Coming to market during an exciting time for the category, The Sexton is perfectly placed to usher in a new era for Irish single malt.

Borne of the trusted heritage and provenance of The Old Bushmills Distillery, The Sexton is the result of the unique vision and creativity of Master Blender Alex Thomas. Thomas is one of the world’s few female whiskey blenders and brings great expertise as well as bold and exciting new thinking.

Fascinated by the maturation phase of the whiskey-making process, she created The Sexton to be the perfect balance between spirit and oak. “It’s fantastic to bring The Sexton Single Malt Irish Whiskey to the United Kingdom during such an exciting time for the category. After years of experimenting with different cask profiles and laying the liquid to rest for just the right amount of time, I’m pleased to share a rich and deeply flavourful Irish single malt that is ideal for mixing in cocktails. In doing things differently, we want to celebrate those who are also forging their own path and leaving their mark on the world.”

Made from 100% Irish malted barley, The Sexton Single Malt is triple distilled for smoothness in copper pot stills and aged exclusively in Oloroso sherry butts. These sherry butts are all hand-selected, and Thomas has spent years working with partners who share her passion and commitment to excellence.

The European oak casks are air-dried for 16 months, toasted from the inside to a medium-high level and seasoned with Oloroso sherry for two years. First, second and third fill Oloroso sherry casks are used to achieve a perfect harmony between sweet sherry flavours and toasted oak notes. The Sexton is a non-age statement whiskey, which allows Thomas the freedom to select casks when the profile is just as she wants it.

The result is a rich and smooth whiskey perfect for new cocktail experimentalists or for those wanting to put a modern twist on a classic serve.

The Sexton’s rich and sophisticated spirit is matched in the style-stakes by the striking, hexagonal black bottle it’s served from, which unravels its own rich story and is set to be a covetable decanter for display in some of the country’s leading cocktail bars.

The term ‘Sexton’ comes from the Medieval Latin word ‘sacristanus’, meaning custodian of sacred objects, and is used to describe the man who prepared the grave—the last man to witness the body before being laid to rest. As such, The Sexton Single Malt challenges people to make choices every day that will add up to a life story worth telling.

The bottle has been crafted to tell the story of The Sexton. A unique skull on the bottle is a mark of its spiritual owner. Its distinguished shape and heavy composition means it requires a strong grip—and its black exterior has been designed to appeal to the creative and style conscious whiskey drinker.

The Sexton unveiled itself to some of London’s leading bartenders in suitably bold settings for its official UK launch. An immersive tasting experience unfolded in the pitch-black underground of the Clerkenwell Catacombs in East London, where senses were heightened in the surroundings of the eerie underground location as guests tried the whiskey for the very first time.