🥃 Redbreast 12 Year Old
The core Redbreast expression: an Irish single pot still from Midleton, aged at least 12 years in ex-bourbon and oloroso casks; 40% ABV.
Redbreast 12 Year Old is the core expression of the Redbreast brand and the youngest of its age-stated releases. It is an Irish single pot still whiskey from the Midleton distillery in County Cork, bottled at 40% ABV. The brand's revival in the 1990s began with this bottling.
According to Tasting Table, the spirit is distilled three times in copper pot stills from a mash of malted and unmalted barley. According to Difford's Guide, it matures for at least 12 years in first-fill American oak ex-bourbon barrels and Spanish oak oloroso sherry casks. That combination gives notes of vanilla, dried fruit and nuts.
Why this matters for you. This is the reference point for the whole range. Redbreast 12 Year Old Cask Strength has the same age but is not diluted with water, and Redbreast 15 Year Old is older and stronger at 46% ABV. Powers John's Lane 12 Year Old, from the same Midleton distillery, has a similar style. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
Facts
| Alcohol (% vol.) | 40% ABV |
|---|---|
| Minimum maturation | 12 years |
| Cask type | ex-bourbon (American oak) and ex-oloroso (Spanish oak) casks |
| Distillation method | pot still, three times, copper stills, Midleton |
| Raw material | malted and unmalted barley; water |
| EU category | 2 — whisky/whiskey |
| Legal basis | Irish Whiskey GI (Technical File; Reg. (EU) 2019/787): Irish Pot Still Whiskey |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Redbreast 12 Year Old → packed in → 🍷 Oak barrel ← packed in ← 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Packed in
- 🍷 Oloroso, 🍷 Oak barrel, 🥃 Ex-bourbon barrel
- Made from
- 🥃 Barley and malt in whisky
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Part of
- 🥃 Redbreast, 🥃 Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey, 🥃 Irish Whiskey
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Powers John's Lane 12 Year Old, 🥃 Redbreast 12 Year Old Cask Strength, 🥃 Redbreast 12 Year Old Cask Strength, 🥃 Redbreast 15 Year Old, 🥃 Redbreast 15 Year Old
Frequently asked questions
Is Redbreast 12 a single malt whiskey?
No. It is a single pot still whiskey: a mash of malted and unmalted barley, distilled in copper pot stills.
What is the strength of Redbreast 12 Year Old?
40% ABV, according to Difford's Guide and Tasting Table.
What casks is Redbreast 12 aged in?
According to Difford's Guide, ex-bourbon American oak barrels and Spanish oak oloroso sherry casks, for at least 12 years.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Oak barrel — A wooden barrel of oak staves in which wine matures and breathes.
- 🥃 Barley and malt in whisky — Malted barley is the base of whisky: malt enzymes convert starch in the mash, and EU whisky is distilled below 94.8% vol.
- 🥃 Redbreast 12 Year Old Cask Strength — Undiluted Redbreast 12: an Irish single pot still from Midleton, 12 years in ex-bourbon and oloroso casks; batch strength above 57% ABV.
- 🍷 Drunk driving — Never drive after drinking wine: alcohol slows your reactions.
Similar
🥃 Redbreast 21 Year Old · 🥃 Redbreast 18 Year Old · 🥃 Redbreast 12 Year Old Cask Strength · 🥃 Redbreast 15 Year Old · 🥃 Powers Three Swallow · 🥃 Powers Gold Label
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- Difford's Guide: Redbreast 12 Year Old (40 %; minimum 12 years; first-fill American oak ex-bourbon barrels and Spanish oak oloroso casks; malted and unmalted barley, copper pot stills; Midleton)
- Tasting Table: Redbreast 12 Year Old bottle guide (40 %; ex-bourbon barrels and oloroso butts; triple distilled; other expressions: 12 Cask Strength 2011, 15 Year Old 2005, 18 Year Old 2024, 21, 27)
- Revenue (Ireland): Geographical Indication for Irish Whiskey and Irish Poteen/Poitin (GI verification, Tax and Duty Manual)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)