Two Stacks Irish Whiskey, one of only three recognized whiskey bonders in Ireland, comes stateside with its flagship product, Two Stacks The First Cut Signature Blend Irish Whiskey.
Two Stacks The First Cut Signature Blend is the marriage of five whiskeys–two single grain whiskeys provide the foundation, a pot still whiskey, a double-distilled malt whiskey and a peated malt whiskey are added to make the expression.
While this blend hails from Great Northern Distillery, Two Stacks collaborates with more than 17 distilleries across the island of Ireland, including Killowen, Boann, Adara, Dingle and Echlinville Distillery. Every label details the exact blend composition and the origins of the distillates, ensuring customers know exactly what is in their whiskey. This blend comprises 40% single grain whiskey (aged in former Kentucky Bourbon casks), 40% single grain whiskey (aged in virgin American Oak casks), 8% pot still whiskey (aged in Oloroso Sherry casks), 10% double-distilled malt whiskey (aged in former Kentucky Bourbon casks), and 2% peated malt whiskey (aged in former Kentucky Bourbon casks). It is blended and bottled/canned at 86 proof.
“Two Stacks The First Cut Signature Blend features Peated Malt Whiskey,” noted Two Stacks Co-Founder Shane McCarthy. “Peat is typically associated with Scotch, but, in fact, has a rich legacy in Irish whiskey history. As recently as the early 1800’s, historians noted an abundance of ‘smoky’ Irish whiskeys, primarily from northwest Ireland, where peat was an abundant fuel source.”
Before the 1930s, there were hundreds of recognized whiskey bonders in Ireland – now there are just three, including Two Stacks. A whiskey bonder has the unique ability to take whiskeys from different distilleries, employ further aging if desired, and create differentiating whiskeys versus a single distillery laying down continuous distillate of a similar profile.
Two Stacks was founded in 2020 by three friends, Shane McCarthy, Liam Brogan and Donal McLynn. Their goal is to change the narrative on Irish Whiskey by reaching into country’s deep whiskey roots and putting people back into the fine art of Irish Whiskey making to create complex, sophisticated blends capable of challenging any whiskey in the world.
Through its new import agency partnership with Foley Family Wines & Spirits, Two Stacks The First Cut Signature Blend is available in both the 700 ml bottle ($37.99) and the unique 100 ml Dram in A Can ($4.99) are now available in 19+ U.S. markets, including New York, Massachusetts, Florida and Minnesota. It is expected to achieve national distribution by the end of the year. In addition to a 700 ml sustainable bottle made from 100% recycled glass ($37.99 MSRP), The First Cut Signature Blend is also available in a ground-breaking 100 ml Dram in a Can ($4.99 MSRP).
