The Irish fuck a thing or two about cold , break winters ( and springs and falls and summers for that topic ) . And over the years , they have developed fool - proof mean of assuaging the disconsolate weather , range fromcozy pubsto belt - loose comfortableness food for thought tofrothy spiked - java . But the best cozy cure of them all is , of course , whiskey — lots of whiskey . Known for its light , honeyed spirit , Irish whisky is one of the most drinkable spirits in the world . Unlikescotch , there ’s no salinity or heavy peatiness , and in demarcation tobourbon , the spirit is much drier and cleaner .

With over 145 variety behind their bar , the multi - award - winningDead Rabbitbar in lower Manhattan , has one of the largest collections of Irish whiskey in America — and they ’re not all different Jameson bottlings . There are treasure on the bar ’s shelves unknown to even the most devout Irishwhiskeyfanatics . We talk to Jillian Vose , the legal community coach of The Dead Rabbit , to retrieve which rare , wonderful and under - the - radar Irish whiskeys are most deserving seeking out . Here , her five top nursing bottle .

Redbreast 15 Year$99

“ This whisky strike that sweet place , ” says Vose . “ It sits perfectly between the 12 - yr and the 21 year - honest-to-goodness Redbreast . ” The disembodied spirit is “ wakeful on the spit ” with a sense of taste of “ Christmas cake ” and “ notes of dried yield and orangish marmalade . ” She go on say that it give “ that perfect smell of a house during the holiday when you ’ve been cooking all solar day . ”

Powers John’s Lane 12 Year Old Single Pot Still$70

This whisky is a little batch , 100 - percent single - potbelly - still expression , aged in both bourbon and oloroso sherry casks . “ It ’s a robust , mouth - coating whiskey , ” Vose says .

14 Year Knappogue Castle Single Malt$65

According to Vose , this alone Irish whisky is “ pantry and flowered ” with bill of “ brioche , Oliver Stone fruits and wise hay . ” A blend of Bourbon dynasty barrel- and sherry barrel - of age whisky made with unpeated malt barley , it ’s unlike any other Irish whiskey on the market . For Vose , this bottle should be deal and savored . That said , she also care it in an elegant , stirred cocktail .

Tullamore D.E.W. Phoenix$65

At 110 test copy , Vose says this whiskey is “ perfect for cocktails — especially those made with blistering , robust amaros that ordinarily swim out the heat and flavor of the base spirit . ” The limited - version bottling is filled with rich toffee spirit , with a creamy almond goal thanks to fourth dimension in oloroso sherry casks . Aside from its fantabulous taste , the whiskey also hail with a story . In 1785 , the town of Tullamore was almost destroyed by a igneous hot - aviation balloon accident . The resident hang in and took on the symbolization of a genus Phoenix in the townspeople ’s coat of arms , which was the inspiration for this bottling .

Teeling Single Grain$48

For Vose , Teeling is always “ pushing the gasbag with creative , unique whiskeys that are as comfortable to mix as they are to drink . ” With flavour of honeycomb , tart green orchard apple tree , treacle and egg custard , this whiskey is terrific shaken into citrusy cocktails . It ’s also a perfect bottle for Irish whiskey neophytes . “ If you are unfamiliar with Irish whisky , this is a great place to start , ” Vose say .

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The back bar at Dead Rabbit / Flickr / Edsel Little