St. Louis-based spirits company Luxco is now in the Irish whiskey game with the launch of The Quiet Man Irish Whiskey in a partnership with Niche Drinks.  The Quiet Man’s founder, Ciaran Mulgrew, created the brand to honor his father who was a Belfast bartender for over 50 years.

The label launched in January 2016 with two expressions, a 4-year-old blended whiskey and an 8-year-old single malt whiskey.  The whiskey itself appears to be sourced, with online rumors mentioning the Cooley distillery.  Both expressions were matured in oak barrels, then finished in first-fill bourbon barrels.  They are also bottled at 40% abv.  Let’s take a look the expressions.

Quiet Man Traditional Blended Irish Whiskey

A combination of malt and grain whiskies, Quiet Man Traditional Blended whiskey has a higher malt percentage, giving it a bit more body than other blends.  Retail pricing is $39.99.

Aged four years, the blend smells young and vibrant in a great way.  Light bourbon aromas (vanilla and caramel) lightly pepper the honeyed cereal grains found here.  The entry is light.  Very soft, in fact.  There’s a nice sweetness provided by a combination of bourbon barrel maturation and spirit character.  To balance, there’s a touch of spice and some apple & pear.  The finish is slightly warm, with some tongue-tingling spice and oak.

Quiet Man Traditional Blended whiskey is a no-frills easy-drinker.  It’s a tad on the sweet side, but there’s enough else happening the keep things interesting.  Neat or with some ice, it’s a decent pour.  Give it a go.

7.5/10

Quiet Man Single Malt Irish Whiskey

This expression from Quiet Man is distilled in pot stills and aged at least eight years in bourbon barrels.  It’s twice the age of the blended whiskey and features only malted barley.  Retail for this expression is $49.99.

That extra aging is evident on the nose.  In addition to stewed fruit, toffee and malt, a nice wave of oak presents itself.  A lighter, fragrant floral note also pops up.  Taste-wise, clove honey prominently sits atop some vanilla and light spices.  Some malty notes and oak sit in the background.  The medium finish is relatively clean, leaving behind some sweetness and spice.

Quiet Man Single Malt whiskey has a syrupy mouthfeel that’s missing in their Blended whiskey.  Like that other expression, this Single Malt is flavorful and satisfying pour.  It’s also much richer, providing a different drinking experience.  It may be slightly overpriced at almost $50, but the juice in the bottle comes with my recommendation.  I think you’ll like what you taste.