The Redbreast Family: 7 Bottles From the 12 Year Old to the 27 Year Old

The Redbreast family runs from the 12 Year Old at 40% ABV to the 27 Year Old Batch 4, listed at 53.6% ABV, and every bottle is a single pot still Irish whiskey from Midleton Distillery in County Cork. This guide covers seven bottles, from the standard 12 to a cask strength batch, a sherry finish, a tawny port finish and the oldest regular releases, so you can see how cask choice and strength change one style. For background on the style, read What Is Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey?.

Key Takeaways

• Redbreast is a single pot still Irish whiskey made at Midleton Distillery in County Cork from malted and unmalted barley.

• The 12 Year Old is bottled at 40% ABV, while the 15, 21 and Lustau Edition are bottled at 46% ABV.

• Cask strength releases such as Batch B1/23 are listed at 57.2% ABV, and Batch 4 of the 27 Year Old at 53.6% ABV.

• Cask choice shapes each bottle: Oloroso sherry, Lustau sherry, tawny port and ruby Port all appear in this family.

• Irish Distillers bought the brand from Gilbey in 1986 and relaunched it in 1991 as a 12 Year Old.

Tip: Taste the family in order of strength and age. Start with the 40% ABV 12 Year Old, then move to the 46% bottles, and keep the cask strength and 27 Year Old for last so they do not overwhelm the lighter whiskeys.

Redbreast 12 Year Old: The 1991 Relaunch Bottle at 40% ABV

The 12 Year Old is where the family starts. The name first appears in 1912, when the wine merchant Gilbey released a Redbreast J.J. Liqueur Whiskey 12 Year Old, according to Tasting Table. Gilbey stopped making it in 1985, Irish Distillers bought the brand in 1986, and a 12 Year Old came back in 1991. It is a single pot still whiskey, made from malted and unmalted barley at Midleton Distillery in County Cork, and it is bottled at 40% ABV.

It is matured in Oloroso sherry casks and ex bourbon barrels. It suits anyone meeting Irish pot still for the first time, and it is the easiest reference point for every bottle that follows. Browse the Redbreast 12 Years Old on Spiritory. If you want the wider story of the style first, the Irish distilleries guide linked in the FAQ is a useful companion.

Redbreast 12 Year Old Cask Strength Batch B1/23: 57.2% ABV Straight From the Cask

Cask strength is the same whiskey with the water taken out. The Redbreast 12 Year Old Cask Strength launched in the UK in September 2011, according to Difford's Guide, which describes a mix of first fill ex bourbon and Oloroso sherry seasoned casks. Batch B1/23 is listed at 57.2% ABV by retailers and Whiskybase, with a bottling date of August 2023. The batch code matters, because strength changes slightly from batch to batch and each release is a little different.

The first batch in 2011 was reported at 57.7% ABV, so strength does move between batches. Expect a bigger, spicier version of the 12 Year Old that takes a few drops of water well. It suits drinkers who already know the standard 12 and want more power. Find Redbreast 12 Years Old Cask Strength Batch B1/23 here. Because batch strength differs, compare the batch code on the label with any tasting notes you read online.

Redbreast Lustau Edition: Nine to Twelve Years Plus One Year in Jerez Sherry Butts

The Lustau Edition shows what a finish can do. According to retailer and producer descriptions, the whiskey first matures for 9 to 12 years in bourbon and sherry casks. It then spends one more year in first fill Oloroso sherry butts from Bodegas Lustau in Jerez, Spain. It is bottled at 46% ABV.

Pernod Ricard says it launched in 2016 as the anchor expression of Redbreast's Iberian Series, a range inspired by Spain and Portugal. It suits sherry lovers who want a richer step up from the 12. See the Redbreast Lustau Edition on Spiritory. It also pairs naturally with the 12 Year Old if you want to taste the effect of sherry finishing side by side.

Redbreast 15 Year Old: Bourbon and Oloroso Casks at 46% ABV

The 15 Year Old sits between the 12 and the older releases. It is bottled at 46% ABV and matured in ex bourbon and Oloroso sherry casks, though sources differ on the exact cask mix. The higher strength gives the pot still spice more room than the 40% bottle.

This is the bottle for someone who has enjoyed the 12 and wants more depth without moving to older, scarcer releases. Look at Redbreast 15 Years Old on Spiritory.

Redbreast Tawny Port Cask Edition: Finished 14 to 25 Months in Douro Casks

The Tawny Port Cask Edition, released in September 2023, moves away from sherry. Trade reports of the launch say the whiskey matured first in bourbon and Oloroso sherry casks, with some of it recasked in tawny Port casks from Portugal's Douro Valley, then finished in tawny Port hogsheads for 14 to 25 months. It is a single pot still whiskey from Midleton, bottled at 46% ABV, and the third release in the Iberian Series.

WhiskyCast gave it 93 points and noted hazelnut, cherries, orange peel, honey and subtle spices. One retailer reviewer was less impressed by value, so opinions differ. It is a good pick for drinkers curious about Port influence in Irish whiskey, and for collectors following the Iberian releases. Check the Redbreast Tawny Port Cask Edition on Spiritory. Both are part of the Iberian Series, so the two make a natural pair to taste side by side.

Redbreast 21 Year Old: Bourbon and First Fill Oloroso Since 2013

The 21 Year Old first appeared in 2013. It is bottled at 46% ABV, non chill filtered, after maturing in American bourbon barrels and first fill Spanish Oloroso sherry casks, according to The Whiskey Wash. Age softens the sharper pot still edges and brings out more dried fruit and wood.

Master Blender Billy Leighton's notes describe fresh tropical fruit, nuts and rich dried fruit on the nose, then gentle vanilla, toasted oak and sherry nuttiness with a hint of pot still spice. It suits those marking an occasion or building a shelf of older Irish whiskey. See Redbreast 21 Years Old here. It also shows how patient maturation can change the same pot still base over decades.

Redbreast 27 Year Old Batch 4: Bourbon, Sherry and Ruby Port Casks

The 27 Year Old sits at the top of this list. Batch 4 was released in 2023, and The Daily Pour lists it at 53.6% ABV. It matured in bourbon, sherry and ruby Port casks. One Irish retailer lists 54.6% instead, so check the label on the bottle in your hands.

The Daily Pour scored this batch 92 and described pear, apple, honey, toffee and blackberry on the nose, with more oak, toffee, espresso, pepper and orange peel than previous releases. That is one reviewer's view. It suits collectors and anyone looking for a very mature single pot still, and it makes sense to compare it with the 21 before choosing. View Redbreast 27 Years Old Batch 4 on Spiritory. Tasting notes vary by reviewer, so treat them as a guide rather than a promise.

Tip: With any cask strength bottle, add water one drop at a time. A little water often opens up the fruit and sherry notes without hiding the spice.

FAQ

What is Redbreast whiskey?

Redbreast is a single pot still Irish whiskey made from malted and unmalted barley at Midleton Distillery in County Cork. Irish Distillers bought the brand in 1986 and relaunched it in 1991 as a 12 Year Old.

Which Redbreast should I try first?

The 12 Year Old at 40% ABV is the usual starting point. It shows the sherry cask and pot still spice that define the family, and it gives you a base to compare the older and stronger bottles against.

What does cask strength mean for Redbreast?

It means the whiskey is bottled without being diluted to a standard strength. Batch B1/23 of the 12 Year Old Cask Strength is listed at 57.2% ABV, and strength can vary slightly from batch to batch.

Is the Redbreast 27 Year Old stronger than the 21 Year Old?

Yes. Batch 4 of the 27 Year Old is listed at 53.6% ABV, while the 21 Year Old is bottled at 46% ABV. The 27 Year Old also includes ruby Port casks, while the 21 uses bourbon barrels and first fill Oloroso sherry casks.

Where can I read more about Irish whiskey?

Start with 7 Irish Distilleries Worth Knowing Beyond Jameson, which looks at the wider Irish whiskey scene beyond Midleton.