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Redbreast is one of the most popular brands of Irish whiskey. Throughout its history, the brand has won all possible awards and has repeatedly been recognized as the best in class at international competitions. The brand is produced by Irish Distillers, the plant is located in the city of Middleton, County Cork. Irish vintners say that Redbreast can be compared to the richness of taste with a Christmas cake. The recipe for the flagship 12-year-old whiskey has remained unchanged for more than a hundred years.
Historical information
The history of Redbreast whiskey is inextricably linked with the Irish firm W & A Gilbey, founded in 1857. The company was engaged in the sale of liquor and owned a large building in the center of Dublin with extensive cellars and a tasting room. By 1874, the company had practically abandoned the sale of wine, concentrating on whiskey. Despite the fact that the beverage manufacturers were different, the distributor sold alcohol under his own brand.
In 1887, Gilbey marketed the products of the John Jameson & Son factory. The trading company had a large stock of wine barrels, which were brought to the enterprise and filled with whiskey. Then the containers went to the Gilbey warehouse and were stored there until maturation. A significant part of the assortment was occupied by Castle whiskey, which is considered the predecessor of Redbreast.
The first mention of the trademark is found in the documents of 1912. A number of experts believe that the brand appeared much earlier, since the 12-year-old Redbreast was written about as a well-known whisky. The name, which translates as “robin”, came up with one of the chairmen of the board of directors – an avid bird lover.
Sales began to gain momentum, and the brand itself was called the “bottle of the priest”, as it was very popular in church circles. Despite repeated rebranding, the whiskey recipe remained unchanged. In 1985, the last bottling of the drink under the Gilbey brand took place. The trading company ceded the brand to the direct producer – Irish Distillers.
In 1991, after a six-year break, an updated Redbreast was released, aged in bourbon and sherry casks. In 2005, the company released Redbreast 15, which became an instant hit and was named Irish whiskey of the year by expert Jim Murray. The brand is produced at the Midleton Distillery, the largest distillery in the country.
Production features
Redbreast is a bright example of the traditional Irish Pure Pot Still, pure still whiskey. The drink is made from a mixture of malted and regular barley, and the water comes from the nearby Dangurney River. Another source is located in limestone deposits directly below the enterprise – its resources are used as needed.
The company uses a triple distillation method, which gives exceptionally pure alcohols with a strength of up to 80%. The whiskey is matured in 500 liter European and American oak barrels, specially prepared for the Midleton distillery. In order for the wood to be properly soaked, sherry must be aged for at least two years, and bourbon for 3-4 years.
Latest awards:
- IWSC 2018, London – gold medal;
- San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2019, San Francisco – gold medal;
- Ultimate Spirits Challenge 2019, New York – winner, Redbreast Cask Strength 97 got the highest score of 12 points.
Interesting Facts
- Winemakers Irish Distillers believe that wood is responsible for the final taste of whiskey. Most of the Redbreast varieties at the final stage of aging are poured into Spanish sherry casks, where the drink acquires characteristic grape shades. The container supplier is Bodegas Lustau, the leading wine producer in Spain.
- In 2019, a limited edition of the 20-year Redbreast Dream Cask Pedro Ximénez Edition was released. The batch included only 924 bottles and was sold out in 14 minutes.
Types of redbrest whiskey
Redbreast 12 years old, 40%
The brand’s best-selling whiskey is a blend of spirits aged in bourbon and sherry casks. The drink is golden in color, with a spicy aroma of fruits, wine and vanilla. On the palate, notes of caramel, blackcurrant and licorice stand out, after the addition of water, sweets come to the fore: nougat, halva and butter cream. In the aftertaste, hints of cinnamon and chocolate are felt.
Redbreast 15 years old, 46%
An amber-coloured blend of whiskey aged 15 to 19 years. In a thick aroma, the smells of dried fruits, barley, hot spices and rum are mixed. The taste is characterized by woody shades: oak and walnut are mixed with spices. The finish is dry and long, with wine acidity.
Redbreast 21 years old, 46%
The oldest variety in the line is created from batches aged up to 25 years. The drink made a splash among Irish whiskey drinkers in 2012. The aroma is rich with hints of fruit: banana, lychee and melon. Smells turn into taste, nuts, spices and lemon zest are added to them. The aftertaste is dominated by citrus and woody tones.
