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Redbreast’s 30th Anniversary Celebrated With A Limited Release 10-Year-Old Irish Whiskey

The makers of Redbreast Irish Whiskey are commemorating the 30th anniversary of the brand’s resurrection with the release of Redbreast 10-Year-Old, a bottle that aims to pay tribute to W.A. Gilbey, the entrepreneur who was a key player in the Irish spirits business at the start of the 20th century.

The Redbreast brand dates back to at least 1912 when Gilbey and his partners, including John Jameson & Sons, began offering a 12-year-old whiskey under the name. It remained part of Gilbey’s range for decades, up to its last bottling in 1985. With Irish Distillers now in charge of the Gilbey’s legacy, Redbreast was re-launched in 1991, using pot still distillate from Midleton Distillery and matured in sherry and bourbon casks. In recent times it has released some solid new expressions such as its 27 year old.

Redbreast 10-Year-Old
Redbreast 10-Year-Old (image via Irish Distillers)

The newly released Redbreast 10-Year-Old is made up of three different distillates, ranging from 10 to 15 years in age, and matured in American oak ex-bourbon barrels and Oloroso sherry seasoned butts from Spain. It comes in distinctive packaging, including a label that is an outlier within the current Redbreast Irish Whiskey family and reminiscent of the original white label and red seal from the historic Gilbey’s 10-Year-Old.

“This release rejoices in the longstanding history of Redbreast Irish Whiskey and celebrates the distinctive qualities which Redbreast is known for globally,” Redbreast master blender Billy Leighton said, in a prepared statement. “Redbreast 10-Year-Old offers a unique, rich flavor profile with notes of tropical and dried fruit, which gives way to a balance of richness from the inclusion of sherry casks. I am delighted to share this release with whiskey advocates and Redbreast fans across the globe.”

The 59.1% ABV Redbreast 10-Year-Old will only be available through The Birdhouse, Redbreast’s online membership service, and retails for €100 (about $120 USD). Official tasting notes are below.

  • Nose: Intense aromatics of honeycomb and cedarwood with earthy notes, dried tobacco leaf and worn leather. Dark fruits linger in the background and slowly develop overtime along with toasted almonds and demerara sugar, while a pot still spice intensity continues to build, adding to the complexity of flavors layered over a strong foundation of oak.
  • Taste: Rich in tannins that work in tandem with the inclusion of traditional pot still distillate creating balance between oak and spirit. The oloroso wine casks emerge to contribute marzipan and fig along with subtle hints of mixed berry compote, while delicate touches of vanilla and treacle are found lingering in the background.
  • Finish: The pot still spices rise to a crescendo and then finally give way to the toasted oak and delicate sweetness that lingers until the very end.
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