Redbreast : 12 Year Old Single Pot Still

Characteristics and Tasting Tips for the 12 Year Old Single Pot Still Redbreast

Tasting

Colour
This spirit displays a deep amber colour with coppery and golden-brown highlights, catching the light with remarkable brilliance. In the glass, it reveals a beautiful viscosity, with thick legs that descend slowly, testifying to its richness and smoothness.

Nose
The olfactory experience is silky and refined, opening with delicate notes of icing sugar, vanilla and subtle floral scents. On aeration, aromas of honey, soft caramel and toffee emerge. The influence of the sherry casks brings fruity complexity marked by raisins, apricot, fig and cherry. Touches of woody spice, leather, black pepper and light mineral notes typical of copper stills round off this highly approachable bouquet, with no trace of alcohol burn.

Palate
The palate opens with a particularly creamy, oily texture. The first flavours are indulgent, evoking caramel, vanilla and honey. The mid-palate develops into a fine complexity brought by dried fruits and notes of dark chocolate and cocoa. Warm spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cardamom and pepper unfold while retaining a silky texture. The medium-length finish leaves lingering notes of citrus, grapefruit, vanilla toffee and a dry woody touch that perfectly balances the whole.

Food Pairing and Tasting Moments
This whiskey is best enjoyed neat or with a light splash of water, at the end of a meal as a contemplative digestif, or even as an aperitif thanks to its moderate alcohol strength. On the culinary side, it pairs wonderfully with matured cheeses such as cheddar, roasted nuts and dark chocolate. It also works well with charcuterie, smoked meats such as salmon, rich red meats (duck, lamb, venison) as well as spicy Asian cuisine flavoured with ginger.

Mixology
Although it is perfectly enjoyable on its own, its creamy texture and spicy profile lend themselves beautifully to cocktails where the spirit takes centre stage. It elevates classics such as Irish Coffee, as well as creations like the Cameron's Kick (with lemon juice and orgeat syrup) and the Blackberry Bramble (lime and blackberries).

Other Characteristics
Bottled at 40% ABV, this spirit was awarded a gold medal at the World Whiskies Awards in 2023 and took second place in the Best Pot Still Irish Whiskey category at the 2025 International Whisky Competition.

A Great Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey of Exceptional Richness

The Heritage and Craftsmanship of the Redbreast Distillery
The story of Redbreast begins with the merchants W&A Gilbey, who first mentioned this spirit as early as 1903 before officially adopting the name in 1912, in tribute to the robin, the brand's symbol. This Irish Whiskey embodies the preservation of a unique historical tradition. Today, production is centralised at the New Midleton Distillery, a state-of-the-art industrial complex located in County Cork, in the province of Munster. The brand belongs to Irish Distillers, a subsidiary of the French group Pernod Ricard, whose CEO is Alexandre Ricard. Irish Distillers is led by Nodjame Fouad, while the crafting of the aromatic profiles relies on the expertise of master blender Dave McCabe. Redbreast thus stands as the guardian of a centuries-old heritage, combining authenticity with technical excellence.

The Unique Production of the 12 Year Old Single Pot Still
The 12 Year Old Single Pot Still is the emblematic expression that set the standards for its category. This whiskey stands out for a production method historically unique to Ireland: Single Pot Still. This designation requires the use of a mash composed of a blend of malted and unmalted barley, grown in the province of Munster and combined with pure water from the Dungourney River. The addition of unmalted barley gives the distillate its characteristically creamy texture and spicy character.

Fermentation is followed by triple distillation in traditional copper pot stills. This meticulous process results in a spirit of great finesse. The master distiller mainly selects light and medium-style distillates to shape the balance of this cuvée.

Ageing plays a fundamental role in the profile of this spirit. It rests for a minimum of twelve years in a combination of ex-bourbon American oak casks, which contribute notes of vanilla, and first- and second-fill Spanish oak casks, previously seasoned with Oloroso sherry in Andalusia. These sherry casks, which make up roughly half of the blend, give it its natural amber colour and rich complexity of dried fruit. In 2018, the brand also highlighted its environmental commitment by launching an edition featuring packaging that could be transformed into a bird feeder, supporting the protection of its natural emblem.