🥃 Redbreast
Irish single pot still whiskey brand from Midleton; malted and unmalted barley; 12 years, 40% vol.; Irish Distillers, Pernod Ricard.
Redbreast is an Irish single pot still whiskey brand produced by Irish Distillers at Midleton, County Cork. It is made from malted and unmalted barley, and the 12-year-old version has 40% vol. The owner is Irish Distillers, part of the Pernod Ricard group, and the brand is described as one of the best-known examples of the style.
History. The whiskey was first stored and bottled by the London trading firm W&A Gilbey, using spirit from Jameson in Dublin. It was already labelled as Redbreast in 1912. Production moved to Midleton in the 1970s, and Gilbey's stopped making it around 1985-1986 and sold the brand to Irish Distillers. Irish Distillers brought back the 12-year-old version in 1991 as a single pot still.
How it is made. The mash consists of malted and unmalted barley, and the spirit is distilled three times in copper stills at one distillery. The whiskey is aged in American bourbon barrels and in Spanish oloroso sherry casks; the 12-year-old version, according to descriptions, matures for twelve years. Ageing in different casks gives a blend of vanilla, nuts and dried fruit, but the specific notes depend on the batch.
Range. The 12-year-old version remains the main one, but the producer also has older and stronger releases.
Why this matters to you. Single pot still is an Irish style, not to be confused with single malt whisky: here there is both malted and unmalted barley. The Irish whiskey Geographical Indication applies to all Irish whiskey: at least three years in wooden casks, at least 40% vol. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
Facts
| Year founded | the Redbreast name - since 1912 (Gilbey's); brand bought by Irish Distillers around 1985-1986; relaunch in 1991 |
|---|---|
| Legal basis | GI 'Irish Whiskey' (Technical File; Reg. (EU) 2019/787) |
| EU category | 2 - whisky/whiskey |
| Raw material | malted and unmalted barley; water |
| Distillation method | pot still, three times, copper stills, Midleton |
| Cask type | American bourbon barrels and Spanish oloroso sherry casks |
| Minimum maturation | at least 3 years under the GI; the main version is 12 years |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | 40% vol. (12 years) |
What it includes
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Redbreast → kind of → 🥃 Whisky → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Previous step
- 🥃 Pernod Ricard
- Packed in
- 🍷 Oak barrel, 🍷 Sherry, 🥃 Ex-bourbon barrel
- Made from
- 🥃 Barley and malt in whisky
- What it contains
- 🧪 Water, 🍷 Ethanol
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Part of
- 🥃 Whisky, 🥃 Irish Whiskey, 🥃 Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey
- Related to
- 🌍 Western Europe
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Jameson, 🥃 Bushmills 10 Year Old, 🥃 Bushmills Black Bush, 🥃 Tullamore Dew 14 Year Old Single Malt, 🥃 Bushmills, 🥃 Bushmills, 🥃 Cooley, 🥃 Cooley, 🥃 Midleton Very Rare, 🥃 Powers, 🥃 Powers John's Lane 12 Year Old, 🥃 Powers Three Swallow
Frequently asked questions
Is it true that Redbreast is a single malt whisky?
No. It is a single pot still whiskey: a mash of malted and unmalted barley. Single malt whisky is made only from malted barley.
Where is Redbreast made?
In Midleton, County Cork, at the Irish Distillers distillery.
Who owns Redbreast?
Irish Distillers, which belongs to the Pernod Ricard group; it bought the brand from Gilbey's around 1985-1986.
What casks is Redbreast aged in?
In American oak bourbon barrels and in Spanish oak oloroso sherry casks.
When was the 12-year-old version brought back?
In 1991 Irish Distillers relaunched it as a single pot still.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Ethanol — The alcohol formed during fermentation that makes you drunk.
- 🍷 Oak barrel — A wooden barrel of oak staves in which wine matures and breathes.
- 🧪 Water — ~87% of milk.
- 🌍 Western Europe — France, the Netherlands, Britain, Ireland, Belgium and Luxembourg: a mild, moist climate, pastures and hundreds of cheeses such as Roquefort, Camembert, Gouda and Cheddar.
Similar
🥃 Powers · 🥃 Tullamore Dew · 🥃 Midleton Very Rare · 🥃 Bushmills · 🥃 Jameson · 🥃 Connemara
⚠️ 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
- Tasting Table: Redbreast 12 Year Old bottle guide (single pot still, malted and unmalted barley, triple distillation, bourbon and Oloroso casks, Gilbey's, 1991 relaunch)
- Page & Sons: Redbreast 12 Year Old Irish Whiskey (single pot still, Midleton, first-fill sherry and bourbon casks, 40 % ABV, Irish Distillers 1985/86)
- Revenue (Ireland): Geographical Indication for Irish Whiskey and Irish Poteen/Poitin (GI verification, Tax and Duty Manual)
- Regulation (EU) 2019/787 on spirit drinks (OJ L 130, 17.5.2019), Annex I
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)