To celebrate World Whiskey Day 2019, the folks at Irish Distillers, and Redbreast Whiskey have launched Midleton Distillery’s first ever Pedro Ximénez cask finished whiskey.
The Redbreast Dream Cask PX Edition is a 20 year old, single cask, Single Pot Still Irish whiskey that was created by Master Blender, Billy Leighton, in collaboration with blender, Dave McCabe.
This single cask release is a vatting of four different single pot still whiskeys that were all independently matured in three different types of casks, before being vatted and married together.
Cask 1: A Single Pot Still whiskey that was distilled in 1998, matured in ex-Bourbon barrels before being recasked into a Pedro Ximénez sherry butt in 2012.
Cask 2: This cask held a Single Pot Still whiskey that was matured in 1995, which spent the first 17 years of its life in ex-Bourbon barrels before being re-casked into Oloroso sherry in 2012.
Cask 3: This Single Pot Still whiskey is the oldest in the vatting. It was distilled in 1985 and was wholly matured in second fill ex-Bourbon.
Cask 4: Cask 4 took its cask inspiration from its older brother in Cask 3. This Single Pot Still whiskey was distilled in 1997 and was also wholly matured in second fill ex-Bourbon.
All four casks were then vatted and subsequently married in a Pedro Ximénez sherry butt for finishing. This created a wholly new offering from Irish Distillers and Redbreast Whiskey.
Redbreast Master Distiller, Billy Leighton, explained his decision to create a new whiskey expression rather than taking something from the existing Redbreast cask warehouses by saying “Rather than try to seek out another extraordinary cask from the Midleton inventory like the inaugural Redbreast Dream Cask, we set out to create a new Redbreast whiskey like you have never tasted before. The coming together of three exceptional casks, originally destined for Redbreast 21, and a rare Pedro Ximénez sherry butt is a first for Midleton, and the careful balance of sweet, spice, and sherry flavours offers a new and complex take in the classic Redbreast Christmas cake profile – its sure to add an extra cheer to your World Whiskey Day celebrations this year!“
Redbreast Dream Cask Pedro Ximénez Edition will be available to purchase from 3pm (GMT) on May 27th, exclusively through Redbreast’s Birdhouse Members’ Club.
It is casked at 52.2% ABV (104.4 Proof), in a 500ml bottle and will retail for €380 with a limit of 2 per member.
Please Note the official tasting notes by Head Blender, Billy Leighton.
Aroma: full rich aroma of liquorice and treacle toffee, giving cover to vanilla sweetness and a concentrate of caramelised dried fruits. Cinnamon and clove acknowledge the presence of the ex-bourbon influence whilst hazelnut and almond nuttiness add to the complexity delivered by the fine old Pedro Ximénez butt from Jerez.
Taste: A rich viscous mouthfeel of satisfyingly assertive spices combined with sweet ripe fruit. The liquorice notes slowly evolve to reveal those typical exotic fruits and berries which define the Redbreast style.
Finish: Rich and long with those familiar Redbreast berries, slow to fade.