Blender Shane McCarthy founded Two Stacks Irish Whiskey with Liam Brogan & Donal McLynn in 2020 with the mission of marrying sacred whiskey traditions with contemporary twists.

The three were importers and distributors under the name Ireland Craft Beverages for some six years prior, ultimately deciding it was time to launch their own brand. With that, they began sourcing and blending barrels, and Two Stacks Irish Whiskey was born.

In this edition of Five Questions, we got McCarthy talking about his passion for whiskey and more.

What was your gateway whiskey – the one that made you love whiskey?

Killowen SPS – Cask #001. Wild fermentation, flame-fired distillation, mixed mash bill Irish grains, full maturation in a Sherry quarter cas Killowen SPS – Cask #001 took my love of Single Pot Still Whiskey to a whole new level. It was like stepping back in time and back into the world of Irish Whiskey history when traditional Pot Stills were at the fore. It’s hard to explain the meaty complexities you get with this distillate without wanting everyone you speak with to just try it for themselves. It really was a “stop you in your tracks” whiskey for me on my journey of whiskey lovin’.

What is your favorite part of the whiskey blending process? 

My favorite part of the blending process is the very beginning of the blend, when you take the multitude of distillate DNAs and begin to go on a journey with each of them in the lab. Especially with the new era of Irish Whiskey blending, there are so many new and interesting malts/blends/grains and cask finished whiskeys to play around with. There is a child-like joy that strikes me during the process with each of the new blends we create at Two Stacks Whiskey Bond.

What trends do you believe are forthcoming in the spirits industry?

Flavour, flavour and more flavour — and not just blending flavours. There is a whole Pandora’s box still to be explored with whiskey flavours. Both Bourbon and Irish Whiskey have started pushing into this space in a big way with big fruit Brandy, Vermouths and Red Ice Wine finishes, all coming with various oak styles from around the world. This is certainly a big fan favourite we are seeing at Two Stacks, particularly our Blackberry Brandy finish Irish Whiskey, which seems to blow consumers’ minds when they try it for the first time (and the second). 

Other than your own brand, do you currently have a favorite bourbon, whiskey or other spirit?

Tasmanian Whiskey, Belgrove, Transportation and Waubs Harbour are doing some of the best new world whiskeys that I have been fortunate to come across. And then there’s American Single Malts which are just getting better and better. 

Neat, rocks or cocktail?

However you like it. We never like to tell anyone how to drink their drink, and most of the time, it is all about the company as well as the drink. As Yeats famously quotes, “A stranger is just a friend you haven’t yet met” … particularly if he is carrying a great bottle of whiskey.

Read more: Five Questions with Laws Whiskey House’s Al Laws

About Five Questions

Five Questions is a series on Fredminnick.com in which professionals in the whiskey business offer insights into trends, favorite spirits and more.