Redbreast Tawny Port Edition

The Redbreast brand has long been fans of using cask maturation as part of their whiskey’s identity, such almost always utilizing some component of ex-sherry casks of some sort in their core offerings and many of their limited editions. The Redbreast Tawny Port Edition was launched in 2023 as the third release in the brand’s Iberian Series, which looks to pair whiskey with esteemed wine producers from the Iberian penninsula. It is a single pot still whiskies aged in ex-bourbon and ex-Oloroso sherry casks, then transferred to ex-tawny port casks before being married and matured in freshly seasoned tawny port hogsheads for 14-25 months, resulting in layers of influence.

Brand: Redbreast
Distillery: Midleton
Country: Ireland
Age: NAS
Strength: 46%
Price: $86.99
Maturation: ex-bourbon and ex-Oloroso sherry cask maturation, ex-tawny port cask finish
Location: Midleton, County Cork
Nose: Wintergreen, pomegranate, vanilla, flan, heather, floral, plum, orange
Palate: Caramel, floral, fruit, blood orange, tannin, brown sugar, black pepper
Finish: Oak, almondwood

Comments: Another entry in the Iberian Series is the Redbreast Lustau Edition.

Adam – The nose sparkles with a bit more heat than I expected but there’s still no mistaking the fruits and floral perfume underneath. I’m not sure if I’d be able identify the port coming through as Tawny but the plum and molasses come through clearly. There’s a flush of something fresher after you first pour it, perhaps wintergreen? This balances out the longer it sits in your glass and the sherry influence from the maturation steps forward. The palate enters with tannins that are almost distractingly strong, followed by some black pepper. After a few sips that strong starter mellows and allows some fruits to enter, dancing with a rich but brief sweetness of brown sugar and caramel before trailing off with a thin woody finish. With smaller sips, indeed, a savory quality hits instead of the starker elements. I’m not quite sure what the Redbreast Tawny is going for, as it almost feels a little misbalanced, leaving me wondering what a few tweaks (or years) might have resulted in.

Kate – When the Redbreast Tawny is first poured, it has a heavy vanilla and wintergreen. As it oxidizes, I got more of the sherry and molasses. Very sweet on the nose. A zesty, peppery, bitter, orange flavor on the palate. 

Henry – Wine cask elements resolve into a nose of dark plum, pomegranate, orange/almond paste, and soft vanilla. Palate hits hot with strong tannins and a punch of caramelised brown sugar leading to a drying, woody finish with hints of almondwood and a very pleasing residual sweetness.

Ben – I like the Redbreast Tawny very much. And I like that it’s not like anything else. I love that I had to search for the flavor in the middle and figure out what it was. The nose is so strong and the finish came to me before I could grapple with the front of the palate. It seems to work really well when compared against other things, like Chambord or the Abasolo. It did promise me something sweet, with all the dark stone fruit and sweetness in the nose, and then the palate came out savory.

Bill – The nose has a bright scent. Flowery, heathery, bright on the nose. I really like that. The mouthfeel is oily, a nice oil. The palate is warming, I love this. The heather continues from the palate along with caramel. 

Mike – I really get the port influence on the nose. I’m very much reminded of the caramel note that great flan has and I really enjoy it. 

Sam – Mild old english furnisher wax on the nose. Not in a bad way. After it oxidizes a bit, you start to get that bourbon barrel influence. Meaty like a stew on the palate, more umami than the nose would suggest. Heavy wood notes as it sits. Kinda has a Chambord taste after drinking.