Irish whiskey: Single malts

America’s growing love affair with Irish whiskey is helping bring some “standout” choices across the pond, said John Mariani in Bloomberg.com. If you already like Jameson—whose U.S. sales jumped 22 percent last year—you might think about stepping up to Ireland’s small-batch single malts. Most “never leave Ireland”; here are a few notable exceptions.

Knappogue Castle Twin Wood Single Malt ($100). Aged 15 years in bourbon casks plus nine months in sherry butts, this “beautifully crafted” spirit “may be the new cult whiskey.”

Knappogue Castle Master Distiller’s Private Selection ($95). The 1994 vintage is “remarkably pale,” mildly peaty, and “a little citrusy.”

Redbreast Pure Pot Still Irish Whiskey ($40). This whiskey, aged 12 years, has a “strong pepper in the nose, hints of nutmeg and cinnamon, with a lush caramel undertone and fine long finish.”