The first Redbreast whiskey was released by W&A Gilbey, a wine merchant and importer, in 1903 under the name “John Jameson & Sons Castle JJ Liqueur Whiskey 12 Year Old” though it wasn’t known under the Redbreast name until 1912, so named due to the chairman of Gilbey’s being a bird enthusiast. While the sourcing of Redbreast has changed more than once it is currently distilled at the New Midleton Distillery after the Jameson Bow Street Distillery closed. The Redbreast line is the largest selling single pot still Irish whiskey in the world. The Redbreast 15 is comprised of malted and unmalted barley and has been matured in a mixture of both ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks, like all Redbreast whiskies.
Jura 10 Year
Jura distillery is a seeming cat of a distillery, founded in 1810 and possessed of nine lives, or at least a timeline of eight owners. The last major rebuild of the distillery was in 1963, from whence it has been producing a variety of single malts. The island of Jura is very difficult to reach, with the distillery being one of the few actual businesses on it (one road, one pub, one distillery). With approximately 200 Diurachs – the Gaelic name for the inhabitants – living on the island, most everyone there knows someone who works at Jura. In 2018, the complete core line of Jura was retired as the distillery decided to move in a new flavor direction. The Jura 10 is the cornerstone of that relaunch, aging in ex-bourbon barrels before being finished for an undisclosed time in ex-Oloroso sherry casks.