This advertising content was produced in collaboration with our sponsors, The Busker.
There are three classic Irish whiskey styles—single malt, single grain, and single pot still—and only one brand that makes all three at the same distillery: The Busker Irish Whiskey. Known for its bold, contemporary identity, The Busker’s Single Collection also embodies the traditions of the country’s spirits with an expression in each key style.
The Busker is produced at the Royal Oak Distillery in County Carlow in Ireland’s Ancient East region. The 18th-century estate follows heritage methods while using cutting-edge technology for precise control and consistency. This combination of embracing the past while looking to the future has made The Busker stand out, including with a gold medal for The Busker Single Malt at the 2024 World Whiskies Awards.
The Busker’s slogan—welcome to Royal Oak, the home of Irish whiskey—is more than a saying; it’s a commitment to culture and local production. That goes beyond distilling methods, too. All grains are sourced from Ireland, and most come from within 50 miles of the distillery. By adding this sense of heritage to The Busker’s modern approach, impeccable selection, and dual-barrel aging process, it’s clear the award-winning whiskey portfolio represents both where Irish whiskey has been—and where it’s going.
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The Busker Single Collection includes the Single Grain, Single Malt, and Single Pot Still, all at 44.3% ABV. The first starts by selecting the highest-quality spirits with a mashbill of 95 percent wheat and five percent malted barley, then aging them in two styles of hand-selected casks: some that previously held bourbon, and some that previously held Marsala wine from Sicily’s historic Cantine Florio 1833. The final Single Grain spirit is the color of pale straw, with sweet caramel, vanilla, and oak notes, and a long finish.
The Single Malt is a deep gold color, and its base of 100-percent Irish malted barley is showcased through maturation in ex-bourbon and ex-oloroso sherry casks. Strong fruit notes give way to pine and malt biscuit before powerful and rich chocolate notes lead into the sweet and creamy finish.
Finally, there’s the Single Pot Still. This iconic Irish whiskey style uses a mix of malted and unmalted barley distilled in copper pot stills. The Busker ages the spirit in ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks. A rich burnished copper color, the spirit opens in the glass with a nose of fresh flowers, honey, and clove. The palate follows with intense pepper and spice notes balanced by toffee all the way through to the long, warming finish.
All three styles earn the “single” designation for being produced entirely at the Royal Oak Distillery. In 2024, The Busker rolled out newly designed premium bottles for each expression to match the high level of quality of both the packaging and the spirit inside. The redesign speaks to the legacy of Irish whiskey—and The Busker’s role in helping to define that legacy for years to come.
