The Busker Offers a Liquid Masterclass in Irish Whiskey At An Affordable Price

The Busker produces all the distinctive styles of Irish whiskey under one roof. (Photo: The Busker)

Irish whiskey is experiencing a well-documented renaissance, with sales soaring and new distilleries opening up shop to vie for a corner of the market. The category can be confusing, though, what with its blended whiskeys, single malts and grain whiskeys. Enter The Busker, an Irish whiskey brand that distills its juice and offers a liquid education on all the styles of Irish whiskey — at an affordable price.

The Busker launched in 2020, aiming to disrupt the Irish whiskey category and offer a new, fresh take with an old-world sensibility. The brand offers an eclectic array of whiskeys that cover every single category of Irish: blended, single pot still, single grain, single malt, single grain, single malt and single pot still.

These whiskeys are lovingly crafted at Royal Oak Distillery, a property that dates back to the 18th Century. All three styles of Irish whiskey are distilled in this antique building by The Busker’s master blender team, which implements unique maturation process involving an eclectic array of casks including bourbon, sherry and marsala wine casks from Cantine Florio in Sicily.

The Busker: A Liquid Snapshot of Ireland Through Whiskey

The Busker Blended Whiskey: An Introduction to Irish Whiskey

For those interested in learning about Irish whiskey, blended whiskeys are the perfect place to start for their typically affordable price. The Busker Blended Irish Whiskey features a price that’s difficult to beat, with a suggested retail price of $24.99.

The Busker’s take on blended Irish whiskey is sophisticated and disruptive, with a modest proof of 88.6. This blend of The Busker’s single grain, single malt and single pot still whiskeys spent time maturing in a combination of bourbon, sherry and the unique touch of Cantine Florio Marsala wine casks — making it a blended Irish like no other.

The Busker Small Batch Collection: A Premium Collection at an Affordable Price

The Busker’s latest Small Batch Collection offers experienced whiskey aficionados and novices alike the opportunity to explore the premium side of categories of single pot still, single grain and single malt Irish whiskeys. Elegant minimalism is the ethos behind this collection, and all these curated whiskeys still feature the everyday price of $49.99.

The Busker Single Pot Still, hosts an ABV of 46.3% and is triple distilled, ensuring unparalleled smoothness. Next, it’s double matured in Oloroso sherry and bourbon casks. A powerful and well-rounded expression with plenty of fig flavors and balsamic aromas, this whiskey is a great Irish offering for autumn imbibing.

The Busker will continue the Small Batch Collection with a Single Grain and Single Malt whiskey, but these expressions haven’t hit shelves yet.

The Busker Single Collection: A Liquid Education of Irish Whiskey’s Main Categories

The Single Collection invites curious whiskey drinkers to taste all three major styles of Irish whiskey: single grain, single malt and single pot still. These whiskeys are all bottled at a modest 88.6 proof, making them plenty drinkable. The Busker’s Single Collection features a budget-friendly suggested retail price of $34.99 for each bottle, so you can taste your way through the Irish whiskey category at a bargain.

The Busker Single Grain falls in accordance with the rules of the single grain category: It is distilled in one distillery from a mixture of grains. The Busker’s Single Grain Irish Whiskey is matured in bourbon casks and finished in the brand’s signature Marsala wine casks, giving it plenty of vanilla flavors and delicious cereal grain qualities to the pour.

For a bit more weight and complexity, The Busker offers an Irish single malt distilled in the brand’s proprietary copper stills. This expression spends time maturing in bourbon and Oloroso sherry casks. The Oloroso imbues this Irish single malt with a distinctively fruity character and plenty of rich chocolate notes throughout, yielding a whiskey with plenty of substance.

Is there any Irish whiskey more quintessentially “Irish” than single pot still? This rare style is exclusively made in Ireland, and The Busker’s take is one is steeped in tradition. The Busker Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey is made from a mashbill of malted and unmalted barley distilled in copper stills. Floral and elegant, with a harmonious marriage of clove, fudge and oak flavors, The Busker Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey is aged in a mix of bourbon and sherry casks. The lengthy and beautifully spiced finish offers up a taste of Ireland.

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