At Newtown’s Websters bar, the team from Pernod Ricard and Barrel & Batch launched Redbreast’s new 19 Year Old Oloroso cask last week.
During a stellar tasting, Pernod Ricard’s Brand Specialist Alice Newport, and Barrel & Batch Founder Ray Daniel, talked drinkers through Redbreast’s core range and a few special bottlings, including some whiskies that had never before been seen on these shores.
Redbreast Single Pot Still has long been considered ‘The Thinking Drinker’s Whiskey’ in Ireland, with the 12 Year Old bottling once nicknamed ‘The Priest’s Tipple’, and Alice explained some of the brand’s storied history: “Redbreast was first created by the Gilbey’s company, whose chairman was an avid birdwatcher. The Robin Redbreast was his favourite bird.”
Alice also outlined how the Robin Redbreast reflects the resilience of this whiskey, which has been made in Ireland since the early 1900s. Following a brief absence in the 80s and 90s, Redbreast has been brought roaring back to life by Pernod Ricard and Midleton Distillery. Much like the non-migratory Robin, which weathers the North Atlantic winters, Redbreast whiskey has enduring tough periods (including the disappearance of most Irish whiskies) to stay the distance in the Emerald Isle.
“One could argue that Redbreast is to Irish whiskey what Macallan is to Scotch and what Pappy Van Winkle is to Bourbon,” Ray said.
“It’s a true icon of the whiskey world.”
The tasting itself consisted of Redbreast’s flagship 12 Year Old bottling, Redbreast Lustau (finished in Sherry casks from the Lustau bodega), Redbreast 10 Year Old Cask Strength (unavailable in Australia), the Barrel & Batch Redbreast 19 year old (matured in a single Oloroso Sherry cask), and Redbreast 27 Year Old – the oldest whiskey in the brand’s standard range.
Alice also highlighted the potential of Redbreast as a base for cocktails in the on-premise, offering the classic Tipperary cocktail as just one option – see the recipe here.
The 19 year old is one of Redbreast’s famous ‘Dream Cask’ expressions, and has aged in an Oloroso cask for its full maturation – an increasing rarity in the whiskey world, where ‘cask finishes’ are becoming all the more common.
“This year, there were only four single cask Redbreast whiskies released worldwide, we’re incredibly lucky to have been able to partner with Barrel & Batch to produce one of them,” Alice said.
“As for future releases, watch this space.”
A bonus Bourbon from Bob Dylan’s Heaven’s Door brand concluded the tasting, with this whiskey having been finished in casks that held Redbreast’s Single Pot Still whiskey. This expression is also currently unavailable in Australia.
Accompanying each pair of drams was a carefully curated beer from the nearby Young Henry’s brewery, introduced by Head Brewer Jesse Searls, showcasing the brewery’s Natural Lager, Newtowner and Juicy Pale expressions.
The Barrel & Batch 19 Year Old was initially picked by a panel of tasters as an 18 year old, which they chose over two other casks, a 16 Year Old and a 17 Year Old.
“It took about 18 months to bring this project to fruition, with the whiskey losing a little bit of alcoholic proof and gaining another year of age,” Alice explained.
“We ended up losing about another 50 bottles to the Angel’s Share, making this dram all the more rare.”
The final product clocked in at 60.9 per cent ABV, and serves up notes of dried fruit, plums, red berries, tannic oak and classic Single Pot Still caramel.
And luckily for Tasmanian whiskey fans, Redbreast and Barrel & Batch are hosting another tasting in the heartland of Australian distilling, the New Sydney Hotel in Hobart on Wednesday, April 6.
Redbreast Oloroso Sherry Single Cask 19 Year Old is available at the Barrel & Batch website with an RRP of $450.
