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Triple Cask: A Modern Twist on Tradition

For much of the last century, Irish whiskey matured mainly in two types of casks: ex-bourbon barrels from America and seasoned sherry butts from Spain. These two woods became the foundation of Irish whiskey’s classic flavor profile: smooth vanilla, gentle spice, dried fruit, and mellow sweetness.

In recent decades, distillers have begun to push beyond the classic duo by introducing a third cask type (and sometimes more). Whether virgin oak, chestnut, rum, or fortified wine casks, these additions bring new layers of depth and character. Triple cask whiskeys are still relatively new in Ireland, but they have quickly become a way for distillers to showcase creativity while honoring tradition.

This week’s lineup highlights three different triple cask Irish whiskeys, each built on the familiar bourbon-and-sherry base but transformed by the influence of a carefully chosen third element.

Kilbeggan Triple Cask

When people think of Ireland’s whiskey past, Bushmills usually comes to mind as the world’s oldest licensed distillery (licensed in 1608). But Kilbeggan holds another important title: Ireland’s oldest licensed working distillery, dating back to 1757. After closing in 1957, it survived thanks to decades of community care and was ultimately saved by John Teeling, who brought it back into operation. While most Kilbeggan production today comes from the larger Cooley Distillery, small-batch distilling continues on site in Kilbeggan itself, including some of the triple-distilled spirit used here. This whiskey is matured in ex-bourbon, Pedro Ximénez sherry, and virgin American oak, with bourbon bringing smooth vanilla, PX adding rich dried fruit sweetness, and virgin oak imparting extra vanilla and a touch of wood spice. That balance of heritage and modern scale makes Kilbeggan unique, showing how even the oldest names in Irish whiskey can still evolve.

Slane Triple Cask

Slane Castle in County Meath is known worldwide as a music landmark, having hosted legendary concerts since the 1980s. In 2017, it also became home to Slane Distillery, a partnership between the Conyngham family and Brown-Forman. Because the distillery only began producing spirit in 2018, much of the whiskey in bottles today still comes from sourced stock, with the triple cask approach used to give younger spirit more maturity and complexity. Like Kilbeggan, this whiskey is aged in ex-bourbon, sherry (Oloroso in this case), and virgin American oak. The ex-bourbon brings toffee and warmth, the Oloroso adds a nutty, gently spiced depth, and the virgin oak imparts vanilla sweetness with a touch of spice. Slane’s own whiskey has been quietly aging in warehouses since 2018, and its first fully estate-distilled releases should begin appearing in the coming years. This makes today’s Slane both a bridge and a preview, a whiskey shaped by casks now and by its castle-ground distillery in the future.

Jameson Triple Triple

Jameson is more than just Ireland’s best-selling whiskey; it is the brand that carried Irish whiskey through the leanest decades of the 20th century and helped fuel its global revival. Triple Triple, created for global travel retail in 2019, shows how Jameson continues to innovate while holding its place at the center of the category. Like Kilbeggan and Slane, it draws on ex-bourbon and sherry casks, but with chestnut as its third influence. The bourbon brings smooth vanilla, the sherry adds dried fruit and gentle sweetness, and the chestnut imparts nutty richness with subtle spice and a hint of fruit. Chestnut casks are rarely used in Irish whiskey, making this release an unusual experiment that layers continental influence onto Jameson’s classic style. It remains true to the brand’s trademark smoothness while offering something distinctly new, a reminder that even the most established name in Irish whiskey is still evolving.