Side by side : Redbreast

Redbreast is one of the most iconic Irish Pot Still whiskey brands, it's now owned by Irish Distillers and distilled in Midleton.

In this blog I'm trying 4 of the range - 12yo, 12yo CS, 21yo and 27yo!

First a bit of history...

Brothers Walter and Alfred founded W&A Gilbey in 1857 in London as a wine and spirits merchant specialising in wines from South Africa. The brothers soon expanded into other cities and the creation of their own spirits including what they are still most famous for - London Dry Gin.

In 1861 they opened a shop in Dublin, purchasing new make spirit from local distillers, maturing it themselves in their own sherry casks; and selling it as their own brands. This is similar to what some of the 'new' Irish Bonders like JJ Corry are doing now. By 1874, Gilbeys held a stock in bond of over 300,000 gallons of whiskey, by 1900 it was nearly 3 times that. By 1903 they had grown into a large company owning three distilleries in Scotland - Glen Spey, Strathmill and Knockando.

Their Irish brands included Castle JJ Liqueur Whiskey 12yo which they matured from new make sourced from John Jameson and Sons' Bow Street Distillery in the city. The first bottles labelled Redbreast (after the Robin) appeared for sale around 1912 named Redbreast JJ Liqueur Whiskey 12yo.

In 1962 they merged with United Wine Traders Ltd to form International Distillers and Vintners (IDV),  

Jameson & Sons along with John Power & Son, John and Cork Distilleries Company merged in 1966 to form Irish Distillers - in 1972 they went on to merge with Bushmills the only other distillery in Ireland.

IDV was sold to Watney Mann in 1972, then later the same year they were taken over by Grand Metropolitan.

By 1975 Irish Distillers had moved all of their production, save Bushmills, to a single distillery at Midleton near Cork. They then chose to phase out the supply of bonded whiskey to merchants such as Gilbeys to keep stock for the expanding export market. Gilbeys was a huge company by this time, part of Grand Metropolitan, and managed to come to a deal with Irish Distillers to continue to supply them.

In 1986 Grand Metropolitan decided Redbreast was surplus to requirements and sold the brand to Irish Distillers where it fell into disuse. French liquor group Pernod Ricard bought Irish Distillers in 1988, the Redbreast brand was relaunched in 1991 and continues to grow from strength to strength with a range which now includes 6 permanent expressions.

In 1997 W&A Gilbey was included in Grand Metropolitan’s merger with Guinness PLC to form Diageo PLC who still sell their London Dry Gin.

All of these drams are Single Pot Still, as a reminder Irish Pot Still whiskey is made using a mash bill mix of malted and unmalted barley, historically due to the English tax on malted barley, using some unmalted barley made the whiskey cheaper. Unmalted barley is said to impart a silky or creamy mouthfeel to the whiskey with a bite of spice.

Dram	12yo	12yo CS	21yo	27yo
Characteristics	40% ABV Natural Colour, NCF Ex-bourbon and Oloroso	54.6% ABV Natural Colour, NCF 1st Fill Oloroso Sherry Cask	46% ABV Natural Colour, NCF 1st Fill Oloroso & Ex-bourbon Casks	54.7% ABV Natural Colour, NCF 1st Fill Oloroso, Ex-bourbon & Ruby Port Casks
Distillery notes	Made from a mash of malted and unmalted barley and then triple distilled in copper pot stills, Redbreast 12 boasts the flavour complexity and distinctive qualities of Pot Still whiskey. Matured in a combination of Bourbon seasoned American Oak barrels and Oloroso Sherry seasoned Spanish oak butts, the distinctive Redbreast sherry style is a joy to behold in each and every bottle. Nose: A complex spicy and fruity aroma with toasted wood notes evident. Taste: Full flavoured and complex; silky smooth with a harmonious balance of spicy, fruity, sherry and toasted notes. Finish: Satisfyingly long, the complex flavours linger on the palate.	Made from a mash of malted and unmalted barley and then triple distilled in copper pot stills, Redbreast 12 boasts the flavour complexity and distinctive qualities of Pot Still whiskey. Matured in a combination of Bourbon seasoned American Oak barrels and Oloroso Sherry seasoned Spanish oak butts, the distinctive Redbreast sherry style is a joy to behold in each and every bottle. The Cask Strength expression gives a glimpse of Redbreast 12 in its natural, full flavoured taste. Nose: Succulent exotic fruit with a little citrus, complementing deeper notes of dried apricot and sultana. Infusion of assorted spices and toasted wood. Taste: Rich, fully rounded and mellow with luscious fruit and spices. Sweetness of vanilla and a touch of oak. Finish: Satisfyingly long with the sophisticated combination of fruit and spices slowly giving way to toasted oak, then barley.	Using a style of Pot Still whiskey reflective of the Midleton Distillery tradition, Redbreast 21 represents the ultimate expression of Redbreast Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey. The 21 year ageing process introduces new levels of depth, flavour and taste, creating a complex and rewarding whiskey. Abundantly aromatic and fruitful, and produced in very limited quantities, this 21 year old Redbreast is a joy to behold in each and every bottle. Nose: Remarkable aroma spanning fresh tropical fruits, nuts and rich dried fruit. Taste: Soft vanilla, toasted oak, sherry nuttiness with a dusting of spices. Luscious fleshy fruit notes complete the silky mouthfeel. Finish: Lingers, seemingly forever, with oak and an assortment of spices and then, the final bow from barley – where it all began.	The oldest permanent release in the Redbreast family, 27-Year-Old is a Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey comprising exclusively of Pot Still whiskeys which have been triple distilled, matured in the finest bourbon, sherry and ruby port casks for no less than 27 years, and left untouched. Nose: A succulent medley of exotic fruits, mango, pineapple, blood orange and ripe red berries are complemented by fresh herbs, aromatic oils and wood spices. Vanilla sweetness and treacle toffee add to the richness, while walnuts and toasted oak acknowledge the contribution from a supreme cask selection. Taste: Incredibly rich in texture with a luxuriously fruity introduction. Ripe red fleshed plums, black cherries and summer berries are balanced by the prickle of a hint of chili oil. The taste evolves as cherry menthol introduces vanilla and cinnamon sweet spices combined with red pepper, nutmeg and toasted oak for an intriguing complexity. Finish: A satisfyingly long balance of ripe fruit and wood spices, worthy of a journey of nearly three decades.
My thoughts:
Appearance
	Dark gold in the glass, swirls cling before falling as slow thick legs.	Dark gold in the glass, swirls cling before falling as slow thin legs.	Dark gold in the glass, swirls cling before falling as slow thin legs.	Dark gold in the glass, a hint of red? Swirls cling as a thin line, beat up and fall as slow thin legs.
Nose	Strawberry jam, musty old bookshop, vanilla custard. Dried fruit, figs, and a little dark chocolate. Unexpectedly complex!	Very similar to the 12yo, a little more musty and some hints of tropical pineapple.	Orchard and tropical fruit bowl - apples, pears, pineapple, mango, apricot. Little or no sherry influence. A little air offers some smoky hints.	The ABV is very noticable on this one - thick berry notes - blackberries, raspberries and strawberries. Almond notes seems almost drying.
Palate	Thick creamy arrival, a little sweet orchard fruit, again surprising complex for a 40% ABV dram. The sherry influence has dropped off a little - some strawberry jam notes and there is a little drying vanilla with a gentle peppery spice.	Again thick and creamy but the spice has been turned up to 10 on this one. Pineapple, mango and banana with again a drying vanilla note. The ABV is noticeable in the huge peppery spice notes.	This is a little thin on the palate, sweet tropical fruit notes. followed by bitter dark chocolate and a hint of citrus as the liquid disappears. A few more sips offer more citrus - orange, grapefruit and lime. A spicy nutmeg note covers everything - again drying.	Wow- thick smooth syrupy sweet arrival - huge berry notes, a little tropical fruit and a sour citrus lingering on the tongue. Huge spice notes as the liquid disappears. A few more sips offer plums, cherry and almond notes - again very drying.
Finish	Drying vanilla with a lingering oak spice.	Drying vanilla with a hot lingering oak spice.	Long fruit notes - a little vanilla spice.	Lingering berry notes with that hint of citrus and oaky spice. Nice.
Overall	This is the first time I've tried the Robins, lovely sherry notes on the nose from all except the 21yo, all very smooth and all except the 21yo very thick... The standard 12yo is surprisingly complex on the nose and the palate - just buy a bottle. I'd suggest the CS version isn't as good - a lot spicier and some tropical fruit notes but not as complex as it's diluted sibling. The 21yo is, to be honest, disappointing, thin and citrusy. I'd say too long in the cask. The 27yo comes out top - huge berry notes, lovely spice and dark fruit complexity from the port cask. It's long maturation hasn't been dulled, maybe the finish (?) in ruby port casks has brought it back to life?

Many thanks to @GeoffGilmore1, @MTR_Conal, @TheDramble and @thatsdramgood for the samples!