REDBREAST REMAINS THE WORLD’S ‘BEST IRISH WHISKEY’ FOR JIM MURRAY

Redbreast 21 Year Old has been recognised as the ‘Second Finest Whiskey in the World’ by leading whiskey writer, Jim Murray in his annual Jim Murray Whisky Bible – the highest accolade ever awarded by Murray to an Irish whiskey.

Scoring a near-perfect 97 out of 100 points, the pinnacle of the Redbreast range was also awarded ‘Best Irish Whiskey of the Year’ and ‘Best Irish Pot Still Whiskey of the Year’ for the second year running and the third time in four years since its launch in 2013.

The announcement closes another highly successful awards season for Redbreast 21 Year Old, having won five top gongs around the world, including gold medals at the 2017 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, International Spirits Challenge and The Irish Whiskey Masters, in addition to scores of 95 and 97 out of 100 at the Beverage Testing Institute and Ultimate Spirits Challenge respectively.

Commenting on the accolade, Billy Leighton, Redbreast Head Blender, said: “This nod from Jim Murray is truly heartwarming for me and everyone at Midleton Distillery who has helped to make Redbreast such an enjoyed whiskey. We are humbled by this and it’s really encouraging to see traditional Irish pot still whiskey take one of the top spots in the world of whiskeys and whiskies. When we were preparing for the launch of Redbreast 21 in 2013 and we were doing our tastings, we knew we had something special on our hands so it is great to see this appreciation shared by people across the world. This award is a testament to the team at Midleton and especially to my predecessors who had the foresight to squirrel away those casks that helped us to bring Redbreast 21 to the world.”

Now in its 15^th edition, Jim Murray has tasted more than 4,500 different whiskeys in order to compile Jim Murray Whisky Bible 2018, evaluating each entrant out of 25 for its nose, taste, finish and balance in order to curate a score out of 100.

About Irish Distillers

Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard is Ireland’s leading supplier of spirits and wines and producer of the world’s most well-known and successful Irish whiskeys. Led by Jameson, our brands are driving the global renaissance of Irish whiskey. Jameson is the world’s fastest-growing Irish whiskey, experiencing 28 years of consecutive growth and hitting sales of 6.5m cases in 2017. Our brands are exported to 130+ markets, with over 71 of those experiencing double- or triple-digit growth.

Irish Distillers was formed in 1966, when a merger took place between John Power & Son, John Jameson & Son and Cork Distilleries Company. In 1988 Irish Distillers joined Pernod Ricard, gaining access to unprecedented levels of investment and an extensive global distribution network. Since 2012, we have invested over €250m to double our production and bottling capacity to meet global demand for our products.

We employ over 600 people across our operations in Cork and Dublin. 

About Pernod Ricard

Pernod Ricard is the world’s n°2 in wines and spirits with consolidated Sales of € 9, 010 million in 2016/17. Created in 1975 by the merger of Ricard and Pernod, the Group has undergone sustained development, based on both organic growth and acquisitions: Seagram (2001), Allied Domecq (2005) and Vin&Sprit (2008). Pernod Ricard holds one of the most prestigious brand portfolios in the sector: Absolut Vodka, Ricard pastis, Ballantine’s, Chivas Regal, Royal Salute and The Glenlivet Scotch whiskies, Jameson Irish whiskey, Martell cognac, Havana Club rum, Beefeater gin, Malibu liqueur, Mumm and Perrier- Jouët champagnes, as well Jacob’s Creek, Brancott Estate, Campo Viejo and Kenwood wines. Pernod Ricard employs a workforce of approximately 18,500 people and operates through a decentralised organisation, with 6 “Brand Companies” and 86 “Market Companies” established in each key market. Pernod Ricard is strongly committed to a sustainable development policy and encourages responsible consumption. Pernod Ricard’s strategy and ambition are based on 3 key values that guide its expansion: entrepreneurial spirit, mutual trust and a strong sense of ethics. www.pernod-ricard.com