Two Stacks Single Grain Double Barrel Irish Whiskey Review

Two Stacks
Single Grain Double Barrel
Irish Whiskey
Age: NAS
86 proof
SRP: $44.99/700ml & $6.99/100ml Dram in a Can
Review By Craig & Cynthia

Please enjoy our Two Stacks Single Grain Double Barrel Irish Whiskey Review by guest reviewers Craig and Cynthia!

Introduction – Two Stacks Single Grain Double Barrel Irish Whiskey Review

The single grain style of whiskey gained popularity in Ireland with the introduction of column stills. Historically, pot stills were used in whiskey production, but the column still allowed for greater capacity and efficiency. While the majority of Irish whiskey is still produced using the traditional pot still method, since the late 1980s, column stills have been producing large amounts of whiskey in the country. Pot stills produce spirits that typically have a more complex and wider range of flavors, with more esters and congeners remaining in the distillate while column stills produce a cleaner, lighter, and more consistent distillate.

Additional Note

Two Stacks is an Irish Whiskey “bonding” company, meaning that they source raw whiskey from other distilleries and age it in their own bonded warehouses, similar to non-distilling producers (NDP’s) in the United States. Purchasing and blending whiskey is an age-old practice in Ireland and Scotland, though it’s only more recently become a respected endeavor here at home in the USA. Find out more by visiting their website at www.twostackswhiskey.com/

The specifics

Irish Pot Stilled Whiskey is required to be made up of at least 30% malted and also at least 30% un-malted barley. Two Stacks Single grain differs wildly from that mash bill with a mixture of 94% corn, and 6% Irish malted barley. Bourbon drinkers may recognize this ratio as a typical Bourbon mash bill which requires that the majority grain be corn.  The distillate is aged for 3-5 years in former bourbon barrels, followed by an additional 1-3 years in Oloroso sherry casks. So, even though this whiskey does not provide an age statement, you can see it has been aged for some time in these two different types of barrels. These two aged whiskeys are blended and proofed to 43% ABV or 86 proof. Two Stacks bottles their whiskey in 100% recycled glass bottles and also offers their products in convenient 100ml recycled aluminum cans called “Dram in a Can”, which it sells for an SRP of $6.99.

Tasting Notes – Two Stacks Single Grain Double Barrel Irish Whiskey Review

🛏 Rested: 15 minutes in a Glencairn

🎨 Color: Medium honey with light hints of orange

👉🏻 Nose (Craig): Green apple, sweet corn, dark red wine, white grapes, lightly toasted coconut shavings and floral notes.
👉🏻 Nose (Cynthia): Butterscotch, coffee, marzipan and lingering traces of cherry

👉🏻 Taste (Craig): Sweet corn, toasted oak, toasted vanilla beans and fresh honeysuckle
👉🏻 Taste (Cynthia): Kettle corn, toffee, Tupelo honey and sugar cookies.

👉🏻 Finish (Craig): Medium short, with a light spice underneath the sweeter notes
👉🏻 Finish (Cynthia): Medium soft finish with a dash of black pepper.

Tasting Notes Narrative -Two Stacks Single Grain Double Barrel Irish Whiskey Review

(Craig) On the nose, I first noted a strong smell of freshly picked green deer apples like we have here in North Carolina. This was followed by an unexpected wine note which reminded me of a Zinfandel or even a fortified wine. Later, I read that this had been aged partially in an Oloroso Sherry cask which made sense.  I also noticed a bit of light white grapes, like those they use in sweet white wine production in my home state of California. I remember eating those off the vine and that smell was present here. The final note was toasted coconut shavings which I enjoyed immensely. I spent a lot of time simply nosing my glass and seemed to discover new aromas each time which was fun. When I finally decided to dive in and take a sip, the sweet corn came through on the taste as well as new notes of toasted vanilla and honeysuckle. I was surprised by the complexity of the nose and taste given the predominance of only one grain and the low proof point. The finish was medium to medium-short with the sweet notes carrying through, underlined by a slight pepper note.

(Cynthia) On my first pass on the nose, thoughts of visiting one of those candy stores that cooks its own caramel or pralines where you can watch, started swirling in my mind. With subsequent passes, whiffs of coffee and marzipan stood out. Notes of cherry were lingering in the shadows. The nose on this whiskey was a delight. The complexity of the range of sweetness makes for great conversation. The first taste was easy on the palate and created a scene where you expect an explosion of butterscotch, but in fact the flavor was very velvety. The following tastings brought out other sugar delicacies like kettle corn and sugar cookies. Beware of the muted tart flavors. A medium feathery pepper finish completes the experience.

Conclusion – Two Stacks Single Grain Double Barrel Irish Whiskey Review

(Craig) Overall, I found this whiskey very enjoyable and would recommend it to anyone looking for something light but with nuanced layers. It should pair well with fruit or lightly salted nuts on a Charcutier board and actually held up well with the cigar I lit after my review was finished as I finished my glass.

(Cynthia) I do not usually gravitate to Irish Whiskeys, but I can see myself having a pour of this with some fruit and cheese or a wispy dessert. Two Stacks Irish Whiskey Single Grain Double Barrel is an excellent introduction to those looking to dip their toe into the world of whiskeys.

Editor’s note: Grain Irish Whiskey or Irish Grain Whiskey is produced from malted barley (not exceeding 30%) and includes whole unmalted cereals, usually maize, wheat or barley, and is distilled on continuous column stills. It is generally triple distilled, but may be double distilled, and usually to 94.5% alcohol by volume. If you would like to learn more about Irish Whiskey, then you’ll want to read my article: What is Irish Whiskey?

We hope you have enjoyed our Two Stacks Single Grain Double Barrel Irish Whiskey Review by Craig and Cynthia! To learn about another Irish Whiskey from this brand, read my Two Stacks The First Cut Signature Blend Irish Whiskey Review. Or perhaps, you would like to read another review from Craig and Cynthia: World Whiskey Society Green Code Bourbon Review.

This sample was graciously provided by the brand for our review. We appreciate it!

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