By Richard Thomas
Score: A-
(Credit score: Irish Distillers)
New Midleton is solely answerable for holding the legacy of Irish pot nonetheless whiskey, based mostly on a mixture of malted and unmalted barley, alive. Though that type of whiskey figures in most every part they make, it was the re-launch of the model Redbreast in 1991 that was instrumental in reviving the distinctively Irish identification of single pot nonetheless whiskey for the fashionable drinker. Now New Midleton has put a brand new rung on the Redbreast ladder, this time within the center: Redbreast 18 Yr Previous.
Single pot nonetheless whiskey is a spin-off from the one malt whiskey being made in Eire up till 1785, when the British Crown made one other effort at profiting off the onerous work of the Irish folks by slapping a tax on malted barley. The distillers partly dodged this tax by utilizing the attribute unmalted and malted barley combine (generally with different grains too) that characterised Irish Whiskey by means of its nineteenth Century heyday. At New Midleton, they make just a few totally different variations of pot nonetheless whiskey, and all of it’s triple distilled. However like single malt, all of it comes from the identical plant.
This whiskey was aged in a wide range of cask shares: ex-bourbon barrels, Oloroso Sherry casks, Ruby Port pipes, and (that is the bizarre kicker alternative) Cream Sherry casks. Grasp Blender Dave McCabe mentioned of the latter alternative, “By incorporating cream sherry casks, we’ve created a whiskey that boasts a wealthy profile of darkish chocolate, blackcurrants, and hazelnuts.” This middle-aged Redbreast was bottled at 46% ABV.
The Whiskey
My pour took on a boring, gentle amber look within the Glencairn. I discovered the nostril to have a present of that pumpernickel and molasses that one so usually finds within the American malted ryes. However there was additionally an earthy, nutty facet to the whiskey, in addition to a word of lemon zest and a sturdy spiciness. The palate opened fairly woody, however not unduly so, earlier than returning to a cocoa and nutty earthiness mixed with boozy darkish berries spiced with cinnamon. That turns peppery on the again finish, earlier than rolling into a greater balanced berries-cum-cinnamon end.
The Value
Redbreast 18 Yr Previous ought to fetch $250 a bottle.
