Whiskey made in single-pot stills isn t common in the U.S., but it s an old and honorable way of making Irish whiskey that dates back to the late 1700s, according to Patrick and Meagan Miller, the owners of Talnua Distillery in Arvada. In fact, the method was the only way they wanted to produce spirits once they decided to open Talnua.
True Irish single-pot still whiskey must meet several criteria: It must contain at least 30 percent each of malted and un-malted barley, it must be made in a traditional copper pot still, and it must be distilled in Ireland. The Millers obviously couldn t fulfill that last requirement in Arvada, but that s okay with them.