The Busker Irish Whiskey (40%)

Taking a bit of a sabbatical from #TariffTimes this week because St. Patrick’s Day looms on the horizon and, hey, we still like the Irish, right?

Some spirits brands burst upon the scene, arising from nowhere to suddenly being seemingly everywhere, while other gradually, quietly infiltrate the market, almost without wanting to make too much of a fuss.

The Busker is of the latter sort. Less than a decade old, the Irish offering of amaretto giant Illva Saronno, of Disaronno fame, arrived on Canadian liquor store shelves in 2023 with a whisper rather than a scream. And pretty soon thereafter, it just seemed like it had always been there.

All of which I mention simply because you may not have noticed the whiskey’s rectangular bottle and green strip of a label simply because it seems to have always been there. And if that is indeed the case, I strongly recommend giving The Busker a try.

Founded in 2016 in County Carlow, less than two kilometres from Carlow Brewing – more about that later this week – the Royal Oak Distillery is unusual in Ireland in that they distill single grain, single malt, and single pot still whiskey all at the same facility. It’s hardly a unique combination, but neither is it anywhere close to the norm.

Even more unusual is the combination of all three spirits into a single blend, with maturation and finishing done in a mix of bourbon, marsala, and sherry oak. (The use of the various oaks is not specified, but convention would suggest bourbon oak for maturation and sherry and Marsala for finishing.) The end result is the sort of a blend you might expect to cost significantly more than it does.   

Deep gold in colour, the aroma of The Busker immediately suggests pot still whiskey content, with profound aromas of fruity caramel manifesting in notes of mandarin orange, mango, and papaya on a base of malty caramel, vanilla and just a whiff of white pepper. There is also a light suggestion of cooked oats topped with honey, which adds to The Busker’s allure.

Where the nose speaks to the pot still component of the whiskey, I find that the palate suggests more its single malt component, especially in the palate entry. Full, sweet, and malty on the fore, there is a richness and a creaminess that is absent from many more conventional Irish whiskey blends, followed by a gradually thinning, but still sweet and caramelly body that adds some raisiny sherry barrel notes, a fruitiness that strays from the aroma’s orange and tropical fruit towards dried apricot, and notes of marzipan and light butterscotch. The finish dries impressively, but also seems a bit on the thin and on the fleeting side, with lingering pepper notes.

Overall, I find this to be a pretty terrific value whiskey, even more so in Ontario and BC in March, where it is on sale for $5 off. (It is also discounted in other provinces to varying degrees.) Do your Jameson shots if you must, but when it comes to mixing or sipping, consider The Busker.

87 ($38-$39) VALUE PICK