The Irish are not only celebrating St Patrick’s Day this month but also their Redbreasts, pirates, The Buskers love of worn leather, dried tobacco leaf, and toasted oak with the launch of several premium, long-awaited, and many sought-after whiskies.
Irish Distillers is celebrating the 30th anniversary of the resurrection of Redbreast with a limited edition honoring the original Gilbey’s 10-Year-Old Whiskey produced by Dublin wine and spirits merchant W A Gilbey at the turn of the 20th century. Master blender Billy Leighton’s new Redbreast 10 Year Old comprises three distillates aged between 10 and 15 years in both American oak Bourbon barrels and oloroso sherry butts. Bottled at a cask strength of 59.1% ABV, Redbreast 10 Year Old retails for $119. The expression is available exclusively via The Birdhouse, Redbreast’s online membership platform.
Pernod Ricard USA has re-introduced “Blue Spot” to the United States. The US relaunch signals the end of a 57-year wait for the whiskey, which gets its name from the paints marking the barrels to be matured for a minimum of seven years.
Also, Co Carlow’s The Busker Triple Cask Triple Smooth has been winning plaudits as a top Irish blend. “Our team at The Royal Oak Distillery set out to make an Irish whiskey that would appeal not only to Irish whiskey drinkers but also to bourbon lovers,” said Ignacio Llaneza, Vice President of Brand & Trade Marketing for Disaronno International in the U.S.
Co Mayo’s Grace O’Malley Irish Spirits has also unveiled its Blended Irish Whiskey. A blend of high content double distilled (40%) and triple distilled (6%) malt; it joins the brand’s premium range of limited release whiskeys, including its acclaimed Rum Cask. Grace O’Malley is also responsible for Proclamation Blended Irish Whiskey commemorating the 1916 Proclamation defining Ireland’s independence.
With one of the highest malt contents in the blended whiskey category at 46%, Grace O’Malley’s premium whiskey from The Great Northern Distillery’s master blender Paul Caris, former winemaker, and Bordeaux native, is the latest Irish whiskey to bear the name of Ireland’s most famous pirate and ruthless plunderer who captained the White Seahorse in the sixteenth century.
