Two Stacks: Not Your Average Irish Whiskey Dram in a Can

It’s not news to anyone that canned cocktails, seltzers, and wine have become big business. What hasn’t been approached previously? Straight-up booze in a can. Three guys in Ireland decided to fill that void with their new project, Two Stacks Irish Whiskey ($19 / 4-pack). It’s available in the more traditional 750ml bottle and in 100ml steel cans, dubbed “Dram in a Can” (three or four drams, actually).

History of Two Stacks

Until about ten years ago, 3 large distilleries produced almost all of Ireland’s whiskey. No matter what you drank, Cooley, New Midleton, or Bushmills had a hand in its production. Now, there are over 40 distilleries on the Emerald Isle, from Dublin to Dingle.

Witnessing this expansion inspired three friends - Shane McCarthy, Donal McLynn, and Liam Brogan - to launch a new kind of Irish whiskey company, sourcing and blending products from disparate producers. Well, not so much new as revived. “The heritage of bottlers, bonders, and blenders was common in Irish history,” says Brogan. “We consider this a contemporary revival of Irish bonders and merchants.”

Their distillery, Two Stacks, is named for massive twin chimney stacks which once graced the former Old Dundalk distillery. With finishing and blending operations based in a tiny Killowen distillery in Newry (about 10 miles north of Dundalk), there is an emphasis on transparency. Brogan and McCarthy are upfront about their backgrounds in finance and their “fan status” in the whiskey world. McLynn’s family has been in the pub business since the 1880s and worked as a bartender in Manhattan. The trio launched a beer and spirits export business in 2015, and Two Stacks was borne of that experience.

What’s in the Can

Two Stacks Dram in a Can

The transparency doesn’t stop there. Irish disclosure laws aren’t quite as restrictive as Scotland when it comes to disclosing blends and sources, and Brogan says it was important to lay out as much information as possible about Two Stack’s blend on the can (and bottle). The brand’s initial expression (called “The First Cut”) consists of 40% dark grain aged in virgin oak, 40% light grain in ex-bourbon, 8% pot still (from Killowen, it seems) aged in ex-sherry, 10% double malt in ex-bourbon, and 2% peated malt - a relative rarity for Irish whiskey - also in ex-bourbon. The whiskey is non-chill filtered, with no added color. A cask strength version (available in bottle form only) is currently the highest ABV Irish whiskey at 64%, according to Brogan. But the whiskey in the can is no slouch either, coming at a relatively high 43% (86 proof).

According to McLynn, each of the component whiskeys is less than 4 1/2 years old (but of course at least the 3-year minimum required for Irish whiskey). “We feel it’s proof that ‘older doesn’t mean better,’” he says. The result of the diverse component whiskeys is evident in the first sip. Initially a sweetness common to many traditional Irish whiskeys gives the perception you’re drinking another straightforward dram, but it evolves quickly.

Tasting Notes

Two Stacks Dram with Cocktail

On the nose, you get a floral hit with hints of the component oak (vanilla, toffee, and wood), sherry (dried fruit and cinnamon), and a bit of sea air from the peated whiskey. In the mouth, you get the initial fruit and sweetness above, but it becomes increasingly complex from start to finish. It’s a bit more full-bodied than one might initially expect, and quickly expands into notes of black pepper, pear, lemon, raisin, and herbs (sage, perhaps?). The long finish has a hint of salinity and sea air. I don’t notice any significant peat smoke, but some people might.

Let’s be clear: This isn’t “Irish whiskey for bourbon drinkers” or “for Scotch drinkers.” It’s Irish whiskey. Fans of core Jameson and Bushmills expressions will be plenty pleased with its familiarity. However, if you like a little adventure with your dram, you also won’t be disappointed.

In the end, the “Dram in a Can” concept isn’t a huge stretch. It’s whiskey. In a can. Essentially, it’s the same as two minis. Any spirit could do this, but Two Stacks did do it. And the result is satisfying and maybe just a little risky. When asked if High Road Spirits, the US Distributor, has received any pushback to the concept, co-founder Eli Raffeld said so far they’ve been welcomed in all the states they’ve approached.

The Benefits of a Dram in a Can

Two Stacks Dram

The best part of the can, of course, is its portability. Even as we work our way out of a global lockdown, there are still picnics to be had, beaches on which to stretch out, and barbecues in which to indulge. Sure, you have a flask, in which you secret your preferred spirit, but flasks need to be cleaned, you can’t easily store several in your fridge or cooler, and sometimes they leak. What you lose in jacket pocket stashability (and who wears jackets these days?), you more than makeup for when tossing a can to your friend. Throwing a can or two in your bag, along with a can of ginger beer and lime to whip up a Mamie Taylor cocktail on the fly is also pretty cool.

Two Stacks Irish Whiskey Dram in a Can (43% ABV) is available in 4-packs for a suggested retail price of $19. As of March 1, 2021, it’s for sale in California, New York, New Jersey, Illinois, Minnesota, and Texas, and coming soon to Massachusetts, Nevada, Florida, Washington, and Oregon. Stay updated on where to find it in this buying guide.