Redbreast Dream Cask Pedro Ximenez Edition Irish Whiskey Review

By Emma Briones

Rating: A-

What do you do when you have found the perfect cask, your dream dram? How do you find something capable of competing with that extraordinary cask? Of course, you must go farther.

To do so, Irish Distillers Master Blender Billy Leighton, in collaboration with Blender Dave McCabe, have worked together to create Redbreast Dream Cask Pedro Ximénez Edition. A new Redbreast Dream Cask produced from a vatting of ex-bourbon, Oloroso sherry and Pedro Ximénez sherry casks, which has been re-casked and finished in a specially selected Pedro Ximénez cask. The four distinct sources of whiskey span 22 to 33 years in age. According to Redbreast, the casks selected for the vatting represent a cross-section of single pot still distillate styles and maturation techniques.

Three of the casks used for Redbreast Dream Cask Pedro Ximénez Edition were originally destined for Redbreast 21. Cask 2 was a single pot still Irish whiskey distilled in 1995, matured in an ex-bourbon cask and re-casked into an Oloroso sherry butt in 2012. For Cask 3, they’ve chosen a single pot still Irish whiskey distilled in 1985 and matured in a second-fill ex-bourbon barrel. Finally, for Cask 4, a single pot still Irish whiskey distilled in 1997 and matured in a second-fill ex-bourbon barrel.

Cask 1, though, was a rare Pedro Ximénez butt, a first for Midleton and Redbreast. It contained a single pot still Irish whiskey distilled in 1998, initially matured in an ex-bourbon barrel and re-casked into a Pedro Ximénez Sherry butt in 2012.

The product of this marriage, Redbreast Dream Cask Pedro Ximénez Edition, has been bottled at 52.2% ABV (104 proof) and there are only 924 bottles available.

The Whiskey
In the glass, the whisky is amber, with mahogany reflections. The first blow to the nose is a Pedro Ximénez burst. Then, it slowly develops its aromas. First, a bouquet of dried fruits: raisins, figs, dates and dried apricots. A touch of candied fruit.

There are also some aromatic spices notes: cinnamon, clove, which are followed by sweet liqorice and a touch of treacle toffee. In addition, some notes of almonds and hazelnuts, with a marzipan souvenir.

On the palate, Redbreast Dream Cask Pedro Ximénez Edition is viscous, oily and thick. There is pot still spice from the first sip, with intense clove and cinnamon notes. It continues with some sweet notes of coffee candy and a chocolate touch. It builds up to deeper and more complex flavors, where ripe fruit notes give way to berries, apricots and mangoes.

The finish is not just long, but infinite. Intense and oily, it lingers on your palate like a sweet sherried souvenir.

Billy Leighton and his team have an eye for a good whiskey. But if you were thinking this would be the same whiskey as last year’s dream cask, you were wrong. Moving on to a different cask style has been a smart and bold move for Redbreast. Because this new whiskey is nothing like Redbreast Dream Cask 32, but at the same time, it is.

Redbreast Dream Cask Pedro Ximénez Edition is a full-bodied, sherried and complex whisky. But in a completely different style. It still is a worthy heir of the outstanding Redbreast Dream Cask 32 years, though it doesn’t reach the same level of perfection.

It is a dram to remember for anyone who has the chance to taste it and a great choice if you want to splurge yourself. But, if you were to make me chose, I’d rather go back to that now-impossible-to-get-but-wonderful-to-dream-of Redbreast Dream Cask 32.

The Price
Only 924 bottles of Redbreast Dream Cask Pedro Ximénez Edition will be available through the Redbreast online Private members’ club, The Birdhouse, from 3 pm (GMT+1) on 27th May. It will be retailed at €380.