Redbreast Turns To Port Casks For New Whiskey

Irish Distillers has introduced Redbreast Tawny Port Cask Edition, a limited-edition single pot still Irish whiskey finished in tawny port casks from Portugal’s breath-taking Douro Valley.

Redbreast Tawny Port Cask Edition marks the third release of the brand’s acclaimed Iberian Series. The series is inspired by Redbreast’s long standing connection to some of the Iberian Peninsula’s most celebrated cooperages and winemakers, combining the craft and rich heritage of the region with the excellence of Midleton Distillery’s single pot still whiskeys to create expressions that are truly extraordinary. Redbreast Tawny Port Cask Edition is the second limited edition to join the series, following the 2021 release of Redbreast Pedro Ximénez Edition, and permanent expression and series anchor, Redbreast Lustau Edition.

Expertly created by esteemed Master Blender Billy Leighton and Blender Dave McCabe, Redbreast Tawny Port Cask Edition is a single pot still Irish whiskey initially matured in a combination of bourbon and Oloroso sherry casks. To add a new dimension to the flavor profile, a portion of these maturing whiskeys were re-casked into tawny port casks for a number of years. All of the whiskeys were then skillfully blended and completed their maturation journey by marrying in freshly seasoned tawny port hogsheads for a final maturation period of 14-25 months.

The inspiration for Redbreast Tawny Port Cask Edition started over 12 years ago, when Leighton took a trip to the Douro Valley in Portugal to visit some of Midleton Distillery’s partner cooperages and winemakers.

Leighton said, “Enjoying lunch with the late renowned winemaker Joaquim Anacleto and Gesprove Winemaker José Pinheiro overlooking the valley, we were discussing the various wines and spirits that had influenced our whiskeys over the years and tawny port came up in conversation. Having worked with Ruby Port previously, we pondered the differences tawny port holds and subsequently the intriguing flavor profile that it could add to our whiskeys. Since then, we have been aging single pot still whiskey in a small number of tawny port casks we receive annually from this beautiful sun drenched valley and, needless to say, we have been delighted with the results.”

Redbreast Tawny Port Cask Edition is bottled at 46% and will be available from 18 September in the USA, Ireland, UK, China, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Global Travel and online at the RRP of €100, £79, $100.