Busker Irish Whiskey
County Carlow Irish whiskey, poured at our Commack counter since it landed.
The story behind Busker
The Busker comes out of Royal Oak Distillery, an 18th century estate in County Carlow, Ireland, where all three Irish styles, single grain, single malt and single pot still, are distilled under one roof. The brand itself launched in September 2020 under Illva Saronno, the Italian company behind Disaronno, which took sole ownership after the 2019 split. Water is drawn from the local Barrow aquifer and grain is sourced close by.
What separates Busker is the cask program. Beyond ex bourbon and ex Oloroso sherry, the whiskey rests in Cantine Florio Sicilian Marsala wine casks, a direct line to Illva Saronno's historic 1833 Sicilian winery. That Marsala finish is why the whiskey reads soft and fruit forward rather than sharp. We have carried it since launch and the shelf has stayed honest.
Explore the Busker range
Three bottles, three styles, one distillery. The Busker range runs from the flagship triple cask blend to the 44.3% single collection, each showing a different side of Carlow.
| Expression | Type | Proof / ABV | Tasting notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Busker Triple Cask Triple Smooth | Blended Irish Whiskey | 80 | Bourbon, sherry, Marsala casks; soft fruit and malt |
| The Busker Single Grain | Single Grain | 88.6 | 95% wheat, 5% malt; caramel and vanilla sweetness |
| The Busker Single Malt | Single Malt | 88.6 | 100% malted barley; orchard fruit, sherry spice |
| The Busker Single Pot Still | Single Pot Still | 88.6 | Malted and unmalted barley; robust spice, creamy body |
| Busker Single Malt Irish 750mL | Single Malt | 88.6 | Gold at World Whiskies Awards 2024; neat or ice |
| Busker Irish Whiskey 750mL | Blended Irish Whiskey | 80 | The everyday pour; highball and mixer friendly |
Which Busker is right for you?
Pricing here is straightforward. The Busker Single Malt Irish 750mL and the Single Pot Irish 750mL both sit at $31.99, and the flagship Busker Irish Whiskey 750mL runs $33.99. That puts a 44.3% single malt and a traditional pot still within a few dollars of the standard blend, which is unusual and worth knowing. Buy Busker online from us and you get Carlow distilling at a price most legacy Irish labels cannot match. All three are 750mL, all three are unpeated.
80 proof, soft and fruit forward, built for soda and ginger ale.
44.3% malt with sherry depth, best neat with a splash of water.
Pot still spice gives an Old Fashioned real backbone.
Busker cocktails and pairings
Busker drinks well with food that leans sweet. The Marsala and sherry casks pull toward chocolate and orchard fruit.