Redbreast 21 Year Old Irish Whiskey Review

Updated February 14, 2023

By Douglas Fraser

Average Rating: A-

Redbreast 21 Year Old
(Credit: Pernod Ricard)

Redbreast Irish Whiskey prides itself on staying true to the traditional pot still whiskey style that has been a signature of Ireland for decades. Using copper pot stills, all Redbreast whiskey is distilled from a wort of malted and unmalted barley three times to perfection, allowing its elegance to excel. Within the brand, Redbreast 21 is one of the most awarded whiskeys in the world; rightfully so.

The Whiskey
Redbreast 21 is a blend of whiskeys matured up to 25 years, hand-selected by Master Blender Billy Leighton. Bottled at a nice 46% ABV, this whiskey is matured in ex-sherry and ex-bourbon casks. The result is almost a near masterpiece of Irish whiskey that can be attributed to its superb cask selection.

This is one of the best Irish whiskeys I have ever tasted. Redbreast 21 full of depth and complexity from nose through the finish. The box is made of wood with the story of the whiskey inscribed upon it. Although you can read about it, the tasting of this wonderful dram tells its own story.

A pour has a rich auburn look. The nose is full of complexity with rich aromas of gingerbread spice, mahogany wood, sherry, Christmas cake, caramel and other subtle baking spices. The palate intensifies with full-bodied notes of oak spice up front, then fades giving way to dried red fruits, rich sherry, cinnamon, all spice, and vanilla. The finish is long with lingering fruity notes, continuing spices, and oak, leaving you fulfilled.

Addendum by Richard Thomas
In my lexicon, the coloring of Redbreast 21 is copper, once it gets into the glass. The nose lead with toffee, straw and dry, spicy wood, with hints of tangy red berries and malted grain. The flavor turns to butterscotch and honey sweetness. The dry oak and spicy current continues, but takes on a peppermint and black pepper character. Up until the swallow, the whiskey has been rich and flavorful, building on what one has come to expect from Redbreast generally. The finish sees things dissipate, running mildly spicy and malty, but not really anything special.
The Price

Officially, Redbreast 21 is supposed to go for between $300 and $330 a bottle, and refreshingly that isn’t too far off the mark of what the market is charging for it. According to Wine-Searcher’s average of online retailers, the market value for this bottle at time of making the addendum is $340.