Two Stacks Whiskey - the view from Gorey

A brief overview

Two Stacks are blenders and bonders, meaning they do not distil their own whiskey; rather, they select whiskies from Irish distilleries and blend and age them. However, two of the three founders of Two Stacks are also the founders of Killowen distillery. Starting in 2020, their range is wide and innovative – one for the whiskey explorer.

A bit more detail…

Who are they?

Shane McCarthy, Liam Brogan and Dónal McLynn started the business in 2020 and all three have a wealth of knowledge. Based just outside of Newry, the Two Stacks team works to present new blends to the market. Often this means that the releases are short-lived as they sell out quickly and the whiskies’ flavour profiles can be very unusual.

What are their headline whiskies?

Two Stacks have four main collections – the Core collection, the Polaris collection, the Cask Finish collection and the Pillars of Creation collection.

The Core collection is a relatively standard range of single malt, single pot still with peated and cask strength variations. Polaris is their adventurous range with finishes including Dry Red Tojaki and a peated Red Ice Wine finish. The Cask Finish range is, not surprisingly, a range with unusual finishes such as an Apricot Brandy Cask. Finally, their Pillars of Creation is a fascinating release combining liquids from Dingle, Echlinville and Killowen distilleries.

Not shy when it comes to strength, many of the releases are north of 55% ABV and often dip in to the low sixties. Ideal for those who like a cask-strength type of finish.

Nigel and John have tasted many releases.

Nigel’s view: I’d draw attention to three releases – the Pillars of Creation, the Mezcal finish and the Polaris 2.1 release – all of which struck me. The Pillars of Creation is genuinely fascinating as it’s possible to separate out the three component distilleries’ influence in the whiskey – bottled at a warm 56%, this one is a very sought-after release.

The Mezcal finish, at 61.5%, is also meaty, but all the better for it. A 15-year old maturation in first-fill bourbon followed by a year in a Mezcal Anjo ex-White Wine Cask gives serious flavour without any harshness.

Finally, the Polaris 2.1, at 56.5%, is their Dry Red Tokaji Finish aged 7 years and is a single pot still. This is one of my favourite whiskies from 2024 – a high-quality whiskey with almost syrupy flavours, layers of fruit and sweetness and a very consistent finish.  

John’s view:

The Two Stacks team have also pioneered the use of canned whiskey in their “Dram in a Can” range along with premium bottles and bagging.

Why should I like this bonder?

If you’re interested in powerful flavours delivered at cask-strength, with unusual finishes – look no further.