Redbreast 12 years

It's been awhile since we sampled an Irish whiskey simply because we didn't have any others in our stash apart from the Bushmill's and Middleton that have already been reviewed. As luck would have it, one of our friends TB brought over a bottle of Redbreast after realizing the deficit in our collection. Redbreast is one of the pure pot still whiskies from Ireland available in the market. This traditional method of distilling the whisky, which combines both malted and unmalted barley, gives the whiskey a unique and strong flavour.

THE REVIEW

Comments: Fresh and floral with a slight nutty edge. Very complex for a 12 year whisky and has interesting sherry/wine-like flavours. Have one in your collection at all times to show what the Irish are capable of producing.

Middleton Very Rare 2004

What is the main difference between Irish and Scotch Whisky? Irish Whiskey is usually triple distilled (compared to double distilled for Scotch) which makes for a much smoother and sweeter drink. Debating which is the better dram has been the source of national pride for many years for these two countries. The Middleton Very Rare represents a blend of the finest Irish Whiskies handpicked by Middleton's Master Distiller Barry Crockett each year.

The Review


Taste Profile

The Scoring

Conclusion: It's nice to taste an Irish Whiskey once in awhile as the peat flavour in most Scotch Whiskies is completely absent due to the fact, well, they do not use peat in the process (duh). While we generally like Irish Whiskies because of the smooth flavour, this blend was a tad too saccharine sweet for our liking.

Scotland vs Ireland (Whisky vs Whiskey) - Lagavulin 16 and Bushmills 16

Here’s an interesting tasting that pits, in our opinion, the best, affordable whiskies which Scotland and Ireland have to offer. Presenting the Lagavulin 16 years versus Bushmills 16 years. Whisky vs. Whiskey (For your info, only in Ireland and United States it is spelled with an additional ‘e’).

The Review

Taste Profile

The Scoring

Lagavulin 16 Years

Comments: Overpowering peat combined with layers of pine, walnuts, dark chocolate and hints of sulphur. Truly one of the great distilleries in the world. A must for any collection.

Bushmills 16 Years

Comments: Still one of my favourite whiskies with its strong nutty and vanilla flavours. It seems to be hard to find outside of Ireland unless you look in specialty shops. Grab it when you see it!

The Verdict

It was a close battle between 2 delicious whiskies but eventually Lagavulin edged out Bushmills as the better whisky. This was a tough decision as Bushmills was the whisk(e)y that introduced me to the water of life.