I Tried Jack Ryan 12 Year Old

This 12-year-old Single Malt, finished in Bourbon casks, is an award-winning whiskey with a rich family history. The Ryans have been passionate about whiskey for six generations.

It all began with John, who worked at Limerick Distillery in the 1820s, and Michael, who supplied barley from Toomevara to Birch’s Roscrea. Thomas took the family’s expertise to Dublin in the 1890s, where he started sourcing and finishing the finest Irish single malts, eventually creating Ryan’s Malt.

This whiskey was enjoyed all over the city, including in his own pubs, starting with the iconic Beggars Bush, which he bought in 1913 and which is still owned by the family today.

Jack Ryan continued the tradition until the decline of Irish whiskey production led to a pause. However, in 2013, Eunan Ryan revived the family’s whiskey-making tradition, earning awards along the way, and now the next generation is stepping in to carry on the legacy.

This fine Irish whiskey is exceptionally smooth and very drinkable, reminiscent of another beloved Irish whiskey, Yellow Spot. It greets your palate with flavors of peaches, apricots, and tropical fruit, enriched by the bourbon oak.

The initial burst of fruit is captivating, though it fades quickly, leaving behind a hint of oak that’s slightly unbalanced and almost tannic. But with another sip, the delightful apricot flavor returns, filling your mouth with notes of vanilla and treacle syrup. There’s even a subtle popcorn-like taste, similar to Glengoyne 10, but this whiskey is in a class of its own. It’s an excellent choice for an after-dinner drink, best enjoyed neat.