Name: Redbreast 18 Years Old
Brand: Redbreast
SKU: redbreast-18-years-old-1
Availability: InStock

The world's finest single pot still Irish whiskey — rich, complex, and steeped in tradition since 1912.

Redbreast is the world's number one ultra-premium single pot still Irish whiskey — a style unique to Ireland, produced from a mash of both malted and unmalted barley triple distilled in traditional copper pot stills. First produced in 1912 at the Jameson Distillery in Dublin for the wine and spirit merchants Gilbey's of Ireland, Redbreast was relaunched in 1991 by Irish Distillers at the Midleton Distillery in County Cork. Under Master Blender Billy Leighton and Blender Dave McCabe, it has since accumulated over 100 major awards and become one of the most critically acclaimed whiskey brands in the world, chosen as second-best whiskey globally by Jim Murray's Whisky Bible in 2017.

* [Redbreast: Heritage & Legacy](#anchor1)
* [What Is Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey?](#anchor2)
* [Redbreast 12 Year Old](#anchor3)
* [Redbreast 12 Year Old Cask Strength](#anchor4)
* [Redbreast 15 & 21 Year Old](#anchor5)
* [Redbreast 27 Year Old](#anchor6)
* [Redbreast Iberian & Special Series](#anchor7)
* [Is Redbreast Worth Collecting?](#anchor8)
* [Where to Buy Redbreast?](#question1)
* [Where to Find Rare Redbreast?](#question2)

## Redbreast: Heritage & Legacy

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The story of Redbreast begins in 1912, when the wine and spirit merchants W.A. Gilbey's of Ireland contracted with John Jameson & Son to fill casks of single pot still whiskey for their own label. The name "Redbreast" is said to have been suggested by Gilbey's chairman, who was an avid ornithologist — the robin redbreast being a bird associated with good luck and hearth-side warmth. The style was a classic product of old Dublin distilling: a rich, oily, and complex spirit made from a mash of malted and unmalted barley, triple distilled in copper pot stills.

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The brand fell dormant during the difficult decades of the mid-twentieth century but was spectacularly relaunched in 1991 by Irish Distillers, initially with a 12-year-old expression. The brand now operates under Master Blender Billy Leighton and Blender Dave McCabe at the Midleton Distillery in County Cork, where single pot still whiskey is produced alongside Jameson, Midleton Very Rare, and other Irish Distillers brands. In 2022, Redbreast exceeded 100,000 cases for the first time — a milestone that confirmed its transformation from a niche revival to a global category leader.

## What Is Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey?

Single pot still Irish whiskey is a style unique to Ireland and one of the oldest and most distinctive whiskey categories in the world. It is defined by a mash bill that must include at least 30% malted barley and at least 30% unmalted (green) barley — along with other cereal grains — distilled entirely in traditional copper pot stills in a single distillery. The unmalted barley creates a distinctive spicy, creamy, and oily character that cannot be replicated by grain whisky or single malt production methods.

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This style was once the dominant form of Irish whiskey, accounting for the vast majority of production in Dublin and Cork in the nineteenth century. Its revival, led by Redbreast, has been one of the most celebrated stories in the modern whisky world — bringing back a style that almost disappeared entirely.

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## Redbreast: Heritage & Legacy

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Over a century of history, from the Jameson Distillery in Dublin to the Midleton Distillery in County Cork, Redbreast embodies the story of single pot still Irish whiskey — its near-disappearance and its triumphant global renaissance.

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## What Is Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey?

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A mash of malted and unmalted barley, triple distilled in copper pot stills — the combination creates the signature oily, spicy, and richly fruited character that defines Redbreast and makes Irish single pot still one of the world's most distinctive whiskey styles.

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## Redbreast 12 Year Old

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The Redbreast 12 Year Old is the cornerstone expression — the benchmark for single pot still Irish whiskey and the bottle that revived the category. Matured in a combination of seasoned American bourbon barrels and Oloroso sherry butts for at least 12 years, it delivers the quintessential Redbreast character.

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The **[Redbreast 12 Years Old](https://spiritory.com/redbreast-12-years-old-134077)** is bottled at 40% ABV with a naturally golden amber colour. The nose delivers rich pot still spice, toasted wood, vanilla, dried fruits, and a hint of sherry sweetness. The palate is full-bodied, creamy, and complex: green apple, cinnamon, clove, nuttiness, and a long warm finish. It was named Best Irish Whiskey at the Irish Whiskey Awards and is the world's best-selling single pot still Irish whiskey expression.

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## Redbreast 12 Year Old Cask Strength

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The Redbreast 12 Year Old Cask Strength is the most intense expression of the 12-year-old profile — the same maturation regime as the standard 12, but bottled at natural cask strength without reduction, preserving the full weight and intensity of the whiskey as it comes from the cask.

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The **[Redbreast 12 Years Old Cask Strength Edition Batch B1/12](https://spiritory.com/redbreast-12-years-old-cask-strength-edition-batch-b112-42210)** is bottled at approximately 57–59% ABV (varying by batch) and delivers an extraordinarily concentrated pot still experience: rich spice, dark fruit, Christmas cake, and leather, with a long, warming, complex finish. Each batch is released under its own batch number, making individual releases collectible in their own right. The Cask Strength consistently earns the highest ratings of any expression in the standard Redbreast range.

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## Redbreast 15 & 21 Year Old

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The Redbreast 15 Year Old and 21 Year Old represent the upper tier of the permanent core range — expressions where extended maturation in bourbon and sherry casks allows the pot still character to develop extraordinary depth and complexity.

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The Redbreast 15 Year Old is a non-chill-filtered expression bottled at 46% ABV, with a richer sherry cask influence than the 12-year-old and notes of dark fruit, chocolate, cinnamon, and honeyed spice. The Redbreast 21 Year Old, bottled at 46% ABV, was rated the second-best whisky in the world in Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2017 — delivering an extraordinarily complex profile of leather, dark fruit, caramelised orange, walnut, and warm oak with a finish of remarkable persistence. With over 100 awards accumulated across the portfolio, this is among the most decorated whiskeys ever produced.

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## Redbreast 27 Year Old

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The Redbreast 27 Year Old is the most prestigious expression in the core range — a single pot still whiskey of extraordinary maturity, matured in a combination of bourbon barrels, Oloroso sherry butts, and ruby port pipes for a minimum of 27 years.

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The **[Redbreast 27 Years Old Batch B1/19](https://spiritory.com/redbreast-27-years-old-batch-b119-149425)** is bottled at 54.6% ABV, with the ruby port pipe contribution adding a distinctive dark berry richness that elevates the whiskey's complexity. The first batch (B1/19) was released in 2019 and was immediately recognised as one of the greatest Irish whiskey expressions ever produced. Subsequent batches are released annually in strictly limited numbers. At this level of maturity, Redbreast 27 enters a realm rarely explored by Irish whiskey, and for collectors it represents the apex of the core range.

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## Redbreast Iberian & Special Series

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Beyond the core range, Redbreast has released a series of special and limited expressions exploring different cask influences, unique finishes, and exceptional single cask bottlings.

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The **Redbreast Lustau Edition** — part of the Iberian Series — is finished in Oloroso sherry butts from the Lustau bodega in Jerez, adding a distinctive Spanish sherry character to the pot still base. The **Redbreast Dream Cask** is an annual single cask release, each representing a unique and unrepeatable encounter with a single exceptional cask from the Midleton warehouse. The **[Redbreast 1991 All-Sherry Single Cask — 26 Years Old](https://spiritory.com/redbreast-1991-all-sherry-single-cask-nr82861-26-years-old-129867)** is an extraordinary example of what the brand's archive holds: a quarter-century of maturation in a single sherry cask, producing a whiskey of exceptional concentration and historical significance.

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## Is Redbreast Worth Collecting?

Redbreast is among the most compelling collecting propositions in the Irish whiskey category. The brand's global reputation, the rarity of aged single pot still expressions, and the strictly limited quantities of expressions above 15 years create a natural scarcity premium. The Dream Cask series, Cask Strength batches, and 27 Year Old releases consistently outperform their retail prices on the secondary market. The revival of single pot still Irish whiskey as a category — driven overwhelmingly by Redbreast — gives the brand a cultural significance that adds further long-term value.

## What Is the Most Expensive Redbreast Bottle?

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The Dream Cask annual release and the 27 Year Old are the most prestigious and sought-after Redbreast expressions, commanding a significant premium on the secondary market. Single cask bottlings from the archive — such as the **[Redbreast 1991 All-Sherry 26 Years Old](https://spiritory.com/redbreast-1991-all-sherry-single-cask-nr82861-26-years-old-129867)** — represent the ultimate Redbreast collector items.

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## Why Is Redbreast Single Pot Still So Unique?

Single pot still Irish whiskey — the style that defines Redbreast — is produced nowhere else in the world with this combination of malted and unmalted barley, copper pot still distillation, and extended maturation. The unmalted barley provides the distinctive spicy, oily signature; the triple distillation ensures exceptional smoothness; and the combination of bourbon and sherry cask maturation adds layers of fruit, vanilla, and dried fruit complexity. It is a whiskey style unlike any other in the world.

## What Is the Most Affordable Redbreast Bottle?

The **[Redbreast 12 Years Old](https://spiritory.com/redbreast-12-years-old-134077)** is the natural entry point — the benchmark for the category, widely available, and consistently exceptional.

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For a meaningful step up in intensity and complexity, the **[Redbreast 12 Years Old Cask Strength](https://spiritory.com/redbreast-12-years-old-cask-strength-edition-batch-b112-42210)** delivers the same maturation profile at full natural strength — an extraordinary value for the depth of experience it delivers, and one of the most highly rated whiskeys at its price point.

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## Redbreast vs Other Irish Whiskey Brands

Redbreast occupies a unique position that no other Irish whiskey brand can replicate: the definitive single pot still expression, with an unbroken tradition rooted in 1912 Dublin distilling. While Midleton Very Rare competes on prestige and scarcity in the annual vintage model, Redbreast competes on category leadership, critical acclaim, and the irreplaceable character of the single pot still style. No Irish whiskey has won more awards or done more to define the modern premium Irish whiskey category.

## Where to Buy Redbreast?

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The Redbreast 12 Year Old is available through specialist whisky retailers and premium supermarkets worldwide. For the Cask Strength, 21 Year Old, 27 Year Old, Dream Cask, and archive single cask releases, Spiritory provides a curated authenticated marketplace of verified bottles from specialist sellers across Europe, with transparent pricing, condition grading, and full buyer protection on every purchase.

## Where to Find Rare Redbreast?

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Rare Redbreast — including older Cask Strength batches, the 27 Year Old, Dream Cask annual releases, and archive single cask bottlings — is not available through conventional retail. Spiritory's authenticated marketplace is Europe's most reliable platform for finding verified bottles of rare and limited Redbreast expressions, with seller authentication and buyer protection ensuring confidence in every transaction.

Redbreast is the world's leading ultra-premium single pot still Irish whiskey, produced at Midleton Distillery in County Cork. Celebrated for its rich, complex, and full-bodied character derived from a mash of malted and unmalted barley triple distilled in copper pot stills, the range spans from the iconic 12 Year Old to the extraordinary 27 Year Old.

Redbreast 18 Years Old

156€

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