With Irish whiskey prices seemingly ever-increasing over the last year, it's harder than ever to find a good deal on a great bottle. I see the dismay in Reddit threads, store shelves, and even my website traffic statistics... People are doing their research before splurging on the same bottles of whiskey that are now showing up on shelves at more than double their old prices.
So what gives? I've heard tired excuses of glass shortages, fingers pointed toward the frenzy happening in the bourbon world from 2020 until now, but we'll probably never get a clear answer from the likes of Midleton or their US importer, Pernod Ricard. The simple truth is that they probably just want to make more money, and they think they can at these arbitrarily higher prices for the same, or in some cases worse, products. In any case, I've already ponied up my $250 to find out, so let's dive in to a few tastes of Redbreast 18 year to see if the price hikes have been justified.
Company on Label: Redbreast (Distilled at Midleton Distillery, imported by Pernod Ricard)
Whiskey Type: Single pot still Irish whiskey
Mash Bill Percentages: 100% malted and unmalted barley
Proof: 92°
Age: 18 years
MSRP: $249.99
Further identification: This is a new age statement for the Redbreast lineup, which already features 12, 15, 21, and 27 year shelf expressions; this bottling features maturation in bourbon barrels, oloroso sherry, cream sherry, and ruby port casks, first made available in September of 2024
Nose: Lifting the glass to my nose lets slip cursory notes of light sugar cookie, granulated sugar, and a touch of ethanol. Further inhales spill forth black pepper and nail polish. A slow undercurrent carries clove and a cornucopia fragrance; orange, fig, pumpkin spice, and myrrh all have a dull impression on the senses. The unmitigated smell of ethanol is the most concerning for what is traditionally a creamy, dreamy profile at this proof and age statement. I'm not impressed with the pre-sip nose in the least. After a taste, a balsam fir woodiness dominates over all else. Woah... suddenly, after a protracted period of time in the glass, things finally decide to come alive. Vanilla bean ice cream and sweet floral tones finally show me the Irish whiskey I know and love. Just as soon as that bright spot showed up, out it went like a snuffed-out candle. Following this, there's a kiss of smoke and a light heather undertone that are 3-minute highlights of the hour I spent with this glass. My empty glencairn smells of petunias and Irish cream.
Palate: As liquid hits lips and passes across the tongue, I find raisin bread, chestnuts, and baked potato skins. Right away I find it to be a bit overly earthy to my taste, and the mouthfeel is distinctly thin and boozy. Another sip and swish is thin and lightly creamy, like a vanilla icing spread too thin over a sugar cookie to be really perceptible and enjoyable. The well-rested glass begins to display slightly tannic qualities as the orange and fig notes that the nose introduced begin to take a stronger hold on the tongue. Late in the glass is relatively drinkable but unremarkable as the traditionally oily, creamy pot still distillate fails to live up to expectations, delivering dry oak from a few too many spent casks. The finishing casks influence really isn't noticeable at all here, with the buzzwords "bourbon," "oloroso," "cream sherry," and "ruby port" landing like browbeating advertisements rather than impressionable incremental improvements. My last sip is nothing unusual relative to the rest of the glass. The finish is medium but continues to flail in unmitigated ethanol and a lack of a strong character.
TL;DR: A bland Irish whiskey that is slightly creamy in flashes but downright boring most of the time
Rating: 2.5/5
Wrapping up my final thoughts after 4 individual tastings of this release... I'm a little hurt that I spent my hard-earned dollar on this bottle. I know Redbreast (Midleton) is capable of producing a great, flavorful whiskey, but this is not that. This is a way overpriced shelf-turd from Pernod Ricard, and the fact that this is now sitting on shelves across my home state is evidence of that.
This release continues to demonstrate a peculiar trend in the Redbreast portfolio: the middle whiskeys all kind of stink compared to the cap ends. Take the ultra-aged examples: Redbreast 27 year and 30 year Dream Cask expressions are both pinnacle whiskeys. There are hidden gems like the first two years of the PX edition too, but the shelf staple 12 year is a defining character for the brand. The 15 year, 21 year, and now this middling 18 year, however? I'd call them duds in comparison.
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