notes started softly and gradually built up to something quite vivid. The vanilla cream countered those somewhat. Almonds permeated every aspect, and the last thing I tasted was the oak. Overall, it was on the dry side. I timed it at 1:44, making it a medium to long duration.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: I found Double Barrel – Single Grain to be proofed appropriately. Anything higher may have become overwhelming, especially with the spicy finish, which generated plenty of warmth. The evenly balanced palate, combined with that lush mouthfeel, made this an easy sipper. That being said, don’t plan on driving – the alcohol hit me quickly, which, admittedly, took me by surprise.

 

Double Barrel - Single Grain is a classic example of why single-grain whiskeys are worth your attention. Is it similar to a single malt? No, nor should it be. This Irish whiskey provides a flavorful and enticing drinking experience that I found pleasing. You get all of this for just $45.00, which is a recipe for 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.