Redbreast 12 year old Irish Whiskey

I tasted the Redbreast 12 year old single pot still Irish at a whisky show a year before Covid and bought a bottle on the spot. I am not the biggest Irish whiskey fan, but the 12 year old convinced me to explore more. So it got added to my collection, and it is time for me to explore it a bit further.

Redbreast is a single pot still Irish whiskey produced by Irish Distillers at the Midleton distillery in Cork. Single pot still Irish whiskey is made from a mash using both malted and unmalted barley. It is then triple distilled in copper pot stills. Scottish whisky only uses malted barley. This style of whiskey is unique to Ireland.

Redbreast was originally produced by Gilbey’s, a Dublin spirits merchant using distillate sourced from Jameson’s Bow Street Distillery. In the 1980s, the brand was purchased by Irish Distillers, the producer of Jameson.

Other Redbreast releases available include Redbreast 12 year old Cask Strength, Redbreast 15 year old, Redbreast 21 year old, Redbreast Lustau Edition (matured for its final year in Bodegas Lustau sherry casks) and Redbreast 27 year old whiskey.

The first official mention of “Redbreast” only dates back to 1912, when Gilbey’s referred to the sale of “Redbreast” J.J. Liqueur Whiskey 12 year old. “Redbreast” was a nickname given to one of the whiskeys by Gilbey’s chairman at the time, who was an avid birdwatcher, in reference to Robin Redbreast.

Irish Distillers relaunched the brand in 1991. Midleton distillery also produces Jameson and Tullamore Dew whiskey. The Redbreast 12 year old whiskey is aged in first-fill Olorosso sherry casks and ex-bourbon barrels.

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Redbreast 12 year old Irish Whiskey Review

CONTRY: Ireland

ABV: 43%

COLOUR: Yellow gold

NOSE: Sweet ripe red fruits sprinkled with toasted nuts, banana and pears. Vibrant and fresh. Hints of vanilla, spice, and freshly baked sugar cookies.

PALATE: Fruity sweetness and toasted oak. The Redbreast is luxurious and creamy with hints of marzipan, lots of fruit salad sweetness and roasted nuts. A balance of wood and red berry sweetness mixed with bits of pepper and ginger.

Add water carefully. Only a drop or two is needed.  The water can quickly tone down the fruity sweetness too much.

FINISH: Long and creamy sweetness, lemon rind and pepper spice.

RATING: EXCELLENT

It is a lovely late summer afternoon sipping whisky. Not the most complex dram, but memorable and fruity. The sherry casks shine through on this release, and from here on, it just gets better.

The Redbreast 12 year old whiskey is an excellent start to the range, and I have tasted both the Lustau and the 15 year old whiskey, and the delicious taste expansion continues in the older releases.

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