The Shed Distillery
About the distillery
The Shed Distillery is located in Drumshanbo in County Leitrim, and is an Irish distillery with gin, vodka, and single pot still whiskey in its portfolio. For whisky lovers, the place is especially interesting because it combines a distinctly local base with a whiskey built on malted and unmalted Irish barley as well as Barra oats, and matured in sherry, bourbon, and acacia casks.
Raw materials and production
The whiskey from The Shed Distillery is a single pot still Irish whiskey, and it is described as triple-distilled. The recipe includes malted Irish barley, unmalted Irish barley, and uniquely Irish Barra oats, and it is precisely the combination of grain varieties that gives the style its classic single pot still character. The production story is closely tied to PJ Rigney and Head Distiller Brian Taft, who have been responsible for developing the expression over more than a decade. This results in a whiskey that is clearly Irish at its core in terms of raw materials, and crafted and maintained in a tradition where barley and oats work together instead of being pushed to the background.
Maturation and cask types
The maturation is documented in several directions. One expression is aged in Oloroso sherry casks, while the 10-year whiskey has spent time in Kentucky Bourbon and Acacia casks. This combination points to a style where the sherry can provide depth and dried-fruit character, the bourbon cask typically contributes sweetness and vanilla, and acacia can add further texture and complexity. The most striking point is that the distillery uses the casks actively to build character over a long period rather than rushing the process.
Whiskies
The current whiskey selection shown here is small and focused. The core is the Drumshanbo Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey, and in addition there is a 10-year expression, marked as a historical milestone. The range shows a distillery that is not trying to cover all categories, but instead works with the same whiskey type in different maturation expressions. This makes the series easy to understand: the standard bottling shows the base style, while the 10-year whiskey elevates it into a more mature and longer-aged framework.
| Whisky | Type / series | Age | Cask and style | Tasting profile | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drumshanbo Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey Oloroso Sherry Cask | Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey | Oloroso Sherry casks | Triple-distilled single pot still whiskey from The Shed Distillery, made with malted and unmalted Irish barley as well as Irish Barra oats.; Finish: Maturing in Oloroso Sherry casks. | Current; Available now | |
| Drumshanbo Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey – Aged 10 Years | Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey | 10 years | Kentucky Bourbon casks and Acacia casks | The first 10-year expression of Drumshanbo Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey, triple-distilled and based on malted barley, barley and Irish Barra oats.; Finish: Slowly matured in Kentucky Bourbon & Acacia casks. | Current; Available now |
General tasting profile
Oak is described as “matured in Oloroso sherry, Kentucky bourbon and acacia casks,” which together point to a fuller, cask-driven style.
Visit the distillery
The Shed Distillery can be visited, and distillery tours are offered with booking. The venue is open 7 days a week from 10:00 to 18:00, and the visit can be combined with Honey Badger Bar, Curious Gift Shop, and Jackalope Café. There is also an online shop with its own opening hours, and the contact information is clearly provided, so the visit is set up for guests who want to experience both the distillery and the facilities in one place.
The stated opening hours are: Open 7 days a week 10:00–18:00. Online shop: Monday–Saturday 10:00–19:00 and Sunday 12:30–19:00.
See times and book a visit.
Philosophy and craft
The distillery’s identity is shaped around curiosity, and whiskey development is described as family distilling under the leadership of Head Distiller Brian Taft. This gives the impression of a place where experimentation and tradition go hand in hand, but always with the focus on letting each individual whiskey mature to a level that meets the distillery’s own standard.