The matte black hexagon on the shelf is an Irish single malt - 100% malted barley, triple distilled in County Antrim, four years in ex-Oloroso sherry butts, 40%, and $31.99. Dried fruit, honeycomb, dark chocolate and toasted almond, with a sherry sweetness that makes it drink like a dearer bottle. What single malt means next to the Irish blends, how to drink it, and what our listing actually says about the sherry cask and kosher certification.

Jameson Original is $34.99 and Black Barrel is $54.99 - but the first question is the cask, not the price. Why the cRc lists Jameson as not recommended, what triple distillation actually does, the difference between the two bottles, and which Irish whiskeys on our shelf are aged in bourbon wood only.