Redbreast 12 Year

Redbreast 12 ABV: 40% Provenance: Ireland, Clonmult Mashbill : 100% malted and unmalted barley (% N/A) Age Statement: 12 years Casks: Ex-Bourbon and Ex-Olorosso Sherry Other information: Triple Distilled in Copper Pot Still On the nose, there is an immediate note of potent green apple as well as butter cookies. There is a hint of roasted nuts and honey cheerios as well as darker fruits like plums and raisins in the background. There is a ton of vanilla as well as a light oaky note. This nose is very light but at the same time extremely potent. It’s soft but the notes just keep coming. I sometimes get a certain floral note, but not always. The complexity is impressive. However after a few sips, darker notes start to appear. Those are mainly leather as well as pepper. The lighter notes are still there, but they become blurrier. On the palate, there is even more honey cheerios as well as butter cookies. There is still a green apple as well a dark red fruits. Tons of vanilla as well as oak tannins take over towards the back end. For an 80 proof whiskey, the mouth feel is surprisingly viscous. It honestly feels like someone spiked the glass with a few drops of simple syrup. The palate is less complex than the nose but it is still as enjoyable. The finish is somewhat short, but the oak tannins tingle the back of the tongue for a few seconds after swallowing. You are then left with a few more seconds of vanilla as well as a delightful french toast note. Overall, this whiskey is really impressive. The complexity of the nose alone is worth the price in my opinion. The palate as well as the great mouthfeel for a 40% are just bonuses at this point. What a wonderful experience. If you wish to get into Irish or even just copper pot stills, this is the way to go.

Review #61 - Whisk(e)y #44 Purchased as part of a Redbreast tasting pack, together with the Lustau Edition and 15yo, all in 50ml format...and paid 25 euros. Not the cheapest pack, but the set sure is nice, with high quality packaging, magnetic opening to the box and so on. Chill-filtered - Yes Added Colour - Yes ABV - 40% Aspect - Gold colour with a slight amber hue, relatively oily in glass. Nose - Oak, dryness, very prominent cereal, biscuits (crackers)...crispbread!!! herbacious, cellery, honey, vanilla, orchard fruit (red apple)...cherry?, sweet orange marmelade, raisins (in empty glass after drinking, together with caramelised sugar - crème brûlée)...alcohol and subtle oak spice. Palate - Creamy, caramel, turns very sharp spicy on the mid-palate...very spicy, chilli...slowly fading away. Cereal on the back end, honey, subtle sweetness, but very difficult to distinguish anything else due to the spice! Gets a bit better once my palate gets used to this sharp intensity. Finish - medium-long, acidity, gradually fading spice, dry, oak, cereal. Long after-taste with subtle dried fruit (figs perhaps), as well as orchard fruit, pumpkin seeds, and oak. I had very high expectations of this dram given the overwhelmingly positive reviews...but it is unbalanced unfortunately, with very few / if any sherry notes and overwhelming spice. If I would have tasted this blind I would have thought it is an exclusively ex-bourbon cask matured irish whiskey... I sure am glad I did not purchase a full bottle. Rating System: 5.0 - Perfect 4.5 - Exceptional 4.0 - Very Good 3.5 - Good 3.0 - Decent 2.5 - Average 2.0 - Below Average 1.5 - Barely Drinkable 1.0 - Undrinkable 0.5 - JB

Redbreast 12yr is my go-to Irish whiskey. It's a touch more expensive than many of the Irish whiskey blends, but it's worth the extra $20-30 in my opinion. It makes many of the blends feel thin and uninspiring. The nose almost gives off a Jamaican rum like aroma, a touch of funk, but floral and with a touch of dried fruit. The palate is rich, almost creamy, with cherry notes, leather and toffee. The finish is warm and lingers for a good bit. There is a bit of sweetness, with very little burn. If you have never had pot still Irish whiskey, this is a great starting point and an easy recommendation for an everyday dram. For an 80-proof spirit, this has the flavor of something much higher. If you can get past the higher price, you will be in for a treat.

The bottle I bought came with a really cool birdfeeder. Nose: Orchard fruits, cherries, honey, dark chocolate Palate: Honey, caramel apple, buttery, baking spices Finish: Lengthy, warm, spicy with lingering oak. It tastes like a classic. I can only imagine what this would be like at a higher ABV. I suspect it was wise to start here though and work my way up to the bigger birds. Bonus points for managing to sneak buying a bottle of whisky as a gift for my wife. "Look at the beautiful bird feeder I bought you babe! 😉)

⌚️: Let sit for about 5 minutes. 👀: Rather dark brown, just like I remember; 👃: Medicinal whiff, herbal and green, touch of butterscotch somewhere in there; 👅: Very sweet, sugary; not a lot of heat, and that's perfect for this proof since the sweetness is what really stands out; 🏁: There isn't really a lingering finish here. I haven't had this since 2019 when I was not sipping; this is a great daily but even better for special occasions like today for Thanksgiving 2024!

On the nose i get dark fruits and berries like plum, raisin, and blackberry. There is a slight hint if honey on the nose but hard to find. First sip is soft and full of dried fruit, honey, and a touch of sherry on the finish. Ice improves on what was already smooth. Fruit, toasked oats, and honey are all rounded out by the sherry finish. This is a great whiskey and should be on your shelf.