Barry Chandler
The world’s most awarded Irish whiskey communicator
Barry is an Irish whiskey storyteller and host. His work connects people with Ireland and the people who make its whiskey, whether around a tasting table or through the pages of a book.
It began with a gathering.
Barry grew up in Cobh, County Cork, a short journey from Midleton Distillery. His career began in hospitality, training in hotel management at Adare Manor before working in hotels in Ireland and Austria. He later oversaw food and beverage purchasing for four luxury cruise ships.
In 2016, living in Columbus, Ohio, he organised an Irish whiskey tasting to raise money for cancer research. Preparing for that evening sent him looking for the stories behind the bottles. Those conversations became a lasting fascination with Irish whiskey and the people shaping its future.
More tastings followed, along with a podcast and a growing online audience. Stories & Sips emerged from those early gatherings, built around the pleasure of learning something together and sharing a good story over a glass.
Global Communicator
of the Year
2024
In 2024, Whisky Magazine named Barry the global winner of its Communicator of the Year award, recognising his work sharing the story of Irish whiskey with audiences around the world.
Read the global results ↗
Ireland Communicator of the Year
Four wins at the Icons of Whisky Ireland awards.
A community built around the glass.
Barry has built a community of more than 120,000 whiskey fans across Facebook, TikTok and Instagram, who participate in whiskey releases, tastings and online events as well as in-person gatherings.
Barry launched the Stories & Sips Whiskey Club in 2021, giving members a way to explore Irish whiskey together. Exclusive releases created with distilleries and whiskey makers sit alongside online gatherings and conversations with the people behind the bottles.
The community reaches across borders, with friendships continuing at distillery visits and in person events. Its fundraising has also supported cancer research and end of life care for people experiencing homelessness.
Barry’s role is to open the door: to ask the questions people are curious about, introduce the makers and help each member find their own connection to Irish whiskey.
Something special to share.
The club’s collaborations give members a closer connection to the craft. The Stories & Sips Dunville’s 12 Year Old Palo Cortado release won the Single Malt 12–15 Years category at the Irish Whiskey Awards 2024.
Each release is another opportunity to tell the story of the people and decisions behind a whiskey, then enjoy it together.
Explore Stories & Sips ↗
Single Malt 12–15 Years
BONDED:
The Irish Whiskey Handbook
BONDED brings Barry’s curiosity to the printed page. An independent annual record of Irish whiskey, it brings together distillery profiles and recommendations with the stories shaping the industry.
It is a book to return to while planning a distillery visit or discovering the next whiskey to explore. The first volume celebrates the year of pot still whiskey.
Discover BONDED ↗More ways to discover Irish whiskey.
Barry’s businesses extend that same welcome into different settings, from a monthly tasting at home to an evening with clients.
The Whiskey Atelier
Founded by Barry, The Whiskey Atelier creates private whiskey experiences for companies and their guests. Each event is shaped around the room, with personal storytelling and thoughtful hospitality at its centre.
Plan a private experience ↗Three Drams
As owner of Three Drams, Barry helps whiskey lovers explore through monthly tasting kits and online tastings, bringing the distillery conversation into their homes.
Discover Three Drams ↗Irish Whiskey Experiences
Barry co-founded Irish Whiskey Experiences to take guests closer to the source, with journeys through Ireland and access to the people behind its distilleries.
Explore whiskey journeys ↗Stories & Sips Whiskey Club
The community remains the heart of Barry’s work, connecting curious drinkers with whiskey makers through shared learning and exclusive club releases.
Meet the community ↗
An evening worth
bringing people together for.
Barry brings a lifetime in hospitality to the tasting table. His events make space for questions and conversation, giving newcomers a welcoming introduction and experienced whiskey drinkers something fresh to discover.
Through The Whiskey Atelier, he hosts private tastings and corporate experiences designed around your guests and the occasion. Share a little about your event to begin the conversation.
Enquire about an event ↗“Barry’s events are the most informative and most enjoyable we’ve ever attended!”
Stories & Sips tasting guest
