A new voice has entered the canon of Irish whiskey. Yeats Irish Whiskey, a Sligo-conceived, Ireland-distilled premium whiskey, launches its debut expression this spring: The Lake Isle of Innisfree, a limited-edition release inspired by the life, landscape, and literary legacy of W.B. Yeats.
Yeats Irish Whiskey is the culmination of a journey that began more than a decade ago. Originally conceived in 2015 as a distillery project, the vision evolved through pauses, restarts, and reflection, mirroring the patience required to make great Irish whiskey. In November 2025, the project entered its final and decisive phase, leading to the launch of the brand’s first expression.
Pat Ward -Founder of Yeats Irish Whiskey
Picture Brian McEvoyPat Ward -Founder of Yeats Irish Whiskey
Picture Brian McEvoy
“This whiskey is the result of time, resilience, and respect for craft, for tradition, and for storytelling,” says the founder Patrick Ward. “Like a true Irish whiskey, this is our third distillation of the idea and the one that mattered.”
A Whiskey Rooted in Poetry and Place
Yeats Irish Whiskey is conceived in County Sligo, a landscape inseparable from Yeats’s poetry and imagination. Each release in the series will take its name from one of Yeat’s poems, beginning with The Lake Isle of Innisfree. From liquid to label, the brand is designed as a tribute to Irish cultural heritage, where whiskey becomes a medium for story as much as spirit.
4,000 individually numbered bottles of this inaugural release are available worldwide, positioning it as both a collector’s item and a meaningful first chapter in a longer narrative.
The Liquid: Artisanal, Layered & Distinct
The debut expression is a carefully composed blend of:
90% aged Irish grain whiskey, matured in primarily first-fill ex-Bourbon American oak casks
9% triple-distilled Irish malt whiskey, finished in Ruby Port casks
1% peated malt, added for subtle depth and structure
The components were matured separately for 5 to 7 years before blending, with bottling decisions guided by flavour rather than age statements. The Ruby Port cask finish is still uncommon in Irish whiskey and adds a distinctive layer of red fruit, warmth, and texture, echoing the refined tastes of Yeats’s era.
Ireland’s temperate maritime climate plays a defining role, allowing for slow, even maturation and exceptional integration between spirit and wood.
Tasting Notes
Nose: Vanilla, honey, and toasted oak from the ex-Bourbon grain, lifted by gentle red berry notes from the Ruby Port finish.
Palate: Smooth and rounded. Dark fruits and subtle wine sweetness are balanced by soft spice.
Finish: Medium in length, with lingering sweetness and warmth.
Bottling and Presentation
Yeats Irish Whiskey is bottled at 43% ABV, a deliberate choice to enhance mouthfeel and complexity while retaining approachability. The whiskey is lightly chill filtered for clarity and stability.
Packaging reflects the brand’s literary soul: elegant, restrained, and story-driven, designed to feel timeless rather than trendy. Every element is intended to honour Yeats’s legacy with integrity and care.
This release is crafted for everyone:
Collectors, drawn to its limited nature and literary significance
Whiskey enthusiasts, seeking layered flavour and uncommon cask influence
Newcomers, discovering premium Irish whiskey through an approachable, story-rich expression and easy to drink on its own.
Best enjoyed neat, or with a few drops of water to open up the fruit and vanilla notes. It also lends itself to refined serves such as a premium highball or thoughtful signature cocktails.
Looking Ahead
The Lake Isle of Innisfree is the first expression in an ongoing Yeats Irish Whiskey series. Work has already begun on the second release, with future expressions exploring new cask finishes, styles, and poetic themes—all remaining small-batch, limited, and story-led.
Planned initiatives include curated tastings, cultural partnerships, and a collector’s trilogy box set following the first three releases.
Availability
Yeats Irish Whiskey – The Lake Isle of Innisfree will be available in limited quantities from March 2026.
Alanna Burke and Jordan Moore pictured celebrating the launch of Yeats Irish Whiskey at the Abbey Theatre,Dublin.
Picture Brian McEvoyCraig Ellis pictured celebrating the launch of Yeats Irish Whiskey at the Abbey Theatre,Dublin.
Picture Brian McEvoyJoanne Cronin pictured celebrating the launch of Yeats Irish Whiskey at the Abbey Theatre,Dublin.
Picture Brian McEvoyRosalind Lipsett pictured celebrating the launch of Yeats Irish Whiskey at the Abbey Theatre,Dublin.
Picture Brian McEvoyKeith Daly pictured celebrating the launch of Yeats Irish Whiskey at the Abbey Theatre,Dublin.
Picture Brian McEvoyAvila Lipsett and Anna Daly pictured celebrating the launch of Yeats Irish Whiskey at the Abbey Theatre,Dublin.
Picture Brian McEvoyAvila Lipsett pictured celebrating the launch of Yeats Irish Whiskey at the Abbey Theatre,Dublin.
Picture Brian McEvoyFounder Patrick Ward pictured celebrating the launch of Yeats Irish Whiskey at the Abbey Theatre,Dublin.
Picture Brian McEvoyAnna Daly,Patrick Ward and Rosalind Lipsett pictured celebrating the launch of Yeats Irish Whiskey at the Abbey Theatre,Dublin.
Picture Brian McEvoyCarmel Breheny and Patrick Ward pictured celebrating the launch of Yeats Irish Whiskey at the Abbey Theatre,Dublin.
Picture Brian McEvoyCarmel Breheny pictured celebrating the launch of Yeats Irish Whiskey at the Abbey Theatre,Dublin.
Picture Brian McEvoyKsenia Prokopouych pictured celebrating the launch of Yeats Irish Whiskey at the Abbey Theatre,Dublin.
Picture Brian McEvoyThe Gourmet Boys Brian Haslett and Mark Irvine pictured celebrating the launch of Yeats Irish Whiskey at the Abbey Theatre,Dublin.
Picture Brian McEvoyThe Gourmet Boys Brian Haslett and Mark Irvine pictured celebrating the launch of Yeats Irish Whiskey at the Abbey Theatre,Dublin.
Picture Brian McEvoyAvila Lipsett pictured celebrating the launch of Yeats Irish Whiskey at the Abbey Theatre,Dublin.
Picture Brian McEvoyRosalind Lipsett pictured celebrating the launch of Yeats Irish Whiskey at the Abbey Theatre,Dublin.
Picture Brian McEvoyJordan Mooney and Joanne Cronin pictured celebrating the launch of Yeats Irish Whiskey at the Abbey Theatre,Dublin.
Picture Brian McEvoyAlanna Burke and Kate Brady pictured celebrating the launch of Yeats Irish Whiskey at the Abbey Theatre,Dublin.
Picture Brian McEvoyAvila Lipsett, Sergio Florides and Rosalind Lipsett pictured celebrating the launch of Yeats Irish Whiskey at the Abbey Theatre,Dublin.
Picture Brian McEvoyThe launch of Yeats Irish Whiskey at the Abbey Theatre,Dublin.
Picture Brian McEvoyMeghann Scully pictured celebrating the launch of Yeats Irish Whiskey at the Abbey Theatre,Dublin.
Picture Brian McEvoyThe launch of Yeats Irish Whiskey at the Abbey Theatre,Dublin.
Picture Brian McEvoyClaire Roche at the launch of Yeats Irish Whiskey at the Abbey Theatre,Dublin.
Picture Brian McEvoyDoiran Kavanagh pictured at the launch of Yeats Irish Whiskey at the Abbey Theatre,Dublin.
Picture Brian McEvoyAnna Daly and Avila Lipsett pictured at the launch of Yeats Irish Whiskey at the Abbey Theatre,Dublin.
Picture Brian McEvoyElaine Crowley pictured at the launch of Yeats Irish Whiskey at the Abbey Theatre,Dublin.
Picture Brian McEvoyElaine Crowley and Yeats irish Whiskey Founder Pat Ward pictured at the launch of Yeats Irish Whiskey at the Abbey Theatre,Dublin.
Picture Brian McEvoyYeats Irish Whiskey founder Patrick Ward presents Laura O Shea from the Abbey Theatre with the special 1904 bottle of Yeats Irish Whiskey in honour of the founding year 1904 of the theatre by William Butler Yeats alongside Lady Gregory
Picture Brian McEvoyCarmel Breheny pictured celebrating the launch of Yeats Irish Whiskey at the Abbey Theatre,Dublin.
Picture Brian McEvoyBogdan Khurda ,Ksenia Prokopouych ,Pat Ward , Patrick Ward, Kathleen Ward and James Ward pictured celebrating the launch of Yeats Irish Whiskey at the Abbey Theatre,Dublin. Picture Brian McEvoyPatrick Ward,Pat Ward,Kathleen Ward and James Ward pictured celebrating the launch of Yeats Irish Whiskey at the Abbey Theatre,Dublin. Picture Brian McEvoyThe Gourmet Boys Brian Haslett and Mark Irvine pictured celebrating the launch of Yeats Irish Whiskey at the Abbey Theatre,Dublin. Picture Brian McEvoyThe Gourmet Boys Brian Haslett and Mark Irvine pictured with Yeats Irish Whiskey Founder Pat Ward celebrating the launch of Yeats Irish Whiskey at the Abbey Theatre,Dublin. Picture Brian McEvoyThe Gourmet Boys Brian Haslett and Mark Irvine pictured with Yeats Irish Whiskey Founder Pat Ward and his brother James Ward celebrating the launch of Yeats Irish Whiskey at the Abbey Theatre,Dublin. Picture Brian McEvoyCraig Ellis ,Keith Daly ,Paddy Stapleton and Brian McGlen pictured celebrating the launch of Yeats Irish Whiskey at the Abbey Theatre,Dublin. Picture Brian McEvoyThe launch of Yeats Irish Whiskey at the Abbey Theatre,Dublin. Picture Brian McEvoyThe launch of Yeats Irish Whiskey at the Abbey Theatre,Dublin. Picture Brian McEvoyThe launch of Yeats Irish Whiskey at the Abbey Theatre,Dublin. Picture Brian McEvoyAvila Lipsett, Sergio Florides and Rosalind Lipsett pictured celebrating the launch of Yeats Irish Whiskey at the Abbey Theatre,Dublin. Picture Brian McEvoyAnna Daly and Founder Pat Ward pictured at the launch of Yeats Irish Whiskey at the Abbey Theatre,Dublin. Picture Brian McEvoyThe launch of Yeats Irish Whiskey at the Abbey Theatre,Dublin. Picture Brian McEvoyThe launch of Yeats Irish Whiskey at the Abbey Theatre,Dublin. Picture Brian McEvoyPatrick Ward and his son James pictured at the launch of Pat Ward Yeats Irish Whiskey at the Abbey Theatre,Dublin. Picture Brian McEvoyKsenia Prokopouych ,Pat Ward and Bogdan Khurda ,pictured celebrating the launch of Yeats Irish Whiskey at the Abbey Theatre,Dublin. Picture Brian McEvoy
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