The Future of Pot Still
Irish single pot still whiskey is steeped in a romantic mystique, often referred to as the ‘lost sister’ of single malt scotch.
Julyo at the Cork Whiskey Fest 2024
In late March 2024, I found myself in Cork, Ireland, attending the Cork Whiskey Fest alongside Italian film-scoring composer Dario Rodighiero. This third annual fest, held from March 21st to 23rd, 2025, transformed Cork City’s historic VQ, especially MacCurtain Street, into a whiskey lover’s paradise for three days of fun and fantastic whiskey experiences. One of the highlights was meeting Fionnán O’Connor, fresh off completing his doctoral thesis on Historic Irish Mashbills. Fionnán, who’s been advising the Irish whiskey industry for years and authored “A Glass Apart,” is a well-known figure in the whiskey world.
Julyo and Fionnán O’Connor at the Cork Whiskey Fest 2024
Irish single pot still whiskey is steeped in a romantic mystique, often referred to as the ‘lost sister’ of single malt scotch. The tumultuous history and politics of Ireland nearly wiped out this national treasure, leaving behind ‘silent’ distilleries that dot the countryside with an eerie beauty. These abandoned sites add to the visual poetry of the Irish whiskey narrative, captured perfectly in the barrels, pot stills, and the photogenic amber spirits. Despite Irish whiskey being the fastest-growing global spirits category and a favorite among critics and connoisseurs, the literature on it is surprisingly limited.
2 years old non GI peated. Peated Malted Barly - Unmalted Barly. Oats Locally Malted. Oats Unmalted. Rye malted.
Fionnán O’Connor’s journey into whiskey began ten years ago with his first taste of Green Spot in a Galway pub. Since then, he’s been on a mission to unravel the mystery behind that drink’s exceptional taste. His travels have taken him across the distilleries of Ireland and Scotland, nurturing a special love for Islay scotch, American rye, and, of course, Irish single pot still. An English major, Fionnán taught The History and Appreciation of Whiskey at UC Berkeley’s Celtic Studies department, worked as a Bushmills brand ambassador, and ran whiskey seminars at San Francisco’s famed Bourbon & Branch. He’s now a historical consultant and whiskey lecturer for Irish distilleries, an independent bar staff educator, and a volunteer committee member for the Irish Whiskey Society. Fionnán has also represented Irish whiskey before the EU as an independent critic and penned numerous articles for industry magazines.
Julyo at the Cork Whiskey Fest 2024
