Fighting 69th Irish Whiskey, named for New York’s famed 69th Infantry Regiment, will be rolling out its Single Malt Irish Whiskey just in time for Veterans Day.
Fighting 69th Irish Whiskey was launched in late 2019 and has proven to be a favorite among members of the armed forces, veteran’s organizations, Irish organizations, and lovers of fine Irish Whiskey. The new Fighting 69th Single Malt Irish Whiskey is made from the finest malted barley, which is fermented and then triple distilled in copper pot stills.
The 69th Infantry Regiment’s history dates back to New York in 1849 and traces its lineage back to the American Revolution. The regiment has seen combat in five wars: the American Civil War, World War I, World War II, and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Members of the 69th Infantry Regiment have just returned from a nine-month deployment to Western Africa as part of Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa.
The Fighting 69th Irish Whiskey is being produced and imported from Ireland by the Florida-based Espiritus Group, a spirits development and marketing company, in conjunction with the 69th Infantry Regiment Historical Trust, which is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) entity. A portion of the sale of each bottle sold benefits the trust and supports its historic preservation mission as well as philanthropic activities on behalf of the Regiment’s veterans and their families.
Explaining that The Fighting 69th Single Malt is a limited release, Scott Reid, chief marketing officer for the Espiritus Group, noted that the whiskey will first be offered in the New York area and then rolled out in other states as supplies last.
The Fighting 69th Irish Whiskey enjoys strong support among military and veteran’s groups, and we feel that this Single Malt will be even more in demand given its complex taste and limited availability. Members of the 69th Infantry Regiment have just returned to greater New York from a long tough deployment to the Horn of Africa and we want to give them first shot at acquiring a bottle of this very special Single Malt, especially with Veterans Day approaching.
Scott Reid, chief marketing officer for the Espiritus Group
The suggested retail price for Fighting 69th Single Malt is $59.99 but the price could fluctuate from market to market. Reid described the whiskey as possessing a rich complexity that is arrived at through gentle aging in a combination of seasoned bourbon, sherry, port and rum casks.
The taste of the Fighting 69th Single Malt suggests notes of toffee and vanilla which give way to aromas of stone fruit and chocolate with a finish of honey and cinnamon.
Scott Reid
Since 1851 the officers of the 69th Regiment have begun their responsibilities as lead unit in New York City’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade by raising a glass of Irish whiskey in a traditional toast. For the past four years, they have done it with a special Irish whiskey named after their own famed infantry regiment.
The 69th Infantry Regiment has a long and storied history. Its wartime exploits have been memorialized in books and popular culture including the 1940 Warner Brothers movie “The Fighting 69th” staring James Cagney and Pat O’Brien. The 69th self-activated on 9/11/2001 and was the first military unit to reach the World Trade Center.
About the 69th Infantry Regiment:
The 69th Infantry Regiment is an infantry regiment of the United States Army. It is from New York City, part of the New York Army National Guard. It is known as the “Fighting Sixty-Ninth,” a name said to have been given by Robert E. Lee during the Civil War. An Irish heritage unit, as the citation from poet Joyce Kilmer illustrates, this unit is also nicknamed the “Fighting Irish,” immortalized in Joyce Kilmer’s poem When the 69th Comes Home. Between 1917 and 1992, it was also designated as the 165th Infantry Regiment. It is headquartered at the 69th Regiment Armory on Lexington Avenue in Manhattan.
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