Drumshanbo Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey A Century in the Making
In Ireland’s western province of Connacht lies the village of Drumshanbo. Located way out in the untamed countryside of County Leitrim, Drumshanbo is truly the road less traveled. In fact, the region hadn’t seen a new distillery open in over 100 years. Enter the inimitable PJ Rigney, a world traveler and spirits expert who knew the rural heart of Ireland would make an ideal home for The Shed Distillery and Drumshanbo Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey.
PJ, who has been in the spirits world since the early 1980s, founded The Shed with his wife, Denise, in 2014. After spending years crisscrossing the globe — from the far-flung corners of China to the wild African Serengeti — PJ returned to his native Ireland with a singular goal. He wanted to craft artisanal spirits, infused with the wonderous places he’d traveled during his curious journeys.
Of course, an Irish distillery needed a signature Irish whiskey. One that respected historic traditions (distilling in custom-built, medieval copper pot stills), used premium quality ingredients (un-malted Irish barley, malted Irish barley, and Irish Barra oats), and inspired with its innovations (aging in single-use Kentucky Bourbon casks and Sherry Oloroso casks). The result was Drumshanbo Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey, a small-batch whiskey that’s exceptionally smooth, creamy, spicy, and a true delight for the senses.
The final piece of the puzzle? A special symbol. Something that embodied the marriage of Irish whiskey making traditions with exciting, unique innovations. PJ picked the jackalope: mythological progeny of a jackrabbit (not a real rabbit) and an American antelope (not a real antelope). Local legend holds that the creature was conceived during a massive lightning storm. He still appears today, along knolls of Drumshanbo, but is always gone in a flurry of feet and antlers before anyone can catch him.
As the first Irish whiskey from the Western province of Connacht in over 100 years, PJ’s Drumshanbo Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey has revived the region’s spirits tradition. It’s been a long time coming, but as you’ll taste for yourself, it was well worth the wait.
Drumshanbo Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey Highlights
The Shed Distillery, home of Drumshanbo Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey, was the first distillery to open in west Ireland in over 100 years.
Drumshanbo Irish Whiskey is triple distilled in custom-built, medieval copper pot stills.
Crafted from malted Irish barley, un-malted Irish barley, and Irish Barra oats, and aged in Kentucky Bourbon and Sherry Oloroso casks.
Irish Whiskey Made in the Wild Heart of Ireland
When PJ envisioned his distillery, he saw it nestled in deepest, rural Ireland in the beating heart of the untamed countryside. That’s exactly what he found in Drumshanbo, County Leitrim, where he built The Shed Distillery on the edge of a lake. Drumshanbo is a place of curiosity and inspiration, surrounded by nature and immersed in history. From the shores of Lough Allen to the nearby foothills of Sliabh an Iarainn (The Iron Mountain), the area fit every aspect of PJ’s vision. An idyllic Irish land — and the perfect place to craft a bold, new Irish whiskey.
Crafted Using Only Premium Quality Irish Ingredients
As part of The Shed Distillery team’s quest to make what they like to call a Premier Grand Cru single pot Irish whiskey, they use only the most premium quality ingredients. Un-malted Irish barley gives a unique spiciness and depth to the whiskey, while the malted barley is a bit softer, imparting an inherent sweetness and a deeper, fuller body. As the finishing touch, the team adds a small amount of Irish Barra oats. The oats create an elegant creaminess and bring delicious spice notes to the finish, qualities that elevate the whiskey and set it apart from others in its class. As head distiller Brian Taft notes, it’s “a well-balanced whiskey that dances effortlessly between sweet and spice, possessing a full, well-rounded mouthfeel that lingers lightly on the tongue.”
Sustainably Conscious From Farm to Distillery
The Shed Distillery is committed to minimizing its environmental impact and actively promoting sustainability throughout its production processes. They prioritize organic practices, ensuring that the Irish barley and Barra oats used in their whiskey are grown without harmful chemicals. The distillery has implemented efficient water management systems, recycling, and reusing water wherever feasible to reduce water consumption and minimize their environmental impact. The Shed has also invested in renewable energy solutions to further the transition to clean energy sources. They currently use solar power and other renewable resources to power their distillery to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and lower greenhouse gas emissions.
By prioritizing the planet and engaging in sustainable production, they’re demonstrating that it is possible to create exceptional, artisanal products while remaining conscious of the health of our planet.
Triple Distilled by Hand in Medieval Copper Pot Stills
The making of Drumshanbo Single Pot Irish Whiskey is a slow, meticulous process that marries classic traditions with PJ’s inspired innovations. Every precious drop is triple distilled in medieval-style copper pot stills, which were custom-built for The Shed Distillery by renowned craftsman Arnold Holstein. As the still heats up, the unique mixture of un-malted Irish barley, malted Irish barley, and Irish Barra oats distills down, infusing the spirit with distinctive spice notes and an elegant creaminess.
Once distilled, Drumbshanbo Irish Whiskey is aged in single-use Kentucky Bourbon casks. The American oak imparts hints of vanilla, coconut, and bourbon. Some of the whiskey is also aged in Sherry Oloroso casks, which give warming pot spice and sweeter honeysuckle notes. All the barrel aging is done with no added color and no chill filtration, so the whiskey’s pure color and character shine through in the bottle and, most importantly, your glass.
PJ Rigney: Adventurer in Spirit, Irishman at Heart
PJ Rigney has been called the modern Marco Polo of the spirits world. He’s a self-described serial entrepreneur and inventor who has been dreaming up incredible spirit journeys since the early 1980s when he helped put Irish Creme on the map in America. He is also famous for his wanderlust and the influence of his travels trickles down to every element of The Shed’s delightful spirits. In fact, it’s by exploring the wider world that PJ has gained an even greater appreciation for his native Ireland, with its rich history and wild natural beauty. It’s this uniquely Irish spirit that infuses every drop of Drumshanbo Irish Whiskey.
