Redbreast 15YO to be permanent expression

Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard, producers of Jameson, Midleton Very Rare, Powers and Paddy Irish whiskies, is to make Redbreast 15 year old Irish pure pot still whiskey a permanent expression within the range in key international markets including Ireland, US, France and Germany.

Originally created as a limited edition to celebrate the 50th anniversary of La Maison du Whisky* in 2005, Redbreast has since attracted plaudits from the world’s leading whiskey experts.

Master distiller at the Midleton Single Distillery, where Redbreast is produced, Barry Crockett says: “As Irish whiskey is enjoying phenomenal growth throughout the world, led by our flagship whiskey, Jameson, there is a surge in interest in more premium expressions and in particular in our traditional, pure pot still whiskies, such as Redbreast.”

Redbreast 15 Year Old is one of only three Irish pure pot still whiskies available in the world (the others being Redbreast 12 year old and Green Spot) and represents a style of whiskey which is unique to Ireland in general and to the Midleton Distillery in particular.  Irish pure pot still whiskey is made from a mash of malted and unmalted barley that is then distilled in traditional copper pot stills.  Redbreast, and all pure pot still whiskey from Midleton, is triple distilled.



About Redbreast
Redbreast whiskey dates to 1912 and was originally the brand name given to the whiskey supplied by the Jameson distillery to the Gilbey whiskey bonders before bottling at the distillery became the norm in 1968. As the practice of selling whiskey to bonders ended in the late 60’s, brands such as Redbreast all but disappeared until Redbreast 12 YO was re-launched by Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard in the 1990s as a pure pot still whiskey.

Redbreast 15 YO Irish Pure Pot Still Whiskey, now a permanent expression in the family, is matured for a minimum of 15 years in a combination of Spanish Oloroso sherry casks and American bourbon whisky barrels. Redbreast 15 Year Old is bottled at the higher ABV strength of 46% and is non-chill filtered.  Like all good Irish pure pot still whiskeys, it is strongly flavoured and assertive, making it a rare treat for the connoisseur of fine aged whiskey.

Redbreast tasting notes
Nose: Full and rich with a complex yet balanced mix of berry fruits and aromatic oils.
Taste: Fully round and mellow with the succulence of fleshy fruit combined with spices and toasted wood.
Finish: Long and sophisticated. RSP for Redbreast 15 YO, allowing for local market duty and tax rates, is €75 in Ireland and at €70 in most European markets.

Since 2000, Redbreast has grown at an annual compound growth rate of 21%. (Source: IWSR) Between 2000 and 2009, Irish whiskey has grown worldwide at a compound growth rate of 6% to over 4.4m 9L cases with Jameson, which accounts for almost 60% of total Irish whiskey sales, growing at a rate of 9% over this time frame (Source: IWSR) 

* La Maison du Whisky is an independent family-run company which imports and distributes more than 1,000 different whiskies from all over the world.

1 September 2010 - Felicity Murray