One Of The Best Beginner Irish Whiskies Is A Single Malt With A Cheap Price Tag

Learning about whiskey is one of the few things in the world that can be simultaneously considered "homework" and "fun." One class in the subject that can't be rushed is Irish whiskey. When first entering this classroom, you're likely tasting through many affordable blends from the likes of Jameson, Bushmills, and Teeling. But there are affordable options that fall into the category of single malt that should not be overlooked. A notable one on our list of the best Irish whiskeys for beginners is The Sexton Single Malt — an unintimidating Irish whiskey for around $30.

Unintimidating doesn't mean boring, but it does mean approachable. As an Irish single malt, the whiskey is distilled in copper pot stills inside a single distillery from 100% malted barley. But the minimum three years of aging in wooden casks is surpassed by an extra year, and the whiskey is triple-distilled to become smoother. What's more, rather than any old oak casks, the whiskey was aged in ex-oloroso sherry casks, giving it deeper dried-fruit complexity. The nose exhibits spiced, honeyed, and roasted notes with nutty almond and dark chocolate complexity. 

Flavor-wise, there are similar notes throughout a mellow, slightly sweet sip with a hint of citrus for levity. What makes The Sexton Single Malt such a worthwhile single malt Irish whisky for beginners is how it exemplifies the smoothness of triple-copper pot distillation and the richness and complexity of sherry cask aging.

From a quality perspective, can this whiskey compete with other well-known Irish single malts that cost twice the price? Well, no, but this is a beginner single malt with an appropriate price tag that's enjoyable and intriguing. As much as a single malt is usually tested for its sipping ability, The Sexton is certainly poised as a great whiskey for cocktails. The levity of its fruitier notes and perceived sweetness make it suitable for frothy whiskey sours and highballs. Meanwhile, the richer sherry, spice, and nutty characters make it a good choice for heavier, boozier libations like the classic Boulevardier cocktail.

The distinctively vintage-style hexagonal bottle has a dark and gothic vibe, with an image of a top hat-clad skeleton. This seems to be the ghostly Sexton himself, the church custodian whom the brand describes as "Keeper of graves. Ringer of Bells. A navigator between those who are here and those who are gone." Spooky... yet delicious. Aside from the standard Single Malt, there is also a newer 11-year-old version. This was initially released solely for travel retail, but has popped up occasionally for around $56 from other retailers.

The brand is owned by Proximo Spirits and is the sister company of Jose Cuervo. The spirit is distilled in the copper pots at the Old Bushmills Distillery and curated by master blender Alex Thomas, who is also the master blender for Bushmills Irish Whiskey, also owned by Proximo Spirits. Thomas put her stamp on the whiskey backbar with The Sexton, which quickly became extremely popular as an Irish single malt in the U.S. shortly after its release in 2017.