Red Breast 12

@Bigtuna, Red Breast 12 is very nice, and is one of my top shelf affordable Irish whiskies. One that is quite similar (surprise) is Red Breast 15 ... but a higher ABV and very much better. Others to try in this category (but not exactly similar) are Michael Collins Sing Malt, Bushmills 10 and Tyconnell Sing Malt. Then there are the sherried expressions such as Black Bush and Jameson 12. I'm sure other members can provide additional ideas along the level of Redbreast. Let us know what you try :)

Thanks for the ideas, I've been meaning to check out one or two of the ones you listed. However, I don't think the 15 is available in North Carolina. Another reason for a vacation!

green spot is another pure pot still irish whiskey,that a lot of people rate highly, but im not sure if its easy to find in america.

@Bigtuna yeah, I agree w/ about choice w/ the Bushmills 10. Great pot still character and gentle. But between the two I prefer the Redbreast.

@beduffboy Greenspot is indeed a fantastic wiskey. You should be able to order the standard oer the net.

There are only a handful of Pure Pot Still Irish whiskies—sorry, "Single" Pot Still Irish whiskies—like the Redbreast 12 on the market, so you don't have a lot of choices there. I can also vouch for Green Spot, if you can find it. Subtle, elegant, and beautiful. To help you make up your mind, you can find two reviews of it on Connosr: mine (connosr.com/reviews/mitchell-and-son/…) and OJK's (connosr.com/reviews/mitchell-and-son/…).

Redbreast 15 is preferred to the 12 by some, but not all—John Hansell likened it to "the 12 year old on steroids", which is not necessarily desirable. That said, you'll never know unless you try them all!

I would most definitely suggest Powers Irish Whiskey and Jameson Gold. Depending on where you are in the world, also, Green Spot is excellent. Red Breast is a Pure Pot Still Irish whiskey, which basically means that it is made with half malted barely and half unmalted barley. That is what gives it it's unique flavour profile. Green Spot is 100% Pure Pot Still and Powers and Jameson Gold are blends with a very very high Pure Pot Still amount.

This is the flavour that is truly traditionally Irish character.

Red Breast is great. Slainte.