legal
Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey
Irish whiskey distilled in pot stills from a mash containing a minimum of 30% malted barley and a minimum of 30% unmalted barley, with up to 5% of other cereals such as oats or rye. 'Single' requires that all of it was distilled at one distillery.
Where it is defined
Irish Whiskey Technical File (DAFM, October 2014), §4.2.1 and §10; GI protected under Regulation (EU) 2019/787
Often confused with single malt
Single pot still requires unmalted barley (minimum 30%); single malt requires 100% malted barley. Both are pot-still products from one distillery.
Worth knowing
The 5% cap on other cereals is why several modern mash bills using heavier oats or rye cannot use the term. DAFM has an open consultation on amending the specification — including the pot still grain ratios — with submissions due 4 September 2026. Until then the 2014 file governs.
Related terms
Last reviewed 2026-07-30 · All glossary terms