Garden County Irish Whiskey Launches in the U.S.
One of the four bottles in Garden County's U.S. debut is a 7-year-old single malt aged partly in ex-maple syrup casks, which is not a barrel you see every day. The family-run County Wicklow distillery is bringing a four-bottle lineup stateside, with A21 Wine and Spirits of Henderson, Nevada handling distribution and sales. If you like Irish whiskey but wish it would take more risks, this is a brand to watch.
Did You Know?
Co-founder Gavin Clifford spent several years working behind a New York bar during the early rise of American craft spirits, and that experience is what got him hooked on craft distilling.
The Cliffords started with gin in 2016 while they laid down whiskey and planned their own distillery.
The coffee liqueur is cold-brewed at the distillery for 48 hours using Brazilian Arabica beans roasted nearby.
The Release
The initial U.S. portfolio has three whiskeys and one liqueur, all bottled at 46% ABV except the liqueur. The common thread is a deliberate move away from the standard Irish whiskey playbook, with different grains, different mash bills and a wide mix of cask types.
The 5-Year-Old Single Grain is matured in ex-bourbon and seasoned Oloroso sherry casks. The brand describes it as light and elegant. A single grain whiskey is made at one distillery from a mix of grains rather than only malted barley, and it tends to be a softer style.
The 8-Year-Old Single Grain is the bolder sibling. It is matured in virgin American oak, ex-bourbon and ex-rye casks, and the brand calls it full-bodied.
The 7-Year-Old Single Malt is a limited release matured in virgin American oak, ex-bourbon and ex-maple syrup casks. Single malt means it is made at one distillery from malted barley.
Rounding things out is the Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur. It combines the 48-hour cold brew with house-made Demerara syrup (a raw cane sugar) and neutral spirit, and it is bottled at 25% ABV.
One thing worth noting is that the brand was built around Single Pot Still Irish whiskey, yet the first U.S. lineup is single grain and single malt. Single Pot Still is a traditional Irish style that uses a mixed mash bill of malted and unmalted barley, and sometimes oats, rye and other grains.
The Story of Garden County
Garden County was founded in 2016 by father and son Michael and Gavin Clifford in County Wicklow, long nicknamed the "Garden of Ireland." After Gavin returned from New York, the pair began with gin while putting whiskey into casks and planning a distillery of their own. The distillery was built from the ground up to make Single Pot Still Irish whiskey, using small, hand-beaten copper stills and double distillation to keep more weight, spice and character in the spirit.
The philosophy is rooted in history. According to Gavin Clifford, many old Irish recipes and styles vanished as distilleries closed and the industry consolidated. Garden County wants to revisit those traditions through different grains and mash bills. Historically, Irish mash bills varied by distillery and region, and the Cliffords are trying to bring some of that variety back.
The brand has built a following at home, where recent single-cask and limited-edition releases have sold out and its whiskeys have won recognition in international competitions. It is also sold in parts of Europe and Asia, and added distribution in India and Nigeria this year.
The U.S. push comes with a team behind it. Last year the company appointed Jay Abdo, Adit Kalra and Gerard Garland to a strategic board to help grow internationally. Garland spent years on the prestige portfolio at Irish Distillers/Pernod Ricard. Andrew Stewart, a drinks industry veteran of more than 30 years in the U.S., joined in March to build the American business day to day.
Why It Stands Out
Most Irish whiskey on U.S. shelves follows a familiar profile. Garden County is pitching something different, with virgin oak, ex-rye and ex-maple syrup casks in the mix, plus a small-scale, hands-on approach. A21 CEO Mark Newman said the family does much of the work itself and puts flavor first. The prices are also accessible for a craft Irish brand, from $39.99 to $59.99 for the whiskeys.
The Details
Style: Irish single grain whiskey, Irish single malt whiskey, coffee liqueur
Age: 5 years (single grain), 8 years (single grain), 7 years (single malt)
ABV/Proof: 46% ABV for the whiskeys, 25% ABV for the liqueur
Cask/Finish: 5-Year ex-bourbon and seasoned Oloroso sherry; 8-Year virgin American oak, ex-bourbon and ex-rye; 7-Year virgin American oak, ex-bourbon and ex-maple syrup
Price (SRP): 5-Year Single Grain $39.99; 8-Year Single Grain $49.99; 7-Year Single Malt $59.99; Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur $24.99
Availability: Initial rollout in Florida and the Northeast, including New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, with more markets to follow
Distributor: A21 Wine and Spirits
Tonights Poison Take
The ex-maple syrup cask single malt is the bottle that will get the curiosity going, and $59.99 is a fair price of entry for something this unusual. The 8-year single grain finished in ex-rye casks is the other one to hunt for if you like a bolder profile. Keep an eye out for the Single Pot Still releases the brand was founded around, since the U.S. lineup does not include one yet.
Bar Talk: Garden County is a father and son distillery in Ireland's "Garden" county that is aging whiskey in ex-maple syrup casks.
Send this to the Irish whiskey drinker who thinks every bottle tastes the same.
Please enjoy responsibly.
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