Redbreast whiskey launches first single cask

Irish Distillers has launched the first single cask expression for its Redbreast single pot still Irish whiskey, which also marks the brand’s second NAS offering.

Redbreast Single Cask has been aged in a 500-litre oloroso Sherry butt

Bottled at 59.9% abv, Redbreast Single Cask has been exclusively aged in a 500-litre oloroso Sherry butt, cask #30087.

The cask was crafted in late 1996 at the Antonio Paez Lobato Cooperage in Southern Spain near Jerez and was then charred and seasoned with oloroso Sherry for two years until early 1999.

It was then shipped to the Midleton Distillery in County Cork, where it was filled with single pot still Irish distillate and matured for 16 years, 147 days in warehouse M15A

While Redbreast Single Cask’s ageing period has been revealed, the whiskey does not carry an official age statement.

Midleton Distillery’s head blender Billy Leighton told The Spirits Business at an exclusive tasting of the variant in London that this decision was taken because the “number is not particularly relevant”.

“We are looking to give the consumer a little bit of intimate knowledge of Redbreast,” he said. “I wouldn’t put this liquid into Redbreast 15 on it’s own because the Sherry is so up front.

“We want people to understand this isn’t Redbreast 15, but this is something that can make up the next batch of Redbreast 15.”

In February last year, Redbreast unveiled its first NAS expression, Mano a Lámh, which was also the first to be matured solely in oloroso Sherry butts. The whiskey, which has now sold out, was made exclusively available to members of Irish Distillers’ online fan club, called The Stillroom.

The Whisky Exchange (TWE) approached Redbreast to create a single cask offering, which would be exclusively sold through the retailer. Leighton said he presented TWE with two single cask samples, with the #30087 “democratically” selected as the overall favourite.

Said to “educate consumers about the breadth and quality” of the single pot still Irish whiskey sector, the whiskey is said to have a “classic” flavour of spices, fruit and almonds, with a “hint of vanilla and a balanced finish”.

Only 576 bottles of Redbreast Single Cask have been made exclusively available through TWE. The variant is available from this month at an RRP of £180 per 70cl bottle.

It has been launched alongside the latest Midleton single pot still single cask release, Cask #48735, which carries an RRP of £245. The ex-Bourbon cask was laid down to mature in 1991 and has yielded 186 bottles.