Kettle corn | Dulce de leche | Praline | Toffee | Cornbread | Honey | Buttered waffle cone

Popcorn ball | Shortbread | Honey | Crème brûlée | Apricot

Graham cracker | Malted milk | White pepper | Brown sugar glaze | Apple | Light dry oak

Talnua differentiates itself in the American whiskey space by producing single pot still American whiskey. In the world of Irish whiskey, a single pot still whiskey means that the whiskey is distilled in a pot still by a single distillery from a mixed mash of malted and unmalted barley. However, Talnua isn’t an Irish whiskey, nor is it an American single malt. Instead, it differentiates itself as a hybrid of sorts, as Talnua uses the same 50% unmalted barley, 50% malted barley mashbill for all of their whiskeys.

Talnua Olde Saint’s Keep is the company’s annual limited edition release to coincide with St. Patrick's Day. This year’s edition was aged for 3 years, and then finished in a wide range of barrels from six Colorado distilleries for an additional 6-9 months. The 2026 release  “honor(s) the high-quality and collaborative spirit of Colorado distilling” with the used finishing barrels being sourced from Bear Creek Distillery (rum), Deerhammer Distilling Co. (apple brandy), The Family Jones Distillery (rye), Laws Whiskey House (wheat whiskey), Spirit Hound Distillers (single malt), and Storm King Distilling Co. (bourbon).

Given the wide range of finishing barrels present, it is difficult to fully parse any particular flavor note or distillery style. Instead, they all come together to create something new. Nowhere is that more evident than in the whiskey’s excellent aroma. Kettle corn, dulce de leche, praline, toffee, cornbread, honey, and buttered waffle cone come together in a truly amazing way. Despite being made with 50% malted barley, a sweet corn-like note comes through on the palate as it does on the nose. Combined with shortbread, honey, and crème brûlée, it's a fairly sweet sip. The finish adds a nice toasted graham cracker note, along with malted milk, white pepper spice, brown sugar glaze, and fresh apple.  

Vying for an Irish whiskey style yet with an American-like spin, the 2026 edition of Talnua Olde Saint’s Keep comes together in great fashion. For utilizing only a 3 years old base whiskey, the sip tastes more developed than previous editions. With six different finishing barrels, Talnua does an excellent job keeping the flavor profile from getting muddy. Though distinct notes from rye barrel or rum barrel are difficult to pull out, for example, they add to the greater whole than blend into an incoherent mess. Given that there are only about 1,200 bottles of this year’s Olde Saint’s Keep available, and only at the distillery, availability is limited. Hopefully, Talnua takes note and figures out how to make this their always-available, flashship product.