Redbreast 12 Year Old

Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey – 40% ABV

As part of our Whiskey Weekdays Series we are reviewing some of Ireland’s favourite drops of the old Uisce Beatha. This week we introduce you to one of the most respected Irish Whiskeys in History, Redbreast 12 year old.

If you haven’t already, why not check out our introduction to Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey Here. 

One of the most Iconic names in the world of Irish Whiskey, Redbreast is firmly rooted in the heritage and culture of Irish Whiskey with a lineage stretching back to the 1800’s.

The journey of this popular Irish Whiskey begins long before Redbreast became a well-known name in whiskey circles. In the late 1800’s W & A Gilbey was one of the most successful whiskey and spirit bonders in the country, carrying one the largest stock of whiskey barrels outside of an actual distillery.

But it was a great collaboration between Gilbeys & John Jameson that seen the emergence of the brand that would eventually go on to be called Redbreast. Gilbeys supplying their own Sherry barrels, filled with Pure Pot Still from John Jameson’s Bow Street Distillery and aged at Gilbey’s vast bonding Vaults below Dublin’s Harcourt Street.

This original brand, John Jameson & Son’s Castle “JJ Liqueur” Whiskey 12 Years Old, was the precursor to the name we know and love today, with Redbreast making its official appearance in 1912.

This perfect partnership between Gilbeys & Jameson remained until the last Gilbeys bottling in 1985, shortly thereafter Gilbeys signed over the branding of Redbreast to Irish Distillers, and after a brief (Brief in Whiskey Years) hiatus, Redbreast was re-introduced by Irish Distillers in 1991.

Since then, the Redbreast Brand has not only grown in popularity but also in reputation. A rich heritage and the continued release of ‘new’ aged bottlings make Redbreast one of the most respected Irish Whiskey brands on the market.

Today we are concentrating on the original Redbreast 12-year-old Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey.

On the nose we get a rich hit of toffee and caramel with a touch of fruity sweetness and spice.

As we take a sip, we get that Full body oily texture with a tingle of spice on the tongue and then flavours of dried fruits, boiled sweets and marzipan. This flavour lingers long after the whiskey is gone, perfectly rich and warm.

The perfect winter sipper, Redbreast is a beautifully cozy whiskey. The sweetness added by the Sherry Barrels gives it a lovely sweetness and work wonderfully with the spice of the pot still liquid.

A winner with The Skeff staff, Redbreast was once called ‘The Priests Whiskey’ because of its popularity with the affluent clergy in Ireland at the time. The mind wanders to a cold winter’s midweek evening, sitting beside The Skeff’s roaring fire, enjoying a glass of beautiful Redbreast and watching the world go by, that’s what I call real Spiritual Enlightenment!

Sláinte

Written by John Byrne (@craicandculture) – Skeff Marketing Team