Friday Night Flights & Bites 8/29 & 9/5, Starting at 2pm
The Irishman Collection:
Reviving Ireland’s Golden Spirit
Bernard Walsh
A Whiskey Born of Resilience
In 1999, Bernard and Rosemary Walsh set out on a mission that many thought was impossible. Irish whiskey was still recovering from a long decline, and the world mostly associated it with light blends and a handful of big names. The Walshes believed that Ireland’s greatness could be restored by returning malt whiskey to center stage. Guided by their family motto, “Never Say Die,” they founded Walsh Whiskey in County Carlow and launched their first brand: The Irishman.
From the start, The Irishman was different. Where most Irish blends lean heavily on grain whiskey, the brand’s flagship expression was unique. For years it was sold under the name Founder’s Reserve, a combination of 70 percent single malt and 30 percent single pot still with no grain whiskey at all. In 2020, Walsh Whiskey renamed it The Harvest to emphasize its connection to Irish barley and the farming traditions behind the spirit. Although the name changed, the recipe remained the same, and it continues to stand as one of the few blends of its kind in modern Irish whiskey.
Every other expression in the line is built around triple-distilled malt, aged in carefully chosen bourbon and sherry casks, and often released in small batches that highlight just how expressive Irish whiskey can be.
The Irishman and Ireland’s Whiskey Revival
In the early 2000s, when premium Irish whiskey was still an untested idea, The Irishman proved there was a market for layered, malt-forward expressions. While larger distilleries focused on lighter blends, The Irishman showed that single malt and pot still could once again stand proudly on the world stage.
Over time, the line expanded to include annual cask-strength releases and creative limited bottlings. One of the most notable was The Irishman Legacy, released in 2023 to commemorate the 700th anniversary of the earliest written record of distillation in Ireland, found in the Red Book of Ossory from 1324. That medieval manuscript contains one of the first references to the making of aqua vitae, or uisce beatha in Irish. Matured in bourbon casks and finished in Châteauneuf-du-Pape wine casks, Legacy embodied the brand’s ability to bridge history and innovation. While we do not carry this particular release, it reflects the spirit of The Irishman and the kind of story we love at Saints & Scholars, rooted in heritage yet always exploring new ground.
While special releases like Legacy highlight the creativity and forward vision of Walsh Whiskey, the true heart of The Irishman is found in its core range. These are the whiskeys that built the brand’s reputation, expressions that balance history with accessibility and refinement. From the rare malt-and-pot-still blend of The Harvest to the layered Single Malt, the bolder Small Batch, and the mature elegance of the 12 Year, each one reflects the Walshes’ determination to restore Ireland’s whiskey heritage and prove that malt belongs at the center of the story.
Expressions in the Lineup
The Irishman The Harvest (formerly Founder’s Reserve)
Style: Blend of 70% single malt and 30% single pot still, no grain
Profile: Creamy malt, orchard fruit, gentle spice with a soft oak finish
Why it matters: A rare blend in today’s whiskey world, The Harvest is a return to Ireland’s older tradition of malt-forward blending and remains one of the brand’s most distinctive expressions.
The Irishman Single Malt
Style: 100% triple-distilled single malt, matured in bourbon and oloroso sherry casks
Profile: Balanced and approachable with honeyed malt, candied fruit, almond, and cocoa
Why it matters: This is the core expression of The Irishman and the best reflection of the house style: refined, approachable, and layered with depth.
The Irishman Small Batch Single Malt
Style: Limited release, matured in bourbon and sherry casks
Profile: Green apple, pear, honeycomb, nutty spice, and a rich sherried finish with chocolate and oak
Why it matters: A bolder, more concentrated interpretation of The Irishman style, the small batch shows how careful cask selection can create greater intensity without sacrificing elegance.
The Irishman 12 Year Old Single Malt (Add-On)
Style: Aged exclusively in first-fill bourbon barrels, non-chill filtered
Profile: Vanilla cream, peaches and cream, buttery biscuit, gentle spice, and polished oak depth
Why it matters: Limited to a few thousand bottles annually, the 12 Year is the pinnacle of the core range. It demonstrates how time and first-fill bourbon maturation polish The Irishman into something refined, mature, and sophisticated.
Flight with Bites: $15, 12yr Add On $8