In 2022 as the world was opening up again to travellers we were keen to set off on a new adventure in a new direction.

J.J. Corry founder Louise McGuane had a chance encounter with master blender John Rhea at Kentucky Owl, and a plan was hatched to bring their expertise and perspectives together through the art of bonding.

Known for sourcing scarce and rare aged Kentucky bourbons and blending them to create unique limited-run batches, Kentucky Owl felt like kindred spirits across the pond. Landing in Louisville, you immediately feel the similarities and differences between Kentucky and Ireland. Horses are a big part of both places, and so too is whiskey. But of course Co. Clare and Kentucky are worlds apart, and so is their whiskey.

The climate here is balmy and humid, and the big flavours of the charred barrels and the sweet rye, creates a tangy bold character.

Driving South to Bardstown, you start to see why this town is known as the Bourbon capital of the world. With no less than 11 distilleries calling Bardstown home you immediately feel that this is not a bad place to begin a new whiskey adventure. Louise travelled here to help Kentucky Owl create a St. Patrick’s Day Limited Edition. This small-release Bourbon features carefully selected barrels of Kentucky Bourbon blended through Irish eyes.

"We wanted to blend a Bourbon through the lens of bringing fruit-forward profiles that are desirable to us as Irish Whiskey makers, but we also wanted something still representative of the Kentucky Owl style.”

McGuane said. Through meticulous tastings and the collaborative process of creating several blend combinations, Louise & Kentucky Owl created a straight Bourbon aged 4 to 11 years, filled with rich caramel and vanilla notes from rare older Bourbons; spice and fruit from higher rye bourbons; and sweetness and citrus from wheated Bourbons.

This whiskey adventure extends beyond the St. Patricks release, as the Kentucky Owl barrels chosen for the blend were transported back to Ireland for J.J. Corry to fill and store in our rackhouse, bringing the flavour and character of Bardstown’s bourbon to a new J.J. Corry whiskey.