Two Stacks are an innovative independent bottler of Irish whiskeys who focus on both exceptional traditional styles of Irish whiskey as well as out-of-the-box cask maturation. It is the latter that describes this limited edition range. Two Stacks have taken a classic traditional blended Irish whiskey and finished in casks that previously held fruit brandies sourced from California. The range has been released in both 70cl glass bottles and 100ml dram in a can.
The base of this range is the Two Stacks blended whiskey, distilled at the Great Northern Distillery in County Louth, comprised of 40% single grain aged in virgin oak casks, 40% single grain aged in ex-bourbon casks, 8% single post still aged in ex-Oloroso Sherry butts, 10% double malt aged in ex-bourbon casks and a final 2% peated malt aged in ex-bourbon casks. The series come in three 50% ABV expressions: Apple Fruit Brandy Cask, Apricot Fruity Brandy Cask and Blackberry Fruit Brandy Cask. We have managed to taste and review the latter two.
Two Stacks was founded in 2020 focusing on whiskey blending and bonding in Ireland. They are taking a modern approach to independent bottling of Irish whiskeys, with focus on selecting the finest whiskey from new and established Irish distilleries then combining with maturation in varied, and sometimes unusual, oak casks. Two Stacks stand out through innovation of liquid and packaging – offering selected whiskies from their range in currently truly unique ‘Dram in a Can’ 100ml size miniature format.
The 100ml cans, priced at £7 each, and the 70cl bottles were available for £45 from the Two Stacks website, twostackswhiskey.com, in February but sold out remarkably quickly. However, the range will also be available in select UK and Ireland retailers, bars and whisky specialists in early 2025.
Our Tasting Notes
Apricot Brandy Cask Finish
An initial sweet syrupy nose offers aromas beyond the obvious apricot of green apple, vanilla, honey and baking spice. It reminds us of an apricot Danish pastry. There is a hint of earthy umami which we attribute to the small amount of peated spirit in the blend.
On the palate the bold fruitiness is far more than just apricot with juicy sultanas and tropical notes, such as pineapple and banana. This whiskey has a creamy texture and flavours to match – vanilla ice-cream and milk chocolate. Sweetness comes in the form of dark honey. Added depth comes from flavours you would expect from the stone of the orchard fruits and nuts, like apricot and plum stones, alongside almond nuts in their skin.
The finish while relatively short is part sweetness, part fruit, part oakiness and part dusty spices.
Blackberry Brandy Cask Finish
On the nose the blackberry character takes the form of well ripened hedge row brambles. The sweetness comes across in a confected way akin to boiled sweets or royal icing. Fruity notes of green apple and rhubarb. Spicy notes of ginger and warming vanilla. Rounded of with highly fragrant floral notes such as old English rose.
On the palate this whiskey has a buttery and slightly syrupy viscosity. The blackberry flavours are met with other dark berries such as blueberries and blackcurrants. Vanilla creaminess meets chocolate creaminess. Confected sweetness comes across like a fruit jam but is tempered by white pepper spiciness and a touch of oaky dryness.
The finish emphasises the drying note and spiciness but never loses the floral fruitiness.
What’s The Verdict?
So many of the tasting notes make these whiskeys sound like liqueurs, and they certainly could be enjoyed that way, but they offer so much more. Without the sticky sugary base that all liqueurs come with, these whiskeys stand out for being far more complex and moreish than any traditional liqueur. Sweetness coming from the fruit brandy casks, as well as wise blending of single grain spirits within these whiskies, adds depth of character alongside the measured sweetness.
While our initial impression of these whiskeys was to be dominated by the brandy cask finishes, the palate on both whiskeys offers surprising and delightful complexity. Every time we went back in for another sip (and yes they are that moreish) further characters that you expect from a well blended Irish whiskey made themselves known.
We completely anticipate that whiskey purists could be outraged at the use of ‘such silly casks’ but this gamble really works for Two Stacks. They have a strong grasp on the whiskeys being used in the base blend and are sympathetic in the degree that they allow the fruit brandy cask to have.
