REDBREAST UNVEILS “REDBREAST KENTUCKY OAK EDITION”
THE FIRST RELEASE IN REDBREAST’S AMERICAN OAK SERIES EXCLUSIVELY FOR THE U.S MARKET
Redbreast Irish Whiskey, created by Irish Distillers at Midleton Distillery, is embarking on an exciting new chapter as it unveils a dedicated whiskey collection for the United States. The American Oak series celebrates the influential and integral role of native wood in the production of Redbreast Irish Whiskey, giving provenance to the wood and unique American Oak influences to the whiskey.
The first limited release in this innovative series, Redbreast Kentucky Oak Edition, is made from malted and unmalted barley, triple distilled in copper pot stills and matured in American Oak Bourbon barrels and Spanish Oloroso sherry butts, before being finished for a period of 3 to 7 months in naturally air-dried PEFC certified American White Oak[1] sourced from the Taylor Family’s Elk Cave Farm in Kentucky. These casks have been hand selected for finishing, using the best quality white oak, to impart additional sweet notes of vanilla and elevated wood spices.
“Redbreast is renowned for its heavy sherry influence,” explains Master Blender Billy Leighton. “This can often mean that its ex-bourbon counterpart is overlooked, even though Kentucky white oak barrels, which have previously held bourbon, are central to the Redbreast DNA.
“This series explores the role American white oak plays in the composition of Redbreast, and takes it one step further, with a final flourish in virgin casks to enable the wood contribution to truly take centre stage.”
Seeking the best quality barrels, Leighton and the team at Midleton Distillery partnered with the owners of Elk Cave Farm, Clifton and sons Scott and Steve Taylor, to source high grade white oak from their 1,300-acre tree farm. As committed environmentalists, the Taylor family have championed sustainable farming practices since purchasing the land in 1959 and today are recognised across the country for the award-winning methods used on their farm. Under the Taylor family’s guardianship, Elk Cave Farm has become renowned for successfully applying the oak shelterwood system in their mature oak forests. Shelterwood, a forestry technique that emphasizes early tending of young oak seedlings by improving forest light conditions and reducing competitors, has proven successful in the Taylors’ mission to sustainably manage their oak forests. In addition, these productive oak forests will provide valuable wildlife habitat, clean water and fresh air today and for future generations.
Once felled, sawn and air dried, the oak was worked into 63 casks and shipped to Midleton Distillery, Co. Cork, to be filled with a bespoke batch of Redbreast whiskey. Leighton and his team diligently monitored the barrels until the perfect balance of flavour, aroma and wood contribution had been achieved.
Further reinforcing Midleton’s pioneering spirit, the result is luxuriously smooth and distinctly Redbreast with an additional layer of sweet vanilla and elevated wood spices imparted from the virgin Kentucky casks. Bottled at 101 proof (50.5% ABV), the non-chill filtered whiskey effortlessly balances the pot still spices and dried fruit with the intricate aroma of freshly cut cedarwood and decadent notes of almond and brown sugar toffee for an elevated flavour profile.
“Crafting this whiskey has been a journey of discovery,” adds Leighton. “From learning about the trailblazing work of the Taylor family improving the sustainability of America’s oak forests, to exploring the region’s influence upon our whiskey, all of which has shaped this deliciously complex whiskey. The Kentucky Oak series demonstrates Redbreast’s continued evolution, setting the bar for subsequent expressions in the series.”
Scott Taylor adds: “Our family is honoured to work alongside the Redbreast team, witnessing first-hand their passion and dedication to creating great tasting sustainably produced whiskey. Much like whiskey making, tree farming requires patience and faith that future generations will reap the benefit of decisions we make today. It has been incredibly rewarding to watch this project come to fruition and to see our home-grown Kentucky oak shape the flavour of a Redbreast Irish whiskey.”
Redbreast Kentucky Oak will be exclusively available in the US from June 23rd at an SRP of $95.99. For more information, and selected retailers, visit the Redbreast website: www.redbreastwhiskey.com.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Opens with notes of freshly cut cedarwood, almond and vanilla, while succulent dark berries resting on new oak shavings enhance the sweet fruit and warming charred wood influences, complementing the pot still spices.
Taste: Spices to the fore of cinnamon, nutmeg and clove that continue to build over time working in tandem with the oak’s rich tannins while balanced with autumnal fruit notes that delicately linger in the background along with sweet and decadent notes of brown sugar toffee and vanilla.
Finish: Lasting finish with the fruits the first to slowly fade, leaving the pot still spices to linger effortlessly in harmony with the sweet tones and intricate nature of the American oak.
About Irish Distillers
Irish Distillers is Ireland’s leading supplier of spirits and wines, and producer of some 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 bestselling Irish whiskey, experiencing 30 years of consecutive growth up to 2019 and hitting sales of 8.6m cases in 2021. Our brands are exported to 130+ markets.
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 €400 million 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 No.2 worldwide producer of wines and spirits with consolidated sales of €8,824 million in FY21. Created in 1975 by the merger of Ricard and Pernod, the Group has developed through organic growth and acquisitions: Seagram (2001), Allied Domecq (2005) and Vin&Sprit (2008). Pernod Ricard, which owns 16 of the Top 100 Spirits Brands, holds one of the most prestigious and comprehensive brand portfolios in the industry, including: 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’s brands are distributed across 160+ markets and by its own salesforce in 73 markets. The Group’s decentralised organisation empowers its 19,000 employees to be true on-the-ground ambassadors of its vision of “Créateurs de Convivialité.” As reaffirmed by the Group’s three-year strategic plan, “Transform and Accelerate,” deployed in 2018, Pernod Ricard’s strategy focuses on investing in long-term, profitable growth for all stakeholders. The Group remains true to its three founding values: entrepreneurial spirit, mutual trust, and a strong sense of ethics. As illustrated by the 2030 roadmap supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), “We bring good times from a good place.” In recognition of Pernod Ricard’s strong commitment to sustainable development and responsible consumption, it has received a Gold rating from Ecovadis and is ranked No. 1 in the beverage sector in Vigeo Eiris. Pernod Ricard is also a United Nation’s Global Compact LEAD company.
Pernod Ricard is listed on Euronext (Ticker: RI; ISIN code: FR0000120693) and is part of the CAC 40 index.
[1] The Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) is an international, non-profit, non-governmental organization which promotes sustainable forest management through independent third-party certification. Elk Farm has been verified by independent experts as a sustainably managed forest in line with strict international standards.
