The First Cut

Two Stacks was founded in 2020 by three friends—Shane McCarthy, Liam Brogan, and Donal McLynn—whose friendship spans over 15 years. The brand's name honours the towering twin chimney stacks of Dundalk's old distillery on Ireland's coast, a nod to the whiskey heritage that inspired the trio.

The First Cut is their signature blend: a five-part composition of 40% dark grain matured in virgin oak, 40% light grain in ex-bourbon casks, 8% pot still in ex-Oloroso sherry butts, and 10% double-distilled grain. Grain dominates the profile—intense vegetal notes, nutmeg, and whispers of black tea emerge on the nose. The palate brings melted butter, white peach, and seeded bread, followed by butterscotch and blackberry, with a long, spiced finish marked by toasty oak.