From Irish Distillers experimental division - Method & Madness. M&M is only distributed across Ireland, the U.K. & France.
The limited edition Single Grain Irish Whiskey 31 Year Old has been matured in an ex-Bourbon cask for 31 years. The rare single cask release has developed a “full deep grain character” and on the palate notes of “honey, juicy mango and ripe melon with an endless dark wood and spicy finish”. The expression, which includes three single cask offerings, is bottled without chill filtration and ranges from 51.3%, 51.8% and 52.5% abv. Limited to 75 bottles. Euro 2,150, approx $2,500 @ 700 ml bottle.
One of two releases from Midleton's experimental Method and Madness range - and it should be stunning. It's a single pot still whiskey, initially aged in bourbon casks for 6 years, before being moved over to a ruby Port pipe (which was seasoned with a variety of wines before being further seasoned with ruby Port) to age for another 22 years. Astounding uisce beatha (water of life) indeed. Euro 2,000, approx $2,300 @ 700 ml bottle.
The Redbreast single pot still Irish whiskey brand is a popular part of the larger Irish Distillers/Pernod Ricard Irish whiskey portfolio. The permanent line up of this brand currently includes Redbreast Lustau, regular 12 YO and 12 YO cask strength, 15 and 21 year old offerings. Joining those now is a new release in the form of a 27 year old that’s been partially matured “in ruby port barrels from Portugal’s Douro Valley to bring a new complexity and depth to the Redbreast collection.”
The new Redbreast 27 Year Old, according to those behind it, spent over two and half decades aging under the “watchful eyes of the team at [the] Midleton distillery,” which includes Master Blender Billy Leighton and Blender Dave McCabe.” For over 30 years, said team “travelled to the Douro Valley in Portugal, where port has been produced for two thousand years, to discover the finest caves in the region in a quest to provide drinkers with a truly unique taste experience.
“After sourcing ruby port casks, the masters filled them with pot still distillate before leaving them to mature, then combined them with whiskey aged in bourbon and sherry barrels. The ruby port barrels impart fleshy fruit characteristics with notes of toasted oak which complements the rich and robust style of the distillate.”
“It gives us great pleasure to reveal the latest member of the Redbreast Irish Whiskey family,” said Leighton in a prepared statement. “In creating this whiskey, Dave and I drew on our experience of working with sherry and other wine casks over the years as we have evolved the range. This time, we wanted to push the boundaries and yet create an expression that would seamlessly take its place at the head of the family.
“Nearly three decades in the making, we are incredibly proud to present Redbreast 27 Year Old – a cask strength Redbreast expression that is a joy to behold in each and every sip.”
Produced in limited quantities on an ongoing basis, Redbreast 27 Year Old is bottled at 54.6% ABV. It will initially be available starting this month in 11 global markets for around $500 USD. Prices in the USA vary from $470 to 600.
Official tasting notes for this new Redbreast are as follows.
Philip's comment:
Hard to describe a $5-600 bottle of whiskey as a bargain but the Red Breast 27 YO seems destined to arrrive in Capistrano at some stage for a unique celebration. Given how the 12, 15 & 21 are all very $$ competetive, the 27 should be spectacular !
The limited edition Single Grain Irish Whiskey 31 Year Old has been matured in an ex-Bourbon cask for 31 years. The rare single cask release has developed a “full deep grain character” and on the palate notes of “honey, juicy mango and ripe melon with an endless dark wood and spicy finish”. The expression, which includes three single cask offerings, is bottled without chill filtration and ranges from 51.3%, 51.8% and 52.5% abv. Limited to 75 bottles. Euro 2,150, approx $2,500 @ 700 ml bottle.
One of two releases from Midleton's experimental Method and Madness range - and it should be stunning. It's a single pot still whiskey, initially aged in bourbon casks for 6 years, before being moved over to a ruby Port pipe (which was seasoned with a variety of wines before being further seasoned with ruby Port) to age for another 22 years. Astounding uisce beatha (water of life) indeed. Euro 2,000, approx $2,300 @ 700 ml bottle.
The Redbreast single pot still Irish whiskey brand is a popular part of the larger Irish Distillers/Pernod Ricard Irish whiskey portfolio. The permanent line up of this brand currently includes Redbreast Lustau, regular 12 YO and 12 YO cask strength, 15 and 21 year old offerings. Joining those now is a new release in the form of a 27 year old that’s been partially matured “in ruby port barrels from Portugal’s Douro Valley to bring a new complexity and depth to the Redbreast collection.”
The new Redbreast 27 Year Old, according to those behind it, spent over two and half decades aging under the “watchful eyes of the team at [the] Midleton distillery,” which includes Master Blender Billy Leighton and Blender Dave McCabe.” For over 30 years, said team “travelled to the Douro Valley in Portugal, where port has been produced for two thousand years, to discover the finest caves in the region in a quest to provide drinkers with a truly unique taste experience.
“After sourcing ruby port casks, the masters filled them with pot still distillate before leaving them to mature, then combined them with whiskey aged in bourbon and sherry barrels. The ruby port barrels impart fleshy fruit characteristics with notes of toasted oak which complements the rich and robust style of the distillate.”
“It gives us great pleasure to reveal the latest member of the Redbreast Irish Whiskey family,” said Leighton in a prepared statement. “In creating this whiskey, Dave and I drew on our experience of working with sherry and other wine casks over the years as we have evolved the range. This time, we wanted to push the boundaries and yet create an expression that would seamlessly take its place at the head of the family.
“Nearly three decades in the making, we are incredibly proud to present Redbreast 27 Year Old – a cask strength Redbreast expression that is a joy to behold in each and every sip.”
Produced in limited quantities on an ongoing basis, Redbreast 27 Year Old is bottled at 54.6% ABV. It will initially be available starting this month in 11 global markets for around $500 USD. Prices in the USA vary from $470 to 600.
Official tasting notes for this new Redbreast are as follows.
- Nose: A mix of exotic fruits and red berries, complemented by fresh herbs and wood spices. Vanilla sweetness and treacle toffee combine with the nuttiness of toasted oak.
- Taste: Incredibly rich in texture with a luxurious combination of ripe stone fruits and summer berries, balanced by the prickle of a hint of chilli oil. Cherry menthol, vanilla and cinnamon sweet spices complement red pepper, nutmeg and toasted oak.
- Finish: A satisfyingly long balance of ripe fruit and wood spices, worthy of a journey of nearly three decades.
Philip's comment:
Hard to describe a $5-600 bottle of whiskey as a bargain but the Red Breast 27 YO seems destined to arrrive in Capistrano at some stage for a unique celebration. Given how the 12, 15 & 21 are all very $$ competetive, the 27 should be spectacular !