Redbreast 10 year old Limited Edition, 2021 batch

For those of you who are new to this site, please know that I am utterly, disgustingly smitten by Redbreast single pot still Irish whiskey. That's a warning.

Though the annual 12 year old Cask Strength seems to still exist, Midleton dropped another in a series of limited edition full-powered Redbreasts into the marketplace early last year. Most of the previous LEs were NAS, but this edition came with an actual age statement of 10 whole years. The whiskey was spun from bourbon and sherry casks (allegedly) between the ages of 10 and 15 years. Due to the batch's ABV, I doubt any underproof casks were involved here.

Brand: Redbreast
Country: Ireland
Distillery: Midleton
Style: Single Pot Still
Age: minimum 10 years
Maturation: ex-bourbon and ex-Oloroso sherry casks
Outturn: 7,000 bottles

Release year: 2021
Alcohol by Volume: 59.1%
Chillfiltered? no
e150a? possibly not
(from a bottle split)

NEAT

A very pretty nose. First up: fresh cherries, white peaches, flower blossoms and a mango custard. Then: honey, orange zest and Big League Chew. Hints of clove linger in the background. The palate's sweetness and fruitiness is balanced by some malty heft and raw nuts (walnuts and almonds). But yeah there's apricot jam, limes and guava. Honey and cayenne pepper. And that is exactly how it finishes as well.

DILUTED to ~46%abv, or 1¾ tsp per 30mL whiskey

The nose becomes more floral, yet not at all perfumey. There's also peach crumble, ginger and eucalyptus. Mango appears in the palate, along with the limes and honey. Hints of vanilla and toasted oak remain in the background. The sweetness recedes in the finish, as the raw nuts return and the fruit grows tarter.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

Oh the fruits, so many fruits. This gorgeous thing tops all four of those USA-exclusive Small Batches from 2019/2020, as well as most of the 12yo Cask Strengths. I prefer it neat, where there's less oak, more fruit, and the heat is just right. Folks who want more cask action should dilute it. Though I try not to encourage anyone to indulge in the still mostly-illegal-in-the-USA secondary market, I still did take a look at the bottle's price. And I sobbed.

Availability - Secondary market
Pricing - Don't look
Rating - 90

Redbreast 2001 cask 17126, for The Celtic Whiskey Shop

There are several of these single sherry cask Redbreasts floating around the (secondary) market. I thought it was a fun idea when the first of these dropped, considering the lack of official single cask official Irish whiskies. The prices were less fun, but the casks tended to sell out, so the market spoke. Despite my love for Redbreast, paying $300+ for a teenage Redbreast didn't compute. So they all passed me by.

It was nice to get in on a bottle split of a single cask that was exclusive to an actual Irish retailer, but it will be my one-and-done review of single sherry cask Redbreast. 

Brand: Redbreast
Country: Ireland
Distillery: Midleton
Style: Single Pot Still
Age: 15 or 16 years

Distillation date: March 2001

Release year: 2017?
Maturation: first-fill sherry butt
Cask #: 17126
Outturn: 600 bottles
Alcohol by Volume: 58.6%

Exclusive to: The Celtic Whiskey Shop
Chillfiltered? No
Colored? No
(from a bottle split)

THE NOSE...

...at full strength: A sherry titan, leading with beef fat and cherries. Then mint leaf and pine sap. Hints of figs and Manuka honey. Cheesy nutritional yeast occasionally drifts through the background. 

...at 46%abv: Not much change, other than a shift away towards nuts, and away from beef. Some Raisinets too.

...at 40%abv: It's 75% oak spice, 15% toffee and 10% milk chocolate. 

THE PALATE...

...at full strength: There's more dried fruit here than in the nose. PLENTY of tannins too. Carob, dates, prunes and black raisins sit in the foreground. Salt and savory in the background.

...at 46%abv: It gets leafier, subtly herbal. More baking chocolate and salt, less savoriness. Even more tannins come to the surface.

...at 40%abv: Oloroso Oloroso Oloroso. Tannins, black raisins and raw nuts.

THE FINISH...

...at full strength: A bright Oloroso note arrives first, with meaty and peppery notes in the background. A moment or two of tannins and mint.

...at 46%abv: Bitter oak and peppercorns. Tannic AF.

...at 40%abv: Oloroso, salt and tannins.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

The folks at Whiskybase love this stuff, and there is certainly a wide audience to whom it would appeal. I am not part of that audience, and thus my opinion will probably prove unpopular. This is just hyperactive cask juice to me. It's a ketchup sandwich.

I didn't dump it down the sink because there's something fascinating about this sort of faceless, nameless whiskey. It could be from anywhere. It's probably the future. B-minus whiskey 24/7.

But I'm going to knock it down a few more points because they ruined 600 bottles of Redbreast.

Availability - Secondary market
Pricing - probably north of $300
Rating - 78

Redbreast 12 year old Cask Strength, batch B1/20 (my bottle)

 So here's the 2020 batch, with its new label style and bespoke chair.

Honestly, I had not sipped a drop of Redbreast 12yo Cask Strength since I moved to Ohio. So I decided to schedule this 4-part series, ending it with the most current version I could find. It's rare for me to buy a whisk(e)y blind, but I figured since this is Redbreast, what could possibly go wrong?

Well, my first three pours (not in the same night) were kinda boring. That bothered me. The previous two bottles I'd opened, the Kilchomans Machir Bay (2018) and Vintage 2007, are/were good but I've never been excited about drinking from either. Is it me or the whisky? This Redbreast had me thinking that I'm the problem. But of course, that would force me to think a little deeper about my choices.

And why do that? I'll just have a Redbreast Taste Off instead!

Brand: Redbreast
Country: Ireland
Distillery: Midleton
Style: Single Pot Still
Age: minimum 12 years
Maturation: ex-bourbon and ex-Oloroso sherry casks
Batch: B1/20
Release year: 2020
Alcohol by Volume: 57.6%
Chillfiltered? No
Colored? Probably
(the fourth pour from my bottle)

NOTES

It's weird, I'm not getting much from the nose. First comes the American oak, bark and sawdust. Vanilla. Yesterday's 12yo CS was scotchy, will this be bourbonish? Then there's a hint of copper, some cranberry juice, cloves and sour apple candy. Diluting it to 40%abv and......yep, there it is. Cherry juice, menthol, toasted coconut and apricot hamantaschen.

The palate is more expressive but quite hot. Orange bitters shifts to orange candy. Almonds. A hint of mango juice. A bit of tannin. It's much gentler at 40%abv (surprise!). There's apricot jam, honey, limes and nectarines. The tannins are still there but remain in the background.

The finish may be more interesting than the palate, with dried mango, tart apples, orange juice and cayenne pepper. Once reduced to 40%abv, the finish keeps the palate's (and the neat finish's) fruits without taking on too much sweetness, while the pepper starts to lean towards the tannins.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

Water saved this for me. It's fine but almost exhausting when neat. What we used to pass off as a "craft whiskey" trend of big heat and heavy casks, is now a contemporary style across the whisky world. And it's alive in this one. But bringing it down to 40%abv really draws out the fruits, which is something I look forward to in a daily drinker. Or any whisk(e)y, for that matter.

For a moment, I considered replacing the bottle's ~120mL of open space with water. Then I realized I shouldn't make that sort of decision after drinking. Or should I???

Availability - This batch still exists as of this moment of typing
Pricing - $65(!) to $100(!!)
Rating - 86 (diluted)

Redbreast 12 year old Cask Strength, batch B1/14

Compared to the other three batches being reviewed this week, B1/14 has by far the darkest hue. Of course, this whole series likely had e150a added. But this one wasn't orange-y or bland brown like many colorant-abused whiskies. It had the sort of color that drives some people to overpay for sherry cask whiskies.

I skipped over B1/13 because I don't even remember its existence, and also I didn’t have a sample of it. Thanks to an old friend, JLR, I did have a B1/14. I even remember swapping samples that day, more than six years ago, when we were both new fathers. That was another life entirely.

Brand: Redbreast
Country: Ireland
Distillery: Midleton
Style: Single Pot Still
Age: minimum 12 years
Maturation: ex-bourbon and ex-Oloroso sherry casks
Batch: B1/14
Release year: 2014
Alcohol by Volume: 58.2%
Chillfiltered? No
Colored? Probably
(many thank yous to JLR for the sample!)

NOTES

The nose begins with, yes, a big sherry cask note reminiscent of Macallan circa 2014. Dried berries, toasted nuts and carob. Cardamom pods, vanilla bean and toffee. Once reduced to 40%abv, the whiskey's nose takes on a surprising medicinal/iodine character, which matches well with the pipe tobacco, dark chocolate, raspberry jam and Luxardo syrup.

The palate's a bit tighter than the nose at full strength. Less overt sherry cask action as well. There are lemons, brown sugar and cinnamon. Then cayenne pepper, honey and almonds. Dilution to 40%abv opens the palate up as well. Brown sugar + pineapple + pie crust, but nowhere near as sugary as it sounds. Herbal bitterness and grapefruits glow in the background

Heat and honey in the finish, with small notes of black pepper, almonds and lemons. Reducing the whisky to 40%abv sweetens up the finish, while also adding some tart limes and grapefruits.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

Ah ha, I was waiting for one of these batches to shine brighter at the regular 12yo strength of 40%abv. I wouldn't say the sherry casks and bourbon casks and spirit are fighting it out, rather it's kind of a cold war. They're not voluntarily commingling, but they're not fouling everything up either. The result is something that is more reminiscent of single malt scotch, than of Irish pot still. Will this whiskey's Taste Off partner follow the same path......?

Availability - This batch is gone
Pricing - ???
Rating - 85 (diluted)

Redbreast 12 year old Cask Strength, batch B1/12

It's an old tale, the rock 'n roll band releases such a brilliant first album that the second album is often destined to suffer under the weight of expectations. But also the band had much more time to work through the first album's material, while a time limit often rushes the second one. Meanwhile all the sex and drugs delay proper songwriting focus. I say this knowing absolutely nothing about the subject matter.

With that in mind, I tasted Redbreast 12yo Cask Strength batch 1 (aka B1/11) alongside batch 2 (aka B1/12). There's a very good chance I had a bottle of B1/12 in 2013-2014 and consumed it briskly. Because I left myself not a drop of that theoretical bottle, I had to source a sample. Batch B1/12 had similar cask types, age and resulting ABV as its predecessor. Cask strength Irish pot still whiskey was in its infancy at the time, so could they assemble another hit?

Brand: Redbreast
Country: Ireland
Distillery: Midleton
Style: Single Pot Still
Age: minimum 12 years
Maturation: ex-bourbon and ex-Oloroso sherry casks
Batch: B1/12
Release year: 2012
Alcohol by Volume: 58.6%
Chillfiltered? No
Colored? Probably
(from a bottle split)

NOTES

White peaches, dried apricots and peach gummies lead the nose. Flower blossoms, citronella candles and fresh laundry are in the middle, with a rumble of industrial metal/grease underneath. The nose brightens up further when diluted to 40%abv, with notes of jasmine, sugar cookies and molasses.

Compared to B1/11, the palate has less heat, but more pepperiness. Less fruit, more minerals, though gradually a few lemons do arrive. The pot still heart peeks out as a bit of the nose's industrial note shows up late. It gets tarter with time, but remains quite lean. Somehow reducing it to 40%abv makes it even leaner. Very little sweetness, maybe a few hints of lemon. A slight bitter bite meets meets a metallic note. Again, its tartness expends after a while.

It finishes with tart oranges, tangy pepper sauce, machine shop and a hint of sweetness. Once reduced to 40%abv, vanilla and lemons take over. Hints of bitterness and metal remain in the background.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

The nose is pretty but I couldn't unlock the palate. Had the palate brought in some of the nose's characteristics, this would have been another big winner. Due to the absence of depth and fruit, I found the whiskey’s darker spirity note the most interesting aspect of this batch. I also appreciate the lack of aggressive oak. Though possibly a very good whisky when tried on its own, B1/12 proved to be a couple steps weaker than B1/11. And again, I prefer it served neatly.

Availability - This batch is gone
Pricing - sorry, can't remember
Rating - 84

Redbreast 12 year old Cask Strength, batch B1/11 (re-review)

I'm going to take a week-long break from Ardbeg to review Redbreast. And by that I mean full-powered Redbreast. And by that I mean four batches of the 12yo Cask Strength and one single sherry cask.

If you're a newer reader, then lemme catch you up. I adore Redbreast. Not only is it my favorite Irish whiskey, but I think it was one of the finest whiskies in the world. I say "was" because damned Scottish single malt has had me distracted for the larger part of the past decade, so I don't know what's happened with the standard Redbreast releases.

This very bottle of Cask Strength batch B1/11 was reviewed EIGHT years ago, back when I was handing out 90+-point scores to every Redbreast I'd meet. I gave this whiskey a 91-point score. And for some reason, I've been sitting on a 2oz sample from that very bottle ever since. So, I'm going to start this week with a re-review of that whiskey, and then I'll review its sparring partner tomorrow.

↑ this guy is from this guy ↓

Brand: Redbreast
Country: Ireland
Distillery: Midleton
Style: Single Pot Still
Age: minimum 12 years
Maturation: ex-bourbon and ex-Oloroso sherry casks
Batch: B1/11
Bottle Code: L120231241 10:22
Release year: 2011
Alcohol by Volume: 57.7%
Chillfiltered? No
Colored? Probably

NOTES

At full power, the nose unites oranges, apricots, eucalyptus, lilac, brown sugar, roasted almonds and a tickle of brine. Lemon cake and orange scones lead the nose once the whisky is reduced to 40%abv. There's a nice float of wort in the background, and a few roses in the midground.

The warm palate reads very close to the nose with its tangy citrus and stone fruits. Smaller notes of fresh ginger and vanilla bean linger in the back. The sweetness is kept in check by a growing tartness. Metals and minerals emerge after about 20 minutes. It's all very well knit. Reduced to 40%abv, the whiskey's palate becomes sweet and lemony, with a bunch of tart dried cranberries. Hints of sea salt and pencil shavings perch in the background.

It lands the finish with lemons, brown sugar, minerals and nectarines. A near perfect balance of tart and sweet. Diluted to 40%abv, the whiskey's finish holds lemon candy, sea salt and a hint of American oak.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

I wasn't too crazy eight years ago (in fact, I was probably saner), this whisky is a joy. My notes do not match those of the old review, in fact I no longer see the two cask types battling it out. It's balanced with a precision I don't frequently find in current Scotch or Irish whiskies. Water does seem to bring out the oak a bit, so in a 8-year 180-degree turn I'd say keep it neat. When neat, it sticks the landing brilliantly. The brand began this cask strength series well.

Availability - This batch is gone
Pricing - sorry, can't remember
Rating - 90

Redbreast Small Batch D

If you're reading this now, you have made it to Friday. Congratulations! Time to weaken your immune system with whiskey.

No fails in the first three Redbreast Small Batches. And *SPOILER ALERT* this one passed muster as well. Kudos to everyone who nabbed one or more of these whiskies five months ago. Their secondary market prices are a primary bummer, but that is how it goes today.

Batch A - "Modern scotch-styled Irish pot still”, 85 points
Batch B - "Chocolate, fruit and flowers", 88 points.
Batch C - "The birdy gets dirty" (sorry not sorry), 89 points
Batch D - ......

Distillery: Midleton

Brand: Redbreast
Region: Cork, Ireland
Type: Single Pot Still

Age: at least 14 years

Maturation: bourbon casks and oloroso sherry casks
Batch: D
Bottled for: Oak + Violet, Bounty Hunter Wine & Spirits, Redstone Liquors and Julio's Liquors
Outturn: 252 bottles
Alcohol by Volume: 58.9%

Chillfiltered? ???
Color added? ???
(from a bottle split)

NOTES
Like Batch B, D has plenty of sherry cask action on its nose. Not raisiny or pruny, rather dried cherries and raspberries in dark chocolate. More honey than grape jam. Hints of mustard and steak emerge after 30 minutes. The palate ditches those last notes for a cleaner character, at first. Lots of nuts and dried fruit. Lime juice and a good bitterness. But it gets a little edgier with time, gaining small notes of earth and salted pork. It finishes with limes, dried blueberries, nuts, cayenne pepper and a minor metallic note.

WORDS WORDS WORDS
Batch D could be great on its own, but next to batches B and C it becomes merely very good. C is grittier, B is brighter. Both are probably more complex. Still, I like D's transition from light to dark, and though the nose is simple it is simply enjoyable. Obviously the scores of the four whiskies barely vary, so any one of these could top the others depending on the day and the drinking circumstances. The strong Redbreast quality is present in all four. Perhaps Pernod could do a few more small batches for, say, Ohio?

Final score card:

Batch A - "Modern scotch-styled Irish pot still”, 85 points
Batch B - "Chocolate, fruit and flowers", 88 points.
Batch C - "The birdy gets dirty" (sorry not sorry), 89 points
Batch D - "Simply enjoyable", 86 points.

Availability - US of A
Pricing - it was $100
Rating - 86

Redbreast Small Batch C

Onward to Redbreast Small Batch C, and quick word about pricing. Of course.

....

....

Wait for it.

......

These small batches were priced fairly.

Each of the four 14 year old cask strength batches had the outturn of a single hogshead. One bottle cost $100 dollars. Redbreast's regular 15 year old is mass produced and diluted, but it costs $120 a pop in Ohio. Or in the rest of the USA it averages $98, per Wine Searcher. The 12 year old cask strength which is released in much larger batches and is regularly available clocks in at $81 on average. The 16yo single sherry cask Master of Malt of was slinging to years ago? Its outturn was two of the 14yo small batches combined, yet cost nearly $200. In fact there were several of those 2001 sherry casks floating around the UK/Ireland market, and they now carry $350-$400 burdens on the secondary market.

Maybe that was a lot of slow words, but I did try to keep them short.

Batch A - "Modern scotch-styled Irish pot still”, 85 points
Batch B - "Chocolate, fruit and flowers", 88 points.
Batch C - .......

Distillery: Midleton

Brand: Redbreast
Region: Cork, Ireland
Type: Single Pot Still

Age: at least 14 years

Maturation: bourbon casks and oloroso sherry casks
Batch: C
Bottled for: Title Town and Blackwell's Wines & Spirits
Outturn: 252 bottles
Alcohol by Volume: 59.1%

Chillfiltered? ???
Color added? ???
(from a bottle split)

NOTES
The nose is a little tighter than A's & B's, taking at least ten minutes to lift off. Once it does, there are dried berries, almonds, ginger ale and dried apricots. Countering those perky notes is an earthy note and something oily-ish Clynelish-ish. That latter note shows up in the palate as well, industrial, almost smoky. Getting close to Powers territory too. It's also nutty and limey. Small notes of dark chocolate, berries and chile peppers. After about 20 minutes it shifts gears as tart citrus tumbles in alongside a glowing herbal bitterness. Chile peppers and walnuts finish up matters, followed by a squirt of lemon, a little bit of sweetness and a good dose of herbal bitterness.

WORDS WORDS WORDS
Here my experience parts with how the whisky was officially described — "showcasing exotic fruit and toasted wood flavors" — and for the better, really. Batch C is more complex than A and B, and it takes some time to get there. It was worth the wait, as it may be the darkest style of Redbreast I've had. It actually has the least direct wood and fruit notes of the four batches, leaning heavier on oily spirit, herbs and a bit of the 27yo's tartness. Another excellent batch.

Availability - US of A
Pricing - it was $100
Rating - 89

Redbreast Small Batch B

On Tuesday I reviewed the first of four recent cask strength small batch single pot still Redbreasts. Though I missed out on their simultaneous release, I was able to get in on a group bottle split. I tried all four side-by-side to get a better perspective of these whiskies. Each was different than the next, which in itself is an impressive bit of blending. Here's the scorecard so far:

Batch A - "Modern scotch-styled Irish pot still”, 85 points.
Batch B - .......

Distillery: Midleton

Brand: Redbreast
Region: Cork, Ireland
Type: Single Pot Still

Age: at least 14 years

Maturation: bourbon casks and oloroso sherry casks
Batch: B
Bottled for: K&L Wine Merchants and Gordon's
Outturn: 252 bottles
Alcohol by Volume: 57.2%

Chillfiltered? ???
Color added? ???
(from a bottle split)

NOTES
The nose is very milk chocolatey. Think Hershey's Kisses and Milk Duds. There's also some orange peel, circus peanuts, saline and a slight rosy note. Musty sherry cask and lime zest emerge with time. Bright fruits and florals emerge from the palate first. Tangy oranges and peaches. Pear juice. Cranberry juice with Angostura bitters. Toasted grains and toasted oak. It finishes with nut butters, dried cranberries, peach skin and pinch of cayenne pepper.

WORDS WORDS WORDS
This batch, bottled for K&L, was described as "having added depth from sherry cask maturation", per Whisky Advocate. That's a pretty safe description and, yes, the sherry casks do some good work here.  But so do the bourbon casks. While the nose seems to hint at a complete sherry bomb, the palate instead reveals some great juicy fresh fruits. I dare say this has the best palate of the four, and also the most flamboyant. I'm a sucker for fruity whiskies, from any country, so this was a very easy drink. It's too bad I missed out on a full bottle of this one.

Availability - US of A
Pricing - it was $100
Rating - 88

Redbreast Small Batch A

Though Irish was my first whisk(e)y love, I stopped paying attention to that category at least five years ago. It's not because it became popular, rather none of Midleton's one or two dozen new inventions sounded remotely interesting, and I was uninspired by Cooley/Teeling's regular output.

As a result of this behavior, I missed out on four cask strength actual-small-batch releases by Redbreast, the one brand I always enjoy. And by "actual" I mean there were a total of 1000 bottles between the four batches. These bottles were split between eleven retailers in San Francisco, San Diego and Boston. All four were 14 or more years old and a mix of bourbon and oloroso casks.

Thankfully I was able to get in on a bottle split and try all four side-by-side.

First up, Batch A...

Distillery: Midleton

Brand: Redbreast
Region: Cork, Ireland
Type: Single Pot Still

Age: at least 14 years

Maturation: bourbon casks and oloroso sherry casks
Batch: A
Bottled for: Julio's Liquors and Redstone Liquors
Outturn: 252 bottles
Alcohol by Volume: 58.6%

Chillfiltered? ???
Color added? ???
(from a bottle split)

NOTES
The first thing I notice about the nose is that it's very "scotch", like a late-teenage first-fill bourbon barrel Speyside. Butterscotch and oak spice, rather than vanilla. White nectarines, lychee candy and pencil shavings. Hints of blossoms and dried apricot. There's very little heat in the palate, considering the ABV. There's oak spice, fresh ginger, halvah, honey, Cara Cara oranges and a creamy vanilla note. After 30ish minutes the whiskey is all ginger+honey+oak spice. The finish follows a similar pattern. Oranges, honey, almonds, ginger and caramel.

WORDS WORDS WORDS
Per Whisky Advocate, Batch A is described as "wood-driven". While I agree, the whiskey is more rounded and pleasing than the sound of that phrase. It trends towards toasted spices (as noted repeatedly) rather than sawdust, tannins and capital "V" Vanilla. The honey and oranges are also a nice touch. It's a modern, undemanding but tasty whiskey, something that will appeal to casual single malt scotch fans. Those looking for vibrant sherry casks will have to look elsewhere....

Availability - US of A
Pricing - it was $100
Rating - 85

Redbreast 27 year old, batch B1/19

Since some of us are shut in our homes with our children during this St. Patrick's Day Week, I elected to keep us buoyant with All Kinds of Redbreast. Five days, Five RBs.

---

It seems as if Midleton (and Pernod Ricard) have suddenly embraced the ultra-luxury market after seeing scotch's success. There are now 20+, 30+, 40+ year old cask strength pot still whiskies flashing through the markets. Redbreast 27-year-old sells for $500 and up, sitting at the base of this new category's price spectrum.

The marketing material focuses on the whiskey being "enriched by Ruby Port Casks". To get the real(?) scoop, one will have more luck reading this Master of Malt blog post. The highlights:

What we have here is a combination of four cask types: first-still[sp] bourbon and refill bourbon, first-fill oloroso sherry casks and first-fill ruby Port pipes”...

...Today, Irish Distillers now imports between 40-60 European oak 500 litre port pipes annually. The wood is medium-toasted and seasoned with red wine for approximately 12 months before ruby Port is added for approximately 12 months. [Head of maturation Kevin] O’Gorman explained that the process was a response to “the challenge of seasoning Port. If you put it into a virgin oak cask, you’re going to get a major wood contribution. One of the techniques we figured out right from the start was that we needed to take some of these tannins and wood compounds out from the start,” O’Gorman explains.

I like that their head of maturation actually wants to reduce "major wood contribution", taking some "tannins and wood compounds out from the start". That sounds almost scandalous in the modern whisk(e)y era. Time to find out if he was successful.

The times

Distillery: Midleton

Brand: Redbreast
Region: Cork, Ireland
Type: Single Pot Still

Age: minimum 27 years

Maturation: first-fill and refill bourbon casks, first-fill oloroso sherry casks and first-fill ruby Port pipes (see above for more details)
Outturn: 528 bottles
Batch: B1/19
Alcohol by Volume: 54.6%

Chillfiltered? ???
Color added? ???
(from a bottle split)

NEAT
The nose begins with mango, grapefruit, newspaper print and wheatgrass. Then cantaloupe and yellow peaches. The fruit notes grow muskier with time, and are then joined by hints of white chocolate and dunnage. It's reminiscent of old Longmorn and older cognac. Oak spice hits the palate first, then is trampled by gorgeously tart fruits, reflecting the nose's tropicals, citruses and stones. Then come the roses and an intensely mineral white wine. Salt appears after 45 minutes, as do mint leaves and Werther's Originals, but it never loses that vigorous tartness. The finish is loaded with mango, grapefruit and lime juices. Roses and butterscotch pudding. A hint of peach pit.

DILUTED TO ~50%abv, or >½ tsp of water per 30mL whiskey
The nose remains similar. Maybe some brighter fresh stone fruit notes. Some toffee. Guava rather than mango. A new fresh herbal note jumps with the palate's tart fruits. Thyme, rosemary, cardamom, lemons and grapefruits. A pop of chile heat, a spoon of cherry jam. The cherry note joins the tropical fruit and limes in the finish, underscored by that peach pit bitterness.

WORDS WORDS WORDS
This is fabulous. Its price made me want to hate it, but it's just too freaking lovable. Kristen took a sip and then said, "More." It's all about the fruits and the herbs and flowers and the minerals, rather than fortified wines or vanilla. As I mentioned in my nosing notes, this Redbreast reminded me of other gracefully matured spirits of even greater ages. Impressive cask management here. I'm going to say the Midleton crew was successful.

Availability - US and Europe
Pricing - $450 - $650
Rating - 92

Top Ten Deepest Thoughts After Attending Indy's Whisky & Fine Spirits Expo

1. Redbreast 21yo > Glenmorangie 25yo > Talisker 30yo > Port Charlotte Islay Barley > Westland's regular range > Port Charlotte Scottish Barley > Port Dundas 42yo 1973 Duncan Taylor > Taketsuru 21yo > Wolfburn Aurora > Getting Kicked in the Junk > Dalmore King Alexander III

From the bottom up:  Dalmore's current regular range competes with Glenrothes's as the most mediocre in the biz.  King Alex III was the one I've always wanted to try.  I was optimistic.  I was foolish.  It was awful.  Wolfburn Aurora is just as young and unformed as their regular release.  Having greatly enjoyed Nikka's age-stated single malts, I must say I don't get the Taketsuru blended malt series.  Both the 12 and the 21 are very disappointing, thin, and watery.  When it comes to Glenmo 25 being better than Talisker 30, my opinion is probably in the minority.  Glenmorangie 25 really beat my expectations, with a rich palate and a long finish.  Probably reasonable at $150-200, but it's $600, so ha!  And finally, Redbreast 21 kicks ass.  I expected it to be soft and subtle, instead it brought brawn and loads of tropical fruits.  ❤️

2. But one rum ruled them all.

Caroni 16yo 1997 Duncan Taylor, cask 87, provided a dynamic drinking experience unmatched by any of the single malts at the show.  Tar, barbecue, leather, black licorice, and mustard seed. Holy moley. If I were to have bought one bottle of something I tried at the event, that would have been it. Oh wait, I did buy a bottle.

I also tried a half dozen rhum agricoles from JM and Clement, all of which were more interesting than many of the whiskies I've tried this year.

3. And the Cognac outclassed all of the scotches.

Cognac Park's selection was so much fun that I happily sampled six of their products.  Their XO Cigar Blend, Extra Grande Champagne, Chai #8 21yo Single Barrel Petite Champagne, and Fins Bois 1976 were better than everything except for the Redbreast and Caroni.  None of these cognacs were barrel strength, in fact they're all 40%abv, but they were delightful.  Of course they all cost over $100, but if one were so motivated one could buy all 4 for about the same price as one Glenmorangie 25 or one Talisker 30.

4. Ledaig 18yo is weird, as it should be.

Intensely dirty and rougher than the 10yo, Ledaig 18 also dries out the mouth as if it were loaded with tannins.  But it doesn't taste or smell oaky at all.  Very confusing.  As I drank it, I couldn't figure out if it was terrible or awesome.  Just the way I like Ledaig.  Too bad it costs $150-$200 in The States.

5. Knob Creek 2001 Batch 3 bests Four Roses Elliott's Select, and it's not even close.

I went back for a second pour of Elliott's Select in order to compare it to Knob Creek 2001 batch 3, just to make sure my palate wasn't shot.  Sure enough the Knob Creek was richer and landed a much better finish.  I'm becoming a fan of these 2001s (see my review of batch 1).  Meanwhile it seemed as if someone poured Four Roses's Small Batch into the Elliott's bottle.

6. Both of Vine & Table's Signatory single casks are good.

Denis Lynch & Co. selected a 19yo 1995 Imperial and a 24yo 1991 Glen Keith from the Pitlochry people.  With the Imperial coming across bigger and oakier, and the Glen Keith subtler and fruity, I preferred the latter.  Both are very solid and will each have its fans.

7. Attend the classes or presentations offered at major whisky events.

The opportunity to get utterly shitfaced at these big whisky-a-thons is difficult to dodge, especially when there are 500+ pours available.  If classes are offered during drinking time, go!  It'll give you a chance to sit in one place and sample a couple things over 45-60 minutes.  Imagine how many pours you could quaff in that time frame if you were just going from table to table and then imagine your vomit.  So, in addition to education and special spirits, the classes allow you to pace yourself.

The Indy Expo had two classes.  The first was led by Peter Currie, formerly of Springbank, now of Duncan Taylor, who brought along three of DT's products, none of which were single malts.  It was at that session I discovered the Caroni rum (winner!).  Knowing I'd probably overdo it if I went back out to the pouring floor, I got right back in line for the second class which was lead by Cognac Park's Anaïs Brisson.  See item #3 above regarding how that turned.  Again, education + fun drinks + pacing = smaller hangover = success.

8. I've discovered a good way to pare down my Glencairn collection.

I've attended four $100+ whisky events over the past four years.  In those four events, I've had five Glencairns stolen.  This has nothing to do with the events themselves, rather the drunken kleptos who attend them.  When I put my mini-glencairns (obtained from the Laphroaig and Lagavulin distilleries) down with my bag as I grabbed food for less than a minute, some a-hole walked off with both.

9.  I am now much more motivated to explore other brown spirits.

I've bought exactly one bottle of scotch in the three months since I returned from Scotland and am not motivated to buy another one any time soon......though I have picked up a few bottles of bourbon and rye during that time period.  Meanwhile, I've been drinking more cognac than I used to, plus I've been impressed with all of the rhum agricoles I've tried.  This event has led me further down that path.

10. I met great humans!

Aside from going to a whisky event for the whisky, I also went to meet people.  I chatted with a dozen reps, sharing our misery over the mess that is Ohio's state run liquor business.  Shared a drink with a few more.  But what I enjoyed most was the chance to hang out with two of my readers!  Thank you Fletcher and Vik for agreeing to meet up with me and for politely suffering through my vast assortment of opinions.  It was a pleasure!  Thanks, gents!  Hopefully we can do this again some time.

NOT Single Malt Report: Power's John's Lane 12 year old Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey

First off, a moment of admiration for the coolest sample bottle label ever created:

Proper respect to Eric Sanford.  Thanks to him, I can present an of-the-moment whiskey post!

A prelude:
I love Power's Gold Label blended whiskey.
I like Power's 12 year old blended whiskey.
I love single pot still Irish whiskey.
Power's John's Lane 12 year old single pot still Irish whiskey has found its way to the United States.

John's Lane has been available in Ireland and Scotland for almost two years now.  In fact I was in Heathrow in the Spring of 2011 when the PR push began for it.  Too bad I didn't know what the heck was going on at the time.  The rep at World of Whiskies trying to tell me about it and I was all, "Yeah, but I like Powers and it's $20 at home, why would I pay $60 for this stuff?"  (Just now I sighed aloud.)  Even though he didn't sell me on it, the whiskey has since sold itself and rung up many rave reviews.

Let's back up for two sentences of history:  After a bunch of Irish distillers banded together in 1966 to form, well, Irish Distillers, they moved their production into a single large distillery, Midleton (in 1974).  Midleton Distillery, in Cork, has since grown and grown and grown in a facility with a production capacity FIVE TIMES the size of Diageo's new Roseisle Distillery.

As the whisky-makers in Midleton strive to keep as many of their old whisky brands alive they create separate whiskies by establishing different cuts in the spirit, different maturation processes, different combinations of grains, and a bunch of other elements that they are much too happy to keep confidential.  One of those brands, John Power's and Sons, was always very popular in Ireland when it was being produced at its original home on John's Lane in Dublin.  Under Midleton's watch it has continued to be one of the best (if not THE best) sellers in its home country.

Beyond the big selling blends, Irish Distillers continued to produce pot-still-only (aka Pure Pot Still and Single Pot Still) whiskey in smaller quantities for the folks at home.  But they could only keep that secret in Ireland for so long, especially when that secret goes by the names of Redbreast and Green Spot.  After an international release, the critical and sales success of Redbreast 12 year old enabled additional varieties of Redbreast as well as expansion into other single pot still brands.

And this brand is the one I have been waiting for:

Label: Power's
Style: Single Pot Still
Distillery: Midleton
Age: at least 12 years (up to 14 years)
Maturation: mostly first* fill ex-bourbon barrels, along with some oloroso sherry butts (*though another official site says second fill)
Country: Ireland
Alcohol by Volume: 46%
Chillfiltered? No
Colored? Likely

In order to get some perspective on the John's Lane whiskey, I sampled it alongside some Redbreast 12yr Cask Strength Batch 1 reduced to 46%.  I've also noticed there are two schools of thought on John's Lane.  One is that it is light bodied.  The other says it is robust.  My opinion sits with the latter.

The color is a dark gold, partially due to some sherry butts, partially due to some caramel e150a.

There's a bold density in the nose that proves to be a challenge to decipher.  Like a tall thick dark brown wall made of brown sugar and semisweet chocolate.  Beneath that are some overripe white fruits and maybe some figs or dates.  A new leather jacket, fresh apricots, and hay.  Scattered baked fruit floating in a caramel fudge lake.  That's the best I can do after spending an hour with two ounces.

With a nice thick texture, the palate is either more basic than the nose or I haven't figured it out yet.  I get baked bananas, dark brown sugar, and a tangy sweetness.  Plus there's an industrial note that one can find in body temperature Power's Gold Label.

The whiskey plants its roots deep, leaving an extensive finish behind.  Spiced baked fruits, caramel sauce, dried grasses and grains.  Maybe a little of that brown sugar too.

Water doesn't help it much.  Whatever mystique and density it had evaporates.  The wall topples and Power's Gold Label is what's left standing, as it gets grainier and blendy.

Like Redbreast 12yr CS (at its full strength), John's Lane is more of a brooder than a casual beverage.  It must be insane at cask strength.  Though, as I noticed when adding water, the Midleton folks have found a good ABV point here at 46%.  I'm firmly of the opinion that this is dense stuff, especially since the reduced Redbreast CS was so light in comparison.  At the same time, I agree with Ralfy's assessment that this is a modern heavily-produced whiskey rather than a lean mean old school whiskey.  But "modern" isn't necessarily a bad thing here since the Irish Distillers have built something sturdy with many levels.

I will study further, with a bottle of my own.

Availability - Starting to arrive in the US now...
Pricing - $65-$75 in US and UK (w/shipping)
Rating - 90 (with an Irish bias)

The Irish Are Coming

With many thanks to Sku of Recent Eats, I am now addicted to checking for TTB's (Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau) newest registered COLAs (Certificates of Label Approval).  Here's the site: https://www.ttbonline.gov/colasonline/publicSearchColasBasic.do.

It's all public info, so there are no secrets.  But what can be found on the site are approvals for labels of new liquor products before those bottles ever hit the shelves.  Seriously.  Have at it.

Here are some recent discoveries of the Irish sort:
1.) Redbreast 21 year old.  Yup.  Sku found it and tweeted it.  I exclaimed, "WOO HOO!"  May I naively hope they keep it under $100?
2.) Tullamore Dew Cask Strength.  56% ABV.  Looks like it starts out in bourbon casks, then spends its last 2 years in sherry casks.  What most interesting is that it appears to be a blend.....
3.) Power's John's Lane Single Pot Still.  This one made me squeal.  Like a pig Like a Belieber Like a grown-ass man.  Whiskycast scooped the news first on Mark's April 28th episode.  Interestingly, though John Ryan from Irish Distillers said that this SPS will have no age statement, there was COLA registered last September for the 12 year old version.  Perhaps the demand was anticipated to be too large to for the actual amount of 12yr available?  Either way, I'm pretty geeked about this one.
4.) Power's Gold Label.  As per the same Whiskycast episode, the whole Power's range is getting refreshed.  My favorite go-to whiskey is getting a new label, and (via a COLA from last month) it's getting bumped from 40% to 43.2% ABV.  I will drink it.

If this post seems just like a bunch of Irish whiskey industry cheerleading......well......I'm cheering for the whiskey.  I have a soft spot in my liver for Irish whiskey.  Thus more variety and new experiences are good things.  And maybe I'll be able to bring some of you over to my side someday...

NOT Single Malt Report: Redbreast 12 year old and ... Redbreast 12 year old

Many many moons ago, at the start of The Report, I gave Redbreast 12 year old Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey a rave review without actually getting into much smell and taste detail.  Sometimes explicating the stuff I love proves difficult.  It's often easier to pan something or give a moderate review when the brain isn't overwhelmed with the shout of a happy limbic system.

That original report was back in 2011.  Towards the end of that year I'd heard rumors that a cask strength version of Redbreast 12 was coming to the US.  Not only did it arrive in early 2012, but it was just Batch B1/11.  A second batch (B1/12) arrived in late 2012.  That first batch garnered rave reviews everywhere, with Jim Murray and Whisky Advocate naming it Irish Whiskey of the Year.

If it seems like Irish Distillers (Redbreast, Midleton, Green Spot, Yellow Spot, John's Lane) dominate the Single Pot Still market, it's because they are the only company releasing single pot still Irish whiskies.  Cooley and a couple of the new Irish distilleries have started distilling Single Pot Still, but none of those products have yet made it to the market.  So someday we'll get some good competition in this category.  And by "competition", I mean in quality, not in quantity.  Midleton Distillery is expanding to 60 million liters of alcohol a year, 22 million of which will be pot still whiskey.  That's twice the capacity of Diageo's Roseisle monstrosity.  More than Glenfiddich and Glenlivet combined.  Midleton has size working for them.  What's extraordinary is that, largely thanks to Barry Crockett, they also have quality going for them too.

Yes, the vast majority of that pot still whiskey will go to Jameson's, Paddy's, Powers, and their other blends. But the best of those casks will come to us in Single Pot Still form.

In honor of Saint Padraig, here's today's report:
1. Redbreast 12 year old Cask Strength B1/11 - at full strength, 57.7%
2. Redbreast 12 year old Cask Strength B1/11 - at reduced strength, about 41-42%
3. Redbreast 12 year old - 40%

We'll see if the regular 12 year is just the Cask Strength watered down.  My bet is probably not.  They have hundreds or thousands of casks holding Redbreast-style pot still; some hit the mark better at full strength, but not so much when hydrated.  Then there are the (approximately) zillions of barrels of Redbreast-style that fit the brand best when reduced to 40%.

I'm also trying to figure out which version I like better.  I've been enjoying the Cask Strength stuff with and without water, so I'm not really sure how this is going to turn out...

REDBREAST 12 YEAR OLD CASK STRENGTH

Label: Redbreast
Style: Single Pot Still
Distillery: Midleton
Age: 12 years
Maturation: ex-bourbon and first fill ex-Oloroso sherry casks
Country: Ireland
Batch: B1/11 (68 casks)
Bottle Code: L120231241 10:22
Alcohol by Volume: 57.7%
Chillfiltered? No
Colored? Probably

The color is a medium gold, not the darkest of the three.  Perhaps a more conservative application of caramel e150a colorant that is applied in its cousin.  The nose is very very busy.  Mostly it sniffs like the two oaks are fighting for supremacy.  Vanillins clashing against dried fruit.  The notes are abundant: fresh apples, dried apricots, pencil shavings, a little bit of ocean, a little bit of plastic, Triscuits, milk chocolate, orange zest, and vanilla fudge.  It becomes denser with more time in the glass.  Meanwhile, the very creamy palate is milder.  Apples, butterscotch, and a wallop of barley keeps the sherry from surging (though it does strengthen with time).  Sweet fruit sugars emerge after a while as well.  That sherry is stronger in the extensive finish, but it's not overwhelming, as its raisins still grapple with vanilla from the American oak.  A good scoop of molasses brings up the rear.

It's a loud muscular whiskey, especially on the nose.  It's dynamite stuff, though it's never struck me as something to mellow out with, if served neatly.  That's when I put a splash of water into it...

REDBREAST 12 YEAR OLD CASK STRENGTH (reduced)
(same as above, but ABV is reduced to 41-42%)

The color is pale gold.  Everything is quieter now, though still vibrant.  The nose holds molasses, barley, vanilla, roses, and is a little musky.  There's considerable vanilla leading the way in the palate.  Then there's whipped cream, sugar, dry sherry, raisins, and that great Redbreast crème brûlée character that makes me hug strangers.  The sherry seems sweeter in the finish as it sits above vanilla and bubblegum.

Now it's easy drinking and yet not boring.  The best of both worlds.  Let's see how this compares with the original.

REDBREAST 12 YEAR OLD

Label: Redbreast
Style: Single Pot Still
Distillery: Midleton
Age: 12 years
Maturation: official website says only "Oloroso sherry casks", but other sources say there's a significant number of ex-bourbon casks mixed in
Country: Ireland
Alcohol by Volume: 40%
Chillfiltered? Yes
Colored? Yes

Its color is copper, likely the darkest of these three.  The oaks don't struggle against each other in the nose. Instead they work in unison along with the barley: candied dried fruit, ocean, tropical fruits, white fruits, a little perfume, pencils (lead, wood, rubber, ink and all), hay, teriyaki(!), and then a green vegetal moment after a while.  The creamy custardy palate is simpler than the nose.  Subtle floral and citrus notes sit on a big blanket of honey, brown sugar, and vanilla.  It finishes with lots of honey.  Some floral and vanilla notes as well.  It's mildly sweet, but very lasting considering its 40% ABV.

This is one of the most impulsively drinkable whiskies I have ever had the pleasure of consuming.  You may note that it is less busy (evoked fewer notes) than the Cask Strength.  But that doesn't necessarily mean that the CS is better.  It just depends on what the drinker wants.  Complexity?  The CS has that.  Versatility?  You can add water to the CS to adjust the strength; though at a similar ABV it doesn't match the richness in the regular bottling.  The casual drinking experience?  Few things top the regular 12 year old.

It has been my pleasure to introduce Redbreast 12 to Scotch whisky lovers and non-lovers alike.  It's a pretty astonishing experience for the Irish whiskey drinkers who've been shooting Jameson's their entire (adult) lives.

May I recommend both to you?
Redbreast 12 for whenever-drinkin' and happiness.
Redbreast 12 Cask Strength for brooding, postulating, and pondering.

---

REDBREAST 12 YEAR OLD CASK STRENGTH

Availability - Many liquor specialists
Pricing - $60-$65
Rating - 91

REDBREAST 12 YEAR OLD

Availability - Any respectable liquor specialist
Pricing - $40-$50
Rating - 94 [Ed. note: This score seems very high, even considering my Irish whiskey bias. I'll be reviewing it again in 2017 just to make sure.]

NOT Single Malt Report: Redbreast 12yr Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey

Label: Redbreast
Style: Single Pot Still
Age: 12 years
Maturation: Oloroso sherry casks
Country: Ireland
Alcohol by Volume: 40%

Irish whiskey, with an 'e', is distilled three times.  Scotch whisky, without the 'e', is distilled twice (except for a few bottlings).  The additional distillations smooth out the flavor and texture considerably which is why many folks take to Jamesons faster than to Johnnie Walker.  Until very recently, the malts used for Irish whiskies were never peated, thus they never had the salty smokiness of most Scotches.

The Irish whiskies you see in stores are blends: Jamesons, Powers, Bushmills, Tullamore Dew, Paddy, Michael Collins, etc.  If no age is listed then they're usually aged around three years and are a mix of malts and grains.

With the demand for Scotch swelling all over the international market, the Irish whiskey producers have risen to catch up and compete.  Irish single malts are easing onto the scene.  Accessibly to aged blends, 10 years and up, from all the labels is increasing.

Then there is Single (or Pure) Pot Still whiskey, a style and process unique to Ireland.  Irish blends are a mix of malts from pot stills and grains from column stills.  Single pot still whiskey doesn't include the column still grain spirits, but just the malted and unmalted barley spirits from pot stills.  Because it's a mix of malts, it can't be officially labelled "Single Malt", so it was given the "Single Pot Still" designation to keep it unique.

The pot still process was how Irish whiskey had been made for over 200 years before the column stills came along and allowed for mass production.  This old school pot still process is a little more expensive, a little more time consuming, but produces a devine product.  Here's a link to more specifics in case I have totally confused you.

Redbreast was one of the only pot still brands to survive throughout the years.  Only very recently have their products made it to the States.  They have a 12yr, 12yr cask strength (not in US yet), and a 15yr.

I bought a bottle of the 12 year for my birthday having never tried a sip.  It wasn't that much of a gamble because, despite all of these single malt reports, I have consumed more Whiskey than Whisky in this life.  And I've never had an Irish whiskey that I didn't like.

The bottle went very quickly.  I almost forgot to do a proper tasting...

The color is a mix of golds, pale through deep.  Lighter at the bottom of the glass, darker at the top.  The nose is full of musty molasses, sometimes peach, sometimes apple, and something ocean coastal.  A creamy texture.  And the flavor.  Delicious.  I'll try to be more specific: clean, fresh, oak, and vanilla.  And the finish is smooth vanilla with stamina.

This is one of the greatest things that has ever sat in my glass.  I've never hit it with water or ice because there's something already balanced and beautiful about it.

If you're a newbie to Irish whiskey, I'd recommend giving a couple of the blends a try first -- Jamesons, Powers, Paddy, Tullamore Dew -- to see if they're your cup of spirit.  They're available everywhere and are half the price of the aged blends, single malts, or pot stills.  If you like them, then you will love this.  And if you don't love this, please feel free to send me the rest of your bottle.

Pricing - Bargain! at $35-$45
Rating - 94  (Also, see more detailed tasting notes here.) [Ed. note: This score seems very high, even considering my Irish whiskey bias. I'll be reviewing it again in 2017 just to make sure.]