Writers’ Tears Copper Pot
Walsh Whiskey Distillery (Bernard & Rosemary Walsh, founders) · Royal Oak Distillery, County Carlow, Ireland
Writers’ Tears earns its literary name. Oscar Wilde, James Joyce, Brendan Behan — Irish writers and Irish whiskey have been inseparable for centuries, and the Walshes bottled that romance into something genuinely beautiful. The blend of single pot still and single malt creates a texture that’s both silky and spiced, with the unmalted barley adding the characteristic Irish “pot still bite” that gives it backbone. At under $40, it punches well above its price point and serves as a perfect introduction to what makes Irish whiskey different from Scotch.
Nose
Honey, green apple, toasted almonds, ginger, light vanilla, fresh hay
Palate
Smooth and silky — apricot, honey, vanilla, cinnamon, cracked black pepper, pot still spice, malt sweetness
Finish
Medium with lingering ginger warmth, caramel, and a clean malt fade
- Distillation
- Triple Distilled
- Maturation
- Bourbon casks
Cocktail Suggestion
Cocktail — The Poet’s Irish Coffee: 1.5 oz Writers’ Tears · 5 oz hot brewed coffee · 1 tbsp brown sugar · Lightly whipped cream. Dissolve sugar in coffee, add whiskey, float cream on top. Do not stir the cream.
Food Pairing
Pair with: Aged Gouda with honey and walnuts — the caramel sweetness of the cheese mirrors the whiskey’s honey notes.
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The Lustau Edition is Redbreast's most layered expression — a whiskey that seems to change shape in the glass. That final year in Lustau's first-fill Oloroso butts doesn't overpower the pot still character; it adds a last chapter to an already complex story.
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