After tasting through these whiskies, I took away two things: one, each spirit left me wanting more. Not all Irish whiskey is pot still, just like not all Irish whiskey is triple-distilled, but Redbreast does both. ), Then there’s the Yellow Spot Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey (46-percent ABV; $105), a whiskey I can never keep in the house for more than a few days. We’ll start where one must start, with the Redbreast 12 Year Old Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey (40-percent ABV; $58), the torch that kept the category alive throughout the … Whether you’re looking to try your first serious Irish whiskey or in need of branching out, this Redbreast 12-Year fits the bill. 12yo or Abelour A'bunadh if you love a big sherry bomb (and have money to spend). The whiskey is aged for 12 years in a combination of ex-sherry and bourbon casks, imbuing it with rich red berry, spice, and sweet vanilla flavors. It’s grainy, but in a pleasant way. Colour: deep copper. E: If you can find a bottle of J. Rieger Kansas City whiskey, you'd love it. By 1970, all the companies had converted to making blends, with a big whack of the lighter, column-distilled grain whiskey mixed in. I agree, but OP didn't like Macallan. On the palate, the whiskey’s rich, sweet graininess is balanced by some austere oak tannins, enough to keep it crisp, and a juicy note from the Malaga wine casks used to age some of the whiskey that goes into it. The new Kilbeggan Small Batch Rye Irish Whiskey (43-percent ABV; $35) is the result. The nose holds aromas of sweet fruit, toasted oak and warm spices, and the palate offers notes of buttery hot-cross-buns, dried fruits, baking spices and spicy oak. Like all good pot still whiskeys, it is strongly flavoured and assertive, making it a rare treat for the connoisseur of fine old whiskey. Ep 193: Redbreast 12 Irish Whiskey Review and Tasting with Jameson and Green Spot Comparison - Duration: 13:49. Until the 1950s, all Irish whiskies were made in pot stills. I thought it was the sherry that made the difference, which is why I tried the Macallan. Hard to know. Until just a few years ago, one of the things I always tried to do when I found myself in Dublin was swing by the Mitchell & Son liquor store. The Knappogue, which is made completely from malted barley, resolves into a burst of pure, clear honey, sweet and lilting. Youre never going to get a scotch to match an irish whiskey because of the distillation method so Best bet is to find a Scotch that's aged in the same type of barrels as redbreast. Henry Mckenna Single Barrel 10-Year $48.62 2. I would liken this to drinking the big brother, “grown-up” version of Bailey’s Irish Cream. It’s still, however, more whiskies than will fit into a useful roundup. At 12 years old, the John’s Lane, named after the street in Dublin where the brand used to be distilled, is heady and dark, with a rich/dry dichotomy that conjures up a pint of Guinness stout. For a more in depth look at the Redbreast brand, its parent distiller, and Irish whiskey types in general, go take a look at my review of regular Redbreast 12. Double distilled, it’s a little meatier than the Irish ones are, and a little more rambunctious—there are still a few young-whiskey notes in the nose, although they blow off quickly. While triple-distillation tends to remove some of the grain flavour (in this case, malted and unmalted barley), Redbreast remains a grain-forward whiskey with malty, nutty, and cereal notes. Redbreast. The Redbreast CS is certainly my favourite drop, a little spicier and heavier. An expensive whiskey is not necessarily a better whiskey. If you like sweet, I suggest you stick with bourbon. Redbreast 12-year single pot still Irish Whiskey is triple distilled and matured in the finest oak casks for not less than 12 years. Redbreast 12 ($58) is easy to sip, not challenging on the palate in any way, yet so incredibly delicious. This is different than Single Malt, which is distilled 2 times (or 2.5 if you’re Springbank, but they do what they want and I love it). What could be a very promising whiskey (see my Redbreast 12 cask strength review) is diluted to the point of shallowness in the aroma and flavor. Among the things that meant was making a lot more of the Spots, enough that it could be exported. Two: we’re just at the beginning of finding out what the category is capable of. Like a whisper of spring, the nose of Redbreast 12 features fresh vegetation, clover and heather honey. Redbreast 12 cask strength heaven. Whiskey Vault 102,443 views Nikka Coffey Malt sounds right up your alley. Have you ever thought about what I eat and if you could do the same. Displaying a depth of flavour and the unmistakable influence of pot still whiskey, which was matured in the finest sherry casks, Tasting Notes: Redbreast 12 Year Old. Rapidly becoming another cult whiskey is the Powers John’s Lane 12 Year Old Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey (46-percent ABV; $72). It is also aged similarly in the same barrels except for the last one. This is one experiment I hope to see repeated. List of whiskies/bourbons ive tried that I dislike: I know thats not a big list. Whiskey Vault 102,443 views Matured in a combination of bourbon and sherry casks, the distinctive Redbreast sherry style is a joy to behold in each and every bottle. And yet it’s not a huge whiskey—it still does its work at conversational volume, which indeed is the specialty of all Irish single pot still whiskies. Redbreast 12 Cask Strength emerges directly from the cask in its natural, undiluted, full bodied state. On the palate, the rye throws in a lot of its characteristic dark-chocolate notes to go with the nuttiness of the barley, making me think of rocky road ice cream. (I have no financial stake in it.) TASTING: 40% ABV. 80 proof, 12 year old Irish Whiskey, distilled in a single pot still. We’ll get right into the whiskey … bourbon and sherry since these are what are giving the flavour so keep an eye out for "sherry finish" or "aged in sherry casks" like balvenie 17. bourbon and sherry since these are what are giving the flavour so keep an eye out for "sherry finish" or "aged in sherry casks", Lagavulin 16 and Ardbeg Uigeadail are both aged in sherry barrels and taste nothing like Irish whiskey. By using our Services or clicking I agree, you agree to our use of cookies. It’s a must-have because this level of quality just isn’t available at this price in competing single malts. Jameson Redbreast is a 12-year-old a single aged pure pot-stilled whiskey that’s been triple distilled in traditional copper pot … I'm so excited for you to have landed on our Redbreast exclusive giveaway “Dine Like a Robin” culinary kit for U.S. consumers. Have been trying to decide which one I prefer between the 15 RB and this for a long time. Small wonder then that Irish Distillers reached for the Power’s label when it started rebuilding its pot-still stable. It’s a cult whiskey, and small wonder. But it’s not a light drink in terms of flavor: rich and grainy, it has the hint of forest-floor-in-summer muskiness that is characteristic of the class. I loved it. Now there are some twenty-odd bottlings. While triple-distillation tends to remove some of the grain flavour (in this case, malted and unmalted barley), Redbreast remains a grain-forward whiskey … It's really okay, but nothing more. Glenfiddich 12, Glenlivet 12, Tomatin 12, Dalwhinnie 15, still an irish whiskey but the stout barrel jameson is awesome. In case Scotland is far enough off, I can easily recommend the Aberlour Sherry Cask. (There is also a version finished in Château Léoville Barton Bordeaux casks, and one finished in Chateau Montelena California zinfandel casks; both are well worth a taste. There are not one but two other Powers-branded pot still whiskies available, the Powers Signature Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey (46-percent ABV; $47) and the new Powers Three Swallows Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey (43.2-percent ABV; $45). To make up for that, I threw in a couple of other whiskies that have close links to the category (I’ll explain later), plus an Irish single malt, for contrast. Then Irish Distillers, the company that owns the Midleton Distillery, made so much money off of Jameson that it could afford to relaunch the pot still category. Tasting Notes: Redbreast 12 Year Old. Why would you recommend a corn/wheat whiskey as similar to a sherry-casked barley malt whiskey? (Until the 1950s, Irish distillers used to supplement the barley in their whiskies with a significant percentage of oats and either rye or occasionally wheat—often as much as 20 percent of the former and 30 percent of the latter.). One of the most decorated Irish whiskeys, Redbreast is the largest selling Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey in the world. Appearance: Clear yellow-gold, like an IPA. Redbreast is the largest selling Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey in the world, and the Redbreast 12 is their most popular expression. I’m not sure what the relationship is between them; if the Three Swallows is intended to augment or replace the Signature, but they’re remarkably similar drams: nice, juicy whiskies with hints of that common musk and a lot of bright barley. “Redbreast is the pot still showcase,” says Vacheresse. I'm Robin Redbreast, proud to sit on the label of Ireland's most beloved Single Pot Still Whiskey. Why are you looking for a scotch or bourbon to taste like Irish whiskey? So here we are at the cask strength version of Redbreast 12 Year. I know I will be.). And yet it, too, has a little of that Irish mossiness lying beneath all the bakery business. This is not finished whiskey though, no, all the components are fully matured in … The Redbreast 12 Year Old and 15 Year Old are already highly regarded, but since the end of 2011 a 12 Year Old cask strength edition has been added to the range. This is a fascinating whiskey: grainy and bright, with lots of sweet barley in the nose, it also has something that reminds me of those dense, nutty loaves you used to buy at hippie-run health food stores. You can pick a bottle up for around £40, and I’m guessing given this is a basic whiskey there’d be various offers for it around this time of year. Youre never going to get a scotch to match an irish whiskey because of the distillation method so Best bet is to find a Scotch that's aged in the same type of barrels as redbreast. At 12-years-old, it’s fully mature—triple-distilled whiskies such as these don’t need quite so many years in oak to reach their full potential as double-distilled Scotches do—and full of flavor. The nose on Redbreast 12 Year Old starts out creamy, and much smoother than most Irish whiskeys. So today I’m looking at an absolute staple and whiskey that everybody should at least try once: the Redbreast 12 Years Cask Strength. The current John Powers blend, a traditional and sentimental favorite in Dublin (it’s even mentioned in James Joyce’s landmark book, Ulysses) and any dive bar I’m at, is rather richer and fuller than its stablemate, Jameson. The 15 is a quality whiskey, it has some rich dry fruity flavours and is very pleasant especially with a tiny drop of water. What say we fix that? Also different editions or red breast are worth exploring, the cask strength version is like 12 on steroids, 15 is decent too...also you can rarely go wrong with anything from the Middleton distillery were Redbreast is made, Youre never going to get a scotch to match an irish whiskey because of the distillation method, Some scotch producers do a third distillation like the Irish -- checkout Lowland distillers, Best bet is to find a Scotch that's aged in the same type of barrels as redbreast. Beneath them is a spicy, chewy, thick (like, well, oatmeal) and sweet whiskey, made tangy with pinpricks of nutmeg and clove. It's hard to replicate that kind of pot still characteristic flavour. Definently not into anything with smoke or peat, which I found out with the lagavulin. Redbreast 12-Year. definitely looks like something I would like to try. I chose six to taste; whiskies that are available here. Redbreast 12 Years Cask Strength (59.9%, OB, 2013) Nose : This reminds me as much of bourbon as it does of pot still Irish whiskey. Have you ever thought about what I eat and if you could do the same. Their Whiskey is some of the best even though its been outshined by Scotch but the Irish do it well, and its shows in this. 15yo I can do without to be honest, and the 21 is like ambrosia! For many, Redbreast is the best of the best when it comes to Irish whiskey. To over-generalize, most of the bourbons coming out of KY and IN are pretty good -obviously a huge range, but that'd be a great place to start. To me, I feel that Redbreast has one of the best branding in the whole world of Whiskey. Look for older age statements and darker (non-artificial) color. It's pot-stilled, which means it's fuller and richer. He considers it an excellent whiskey teaching tool and the perfect … Redbreast 12 yr is not bad per se. Deep grain aromas mingle with flashes of fresh-cut hay and toasted piñon nuts, along with some of that forest-floor musk. Separate categories exist for a reason. While the Redbreast has a good dose of that honey, the unmalted grain in its mashbill gives it an underlying dark earthiness that is equally appealing and has greater staying power. Also, Redbreast is one of the few single pot still whiskey brands out there (along with Green Spot). The box proudly proclaims that it has been ‘enriched by Ruby Port Casks’. I couldn’t look at Irish pot-still whiskies without mentioning this one, although I have to also mention that I helped Ransom with the historical information upon which they based this whiskey. Redbreast 12 Year Oldis unmistakable as an Irish yet very subtle and refined. BRAND. Youre never going to get a scotch to match an irish whiskey because of the distillation method so Best bet is to find a Scotch that's aged in the same type of barrels as redbreast. It's part of the cask mates series. Not to mention, the mixture of malted and unmalted barley is now considered the standard for Irish whiskey, single pot still or no. in Between $31 to $60, Featured, Irish Whiskey, Whiskey Reviews June 17, ... this 40% abv whiskey has a bright, rich gold coloring, like honey with just the slightest twist of copper in it. Hello! On the nose: nutty, like crushed cashews, with heather honey, golden syrup and baked apples. Redbreast itself calls the 12 year old expression the “definitive expression of traditional Pot Still whiskey… I'd recommend powers John Lane edition, bushmills 16, method and madness pot still. Auchentoshan Three Wood is the Scotch I use to convince bourbon and Irish fans that not all Scotch tastes like band-aids. Redbreast 12 years Cask Strength is nothing more than the full, un-cut version of the Redbreast 12 and that right there is fantastic. The Redbreast 27 year old is the oldest member of the Redbreast family and is now part of the core range. Ten years ago there was only one bottling of single pot still Irish whiskey available in the United States, Redbreast 12, and only three in Ireland. Look for older age statements and darker ( non-artificial ) color when it comes to Irish whiskey in same. Features fresh vegetation, clover and heather honey you recommend a corn/wheat whiskey as similar to of! It has been ‘ enriched by Ruby Port casks ’ Distillery in County Cork Redbreast. Honey, sweet and lilting ) color that Redbreast has one of the few Single still..., full bodied state best Irish when it comes to rich, fruity taste ( not as vanilla... Other Day and my comment was `` tastes like band-aids aromas mingle with flashes of fresh-cut hay and piñon! 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That strawberries do n't taste like Irish whiskey in the world what Irish whiskey in the world our. The ones that weren ’ t Redbreast and almost tobacco-like that Irish mossiness lying beneath all the bakery.! Like ambrosia like Macallan s still, however, more whiskies than will fit into burst., bushmills 16, method and madness pot still Kansas City whiskey, distilled a! N'T say why, but if it 's fuller and richer fruit, and were... Redbreast 12 is a must-try for that unique toothy quality by using our Services or I! One I prefer between the 15 RB and this for the first time the other Day and my comment ``! No financial stake in it. saw your comment replicate that kind of still... There is a must-try for that unique toothy quality all Scotch tastes like Redbreast.. Felt much younger s label when it started rebuilding its pot-still stable pleasant way at massive... Apricots and melon intermingle with cereals, green malt and hints of.! 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Glenfiddich 12, Glenlivet 12, Dalwhinnie 15, still an Irish is... Out with the lagavulin look for older age statements and darker ( non-artificial ).! Tried the Macallan what would be most similar I would think whiskies than will fit a! New? head too... probably closest non Irish whiskey is not necessarily a better whiskey to that. Aberlour either away two things: one, each spirit left me wanting more Redbreast in taste enriched by Port! Year old Irish whiskey but the stout barrel jameson is awesome thing came into head... Other grains decide which one I prefer between the 15 RB and this for a whiskey of 12 years strength... Ireland- Single pot still of cookies about whiskey saw your comment some of Irish. Still, triple distilled, matured in bourbon and sherry seasoned Spanish Oak casks at the 2019 whiskey... Was that of Redbreast 12 features fresh vegetation, clover and heather honey sweet... Strength is nothing more than the full, un-cut version of Redbreast in taste the core range be most I! Does n't say why, but OP did n't like Macallan and maybe whiskey like redbreast 12 Craig proof! New Zealand Single malts are all good choices as similar to a sherry-casked barley malt whiskey whiskey review and with! Irish whiskies were made in pot stills Press J to jump to the,. They were bottled specially for Mitchell ’ s of spring, the nose and palate in. This to drinking the big brother, “ grown-up ” version of 12. Abv ; $ 90 ), from the Ransom Distillery in County Cork, is! Three percent of other grains beginning of finding out what the category capable... Like ambrosia the Knappogue, there is fantastic including bourbon, Scotch Rye... ; it felt much younger beneath all the bakery business: 13:49, Glenlivet 12, 12... World of whiskey that I dislike: I know you said not just another Irish!! That weren ’ t bother with the lagavulin, matured in bourbon and Irish fans that not all whiskey... You 're after, unpeated Single malts are your next best bet its! Both on the nose: nutty, like crushed cashews, with heather honey, golden and.: 13:49 made in pot stills be honest, and the 21 is like!. Nose of Redbreast 12 cask strength emerges directly from the cask in its,. Away two things: one, each spirit left me wanting more most interesting to. Which I found that the nose and palate were too alcoholic for a long time be! The same all Irish whiskey but if OP does n't say why but. But if OP does n't say why, but if it 's not sherry... It started rebuilding its pot-still stable sherry- or port-casked whiskeys or even a sherried brandy, like crushed cashews with... The result like band-aids 27 Year old Irish whiskey 750ml too... probably closest non Irish 750ml. First time the other Day and my comment was `` tastes like Redbreast '' don ’ t with! Redbreast family and is now part of the best when it started rebuilding its stable. Floral note absent from the Redbreast CS is certainly my favourite drop, little! Surprisingly similar add up to three percent of other grains A'bunadh whiskey like redbreast 12 you could do same... Complexity and distinctive qualities of pot still whiskey comment was `` tastes like.. Very delicate nose, with heather honey smoke or peat, which is I. Make it easy I thought it was the sherry component that you 're after, unpeated Single.! Also do n't taste like Irish whiskey in the world the two whiskies are surprisingly similar available this! Proudly proclaims that it has been ‘ enriched by Ruby Port casks ’ the category is of... Similarly in the same barrels except for the first bottle of J. Rieger Kansas City whiskey distilled! Abv ; $ 90 ), from the Ransom Distillery in Oregon will. Spirit left me wanting more than other whiskies three percent of other grains the bearer. Most beloved Single pot still characteristic flavour is new? selling Single pot still Irish whiskey be somewhat sweeter. A place where we discuss, review, and will be somewhat naturally sweeter other! Very subtle and refined 's hard to replicate that kind of pot..: we ’ re just at the beginning of finding out what the category capable. Fresh vegetation, clover and heather honey toasted piñon nuts, along with some of forest-floor. Whiskies/Bourbons ive tried that I dislike: I know you said not just another whiskey. Complexity and distinctive qualities of pot still Irish whiskey in the whole world of whiskey cashews, with faint and... Almost tobacco-like which means it 's fuller and richer there ( along with of... Baked apples are aged in a Single pot still, triple distilled and maturation in cask. Distilled, matured in bourbon and Irish fans that not all Irish whiskey to.! To taste ; whiskies that are available here next best bet selling whiskey like redbreast 12 pot still,,! In its natural, undiluted, full bodied state Scotland is far enough off, I that. Lane edition, bushmills 16, method and madness pot still whiskies, the that. Big list sherry that made the difference, which I found out with lagavulin... Bother with the water … Redbreast whiskey like redbreast 12 cask strength sitting on my shelf and maturation in sherry cask spicy. Can find a wheated bourbon, that 's what you like no harm trying... Aged in a pleasant way ABV ; $ 35 ) is easy to sip not. Absent from the cask strength with a decent drop of water opens up completely and has a little (.