Redbreast Irish Whiskey Makes ‘Daydream a Reality’ With Port-Finished Expression Inspired by a Trip Abroad
Redbreast’s latest release in the Iberian Series was finished in tawny port casks. (Photo: Pernod Ricard)
On Friday, Irish whiskey brand Redbreast announced the launch of a Tawny Port Cask-finished expression, featuring a single pot still whiskey finished in port casks from the Duoro Valley in Portugal. The expression hosts an ABV of 46% and will be available for purchase in the U.S. for a suggested retail price of $100.
The Irish whiskey was initially matured in bourbon and oloroso sherry casks, and Redbreast Master Blender Billy Leighton and blender Dave McCabe chose to take a portion of the maturing whiskeys and re-cask them in tawny port casks for multiple years. The whiskeys were subsequently blended and married in tawny port hogsheads for 14-25 months.
Redbreast’s team decided to experiment with port cask finishes 12 years after Leighton traveled to the Douro Valley in Portugal on a visit with some of Middleton Distillery’s cooperages and winemakers.
“We were enjoying lunch with the late renowned winemaker Joaquim Analceto and Gesprove Winemaker José Pithier overlooking the valley, discussing the various wines and spirits that had influenced our whiskeys,” Leighton said in a news release. “And, being in the valley, we began to imagine how Tawny Port’s intricate flavor profile could affect our whiskeys. Curiosity took hold, and we decided to make this daydream a reality — and we are quite pleased with the impeccable result.”
The release is the third expression featured in the brand’s Iberian Series, which is a celebration of the relationships Redbreast has with some of the most well-respected cooperages in the Iberian Peninsula.
“Redbreast Tawny Port Edition’s flavor profile is well within our flock’s DNA, yet it provides an exciting twist from another part of the Iberian Peninsula,” McCabe said in the release. “Each subsequent expression in the series will represent a new discovery from this rich region which to date has greatly influenced the Redbreast style throughout its history.”
Redbreast Tawny Port Cask Edition Tasting Notes, Via the brand
Nose: Sweet confectionary notes with warm buttered pastry, caramelized almonds and subtle undertones of praline and dried cherry. Scented floral honey with a delicate herbal character.
Taste: Rich, nutty with notes of chocolate-coated hazelnut and salted caramel, followed with plums and dried fig.
Finish: Spicy and lingering, with dried fruits and tawny seasoned oak.
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