Whisky Names Explained: The Dead Rabbit Irish Whiskey

Some whiskies sport the wildest, most creative names. How about The Dead Rabbit Irish Whiskey? Does that bottle have anything to do with death? Discover a remarkable backstory in this Whisky Names Explained.

This whiskey’s name does, in fact, have a touch to do with death. It’s a nod to the Irish-American street gang, the Dead Rabbits, who roamed New York in the 19th century. And as we all know, street gangs weren’t exactly known for their gentle manners.

Fistfights and all-out brawls with rival gangs, or anyone in their way, were everyday occurrences. They regularly clashed with their sworn enemies, the Bowery Boys, another notorious street gang.

The Dead Rabbits gang left a deep mark on American history. Fittingly, there’s a New York bar named The Dead Rabbit. Opened in 2013, it pours an extensive selection of Irish whiskeys.

Which brings us to The Dead Rabbit Irish Whiskey. Released in 2018, it was created to celebrate the bar’s fifth anniversary. The whiskey is a collaboration between Sean Muldoon and Jack McGarry, the bar’s founders in New York.

What makes the bottle stand out is its rabbit seal, flipped upside down, lifeless. It’s a direct reference to the street gang. Keen to try it? Expect a malt aged five years in bourbon barrels and new American oak.

Want to learn more about the gang? Check out Martin Scorsese’s film Gangs of New York, starring Leonardo DiCaprio.

You’ll find this Irish bottle in plenty of places, including via Bottle Business.

It’ll set you back just under forty euros.

Curious about more Whisky NAmes Ecplained articles? You can dive into a lot of names by checking this speciale page.

Photo: Dead Rabbit Irish Whiskey