Redbreast 21 Year Old

Description

Redbreast 21 Year Old Bottling Note

Discover the profound depth and elegance of Redbreast 21 Year Old, a definitive expression of Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey crafted at the renowned Midleton Distillery in County Cork, Ireland.

The history of the Redbreast brand is a fascinating one, rooted in the tradition of Dublin whiskey merchants known as ‘bonders’ who sourced distillate from distilleries like Jameson’s Bow Street and matured it in their own casks—often sherry butts acquired through their wine importing business. W&A Gilbey, who first bottled Redbreast under their own name in 1912, created a brand that has since become synonymous with the highest quality Irish whiskey. Since its relaunch by Irish Distillers in 1991, following a brief hiatus, Redbreast has flourished under the modern expertise of the Midleton team.

This extraordinary 21-year-old whiskey is triple distilled in traditional copper pot stills from a mash of malted and unmalted barley, a hallmark of the Single Pot Still style. The long maturation period sees the spirit aged for a minimum of 21 years in a carefully selected combination of first-fill American bourbon barrels and first-fill Spanish Oloroso sherry butts. This extensive, dual-cask aging imparts exceptional layers of complexity and flavor, resulting in a rich, non-chill filtered whiskey bottled at a perfect 46% ABV.

Redbreast 21 Year Old is characterized by its remarkable depth and velvety smoothness. The extended time in the high-quality casks allows for a harmonious balance to develop, showcasing a rich profile of ripe tropical fruits, toasted oak, a characteristic pot still spice, and a noticeable nuttiness inherited from the sherry wood. It is an intensely flavorful, beautifully balanced, and highly luxurious Irish whiskey.

Redbreast 21 Year Old Tasting Note

Nose: The aroma offers an immediate impression of tropical abundance, opening with notes of ripe mango, baked peach, and candied citrus peel, layered over a foundation of warming vanilla pod and rich marzipan. A subtle dusting of cinnamon and clove emerges, hinting at the mature oak underneath.

Palate: A velvety, coating mouthfeel delivers a luxurious interplay between sweet and spice. Juicy, dark dried fruits—such as fig and sultana—merge seamlessly with toasted hazelnut and soft, buttery caramel. The distinctive Single Pot Still spices provide a gentle, effervescent heat that maintains freshness and complexity.

Finish: The finish is exceptionally long and evolving, gracefully transitioning from fruit-forward sweetness into a warm, persistent oak spice and a comforting echo of barley sugar, leaving a clean, deeply satisfying impression.

Overall: This is an extraordinarily well-integrated whiskey, where two decades of cask maturation have created a perfectly balanced expression of the Single Pot Still style, achieving remarkable depth without losing vibrancy.