The Busker Single Malt review: Irish whiskey worth drinking all year round

Irish whiskey isn’t just for St Paddy’s Day — and I’m always keen to remind people of that. St Patrick’s Day and Cheltenham may have come and gone, but that doesn’t mean you need to wait until next March to treat yourself to a glass of something smooth and warming from across the Irish Sea.

Despite the growth of the industry in recent years, Irish whiskey still doesn’t, in my view, garner the respect it deserves from wider whisky circles. Which is why I was glad to have a chance to review this expression from The Royal Oak Distillery — one of the new breed of Irish producers hoping to shake things up a bit.

A quick word on the distillery

The Royal Oak Distillery is located in County Carlow, Ireland, and it’s one of the few Irish distilleries to produce all three classic styles of Irish whiskey — single malt, single grain and pot still — under one roof. It’s a relatively young player in the Irish whiskey renaissance, but already making a name for itself with its accessible, flavourful expressions under The Busker label. Their focus is on approachability without sacrificing depth, which is clear in this single malt.

Tasting Notes

Nose: Sweet top notes hinting at a caramel cake — a clear sign of the taste to come. There’s a lovely lightness to the nose, but with just enough depth to keep you interested.

Palate: On the palate it’s woody — even slightly tannic — with a drier finish than you might be used to with Irish whiskey. Add a dash of water, though, and it opens right up. That’s when a creaminess kicks in, giving a more rounded mouthfeel. But that creaminess still had to compete with a slightly bitter aftertaste — not unpleasant, but worth noting if you prefer a sweeter finish.

Mixability

As much as I enjoy sipping whiskey neat, I couldn’t resist trying the Busker in a couple of my favourite go-to cocktails.

First up: the Godfather. This one’s about as simple as it gets — two parts whiskey over ice, with just a small dash of Angostura bitters and a whisper of amaretto to line the glass. It’s a quick, no-fuss weekday evening cocktail, and this is where the Busker really comes alive. It holds up beautifully — standing its ground against both the bitterness of the bitters and the sweet, almondy complexity of the amaretto. Some whiskies fade in this mix, but not this one. It plays well with the other flavours and keeps its character.

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I also tried it in an Old Fashioned — and while it worked fine, I didn’t find it sang quite as well as it did in the Godfather. That said, I can imagine it going really nicely in all kinds of lighter whiskey-based drinks and mixes. Dare I even say… a whiskey sour?

Where to Buy

The Busker Single Malt is widely available and competitively priced:

• £35.50 at Master of Malt

• £28.83 on Amazon (saving 7%)

• £29.95 at Hard to Find Whisky

Two other Irish whiskies worth a look

If you’re interested in exploring more Irish single malts at a similar price point, here are two great alternatives:

• The Sexton Single Malt – Rich, sherried and stylishly bottled. Aged exclusively in oloroso sherry casks, it’s slightly sweeter and more dessert-like than the Busker. Around £30 and widely available. Amazon currently has it for £26: click here to buy.

• Teeling Small Batch – Technically a blended whiskey, but matured in rum casks for added character. More spice, more fruit, and a bit more punch. Priced at around £33–35 and a solid intro to Teeling’s line-up. Find it on Amazon here.

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Final Thoughts

The Busker Single Malt isn’t a show-off whiskey. It’s not trying to be overly fancy or over-complicated — but that’s part of its charm. It’s smooth, solid, and versatile. Enjoyable neat, even better with a splash of water, and an excellent partner for cocktails where you want the whiskey to stay present. Whether you’re a long-time Irish whiskey fan or just exploring beyond the usual supermarket bottles, this is one worth adding to your rotation — and definitely not just in March.