Redbreast, Pure Pot Still Irish Whiskey (Ireland) 
There was a time when all Irish whiskeys were ‘pure pot still,’ made with a mixture of malted and unmalted barley, but today Redbreast is a rare survivor of the genre. As such it would be something to cherish even if it were not as excellent as it is.
Redbreast dates back to the early 20th century, when the bonding company Gilbey’s of Ireland used the name for Jameson spirit which they matured and bottled, but since the 1990s the brand has been owned by Jameson’s parent company, Irish Distillers Ltd.
Redbreast 12-year-old is distilled in Irish Distillers’ vast Midleton complex in County Cork, and maturation takes place principally in former Sherry casks, along with a percentage of ex-Bourbon wood.
The result is a robust and deliciously individualistic whiskey, which offers a nose of linseed oil, mixed fruit, Sherry and vanilla. Big and voluptuous in the mouth, with characteristic Irish oiliness, cooked fruits, ginger and a developing nuttiness as it dries gently in a lengthy and well-mannered finish. A classic. 40.0% ABV, 70cl, £25.00, specialist whisky merchants.  |  |
