Table Of Contents
The Details
| Rating | 90 |
| Style |
Irish Whiskey Whiskey |
| Classification | Single Pot Still |
| Produced In | Ireland |
| ABV | 46% |
| Availability | Limited |
| Price | $117.00 |
| Reviewed By | |
| Reviewed | 2024-06-21 |
Redbreast Cuatro Barriles Review
Produced at Ireland’s mammoth Midleton Distillery, Redbreast is one of the world’s most famous Irish single pot still whiskeys, and for good reason. Its 12, 15, and 21 year expressions are global shelf and bar staples, with some halo products (like the fantastic 27 year) building brand prestige among the most discerning drinkers.
In recent years, the brand has rolled out a series of Travel Retail exclusive releases. The latest in its Iberian Series is Redbreast Cuatro Barriles (Spanish for “four barrels”). The expression — which Redbreast says is a permanent addition to their Travel Retail line — is aged in a combination of oloroso sherry, tawny port wine, virgin European oak, and ex-bourbon casks. (Hence the four barrel blend.)
The bottles are available exclusively in travel retail outlets, so be on the lookout when traversing through duty free shops. (I picked up this bottle in the Dublin airport.) It’s a non age-stated release retailing for around $117 USD at the time of this writing. Redbreast Cuatro Barriles is bottled at 92 proof.
Let’s see how Redbreast’s latest travel offering stacks up!
Redbreast Cuatro Barriles: Stats and Availability
Redbreast Cuatro Barriles is available exclusively in travel retail outlets — like duty free shops — in a 700ml bottle format. It’s currently priced at 108 euros, and as of the time of this writing, that’s around $117. I picked up this particular bottle in the Dublin airport, where it was readily available and well stocked at several duty free shops. It’s also available at Cork’s airport.
Some American retailers are charging quite a premium for this expression (nearly $1000), so it’s likely more cost effective to book a trip to Ireland and pick up a bottle or two on your way back.
Redbreast Cutro Barriles Review
As with all of VinePair’s whiskey reviews, this was tasted in a Glencairn glass and rested for at least five minutes.
Nose
Classic Redbreast notes start things off: bready and malt-forward spice, light cherry, vanilla extract, and dark raisins among them. Perhaps unsurprisingly, compared to the standard 12 year expression, the oak is dialed way up, barrel char and wood sugars taking a quick handoff from those familiar pot still aromas.
Scents of toasted hazelnuts and mild drip coffee follow that initial mix of pot still aromas and heavy oak, again bounded by that ever-present barley spice.
On the nose, Redbreast Cuatro Barriles showcases the influence of virgin European oak among its cask types, with wood influence above and beyond most Irish pot still whiskey. However, at least on the nose, Redbreast has preserved its classic underlying profile. We’re off to a solid start.
Taste
In a rare instance, the mouthfeel is the first thing I really hone in on: it’s both light and creamy, allowing the whiskey to quickly coat the tongue while lingering enough for each sip to stick around for a while. Raisin-forward sweetness is accented by small pops of baking spice — cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg — that build fairly consistently across all sections of the palate.
That said, the initial flavors take some time to develop, and the first couple sips feel a little subdued compared to the nose. I would have welcomed significantly more cherry, vanilla, and characteristic malt early on.
All three of those flavors eventually reveal themselves, along with fig and baked apple that buttress the oak-forward sweetness and provide some welcome depth. Both black and white pepper join traditional baking spice toward the back of the palate, which creates a crescendoing effect from a relatively muted start to a sweet, spicy, and fruity finale in the mouth.
Redbreast Cuatro Barriles is a new take on the classic Irish pot still profile, with influence from a broad swatch of cask types. The whiskey certainly gets there — it just takes some time to do so.
Finish
The finish leans heavily into apple, caramel, and pepper for a balanced — and frankly pretty captivating — final act. As with the nose, tannic and sweet elements work together in near-elegance. At the very end of the finish comes an unexpected burst of mixed berries, keeping the flavors fresh amid the heavier-than-normal oak.
Redbreast Cuatro Barriles Rating
90/100
Recap
Redbreast Cuatro Barriles is very likely to please existing fans of Irish pot still whiskey. For bourbon drinkers — an international travel audience, and almost certainly a target demographic here — it’s a potential onramp to the category, with wood influence that feels at least somewhat familiar. Both the nose and finish are rich and satisfying with lots to love.
I found the palate a little slow to develop, so I’d recommend taking your time and letting the flavors build across sips. In this case at least, patience (and a trip through a duty free shop) is a worthwhile virtue.
*Image retrieved from Pernod-Ricard
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