Table Of Contents
The Details
| Rating | 93 |
| Style |
Irish Whiskey Whiskey |
| Produced In | Ireland |
| ABV | 50.5% |
| Availability | Limited |
| Price | $199.00 |
| Reviewed By | |
| Review Updated | 2024-07-31 |
Redbreast Missouri Oak Edition Review
For many Americans, Irish pot still whiskey is a category that is still (perhaps unintentionally) shrouded in mystery.
Beyond the still type requirement, Irish regulations dictate the whiskey must be made from a mash containing at least 30 percent malted barley and at least 30 percent unmalted barley. Under current guidelines, up to five percent of other grains (for example rye, corn, oats, or wheat) may be used. In the case of “single pot still,” that production must happen at one distillery.
Redbreast is perhaps the most well-known exported Irish single pot still, produced at the massive Midleton distilleries complexin County Cork. (The Pernod Ricard-owned facility also produces Jameson, Powers, Midleton Very Rare, and Green Spot, among others.) In addition to its age-stated expressions, Redbreast has also leaned into special releases via travel exclusives and the “American Oak Series,” which launched in 2022 with Redbreast Kentucky Oak.
The latest in that line is Redbreast Missouri Oak, which takes Irish single pot still — aged across sherry and ex-bourbon barrels — and then finishes it for 12 months in virgin Missouri oak barrels from Kelvin Cooperage. It’s a relatively rare instance in which single pot still whiskey touches virgin oak barrels, which in theory could impart pronounced wood flavors more commonly associated with American whiskey.
Let’s see how that additional aging time in virgin Missouri oak paid off!
Redbreast Missouri Oak Edition: Stats and Availability
Redbreast Missouri Oak is a limited release expression and the second in the brand’s American Oak Series. Its suggested retail price is $199, roughly twice the price of 2022’s Kentucky Oak release. While Irish whiskey is a growing category in the U.S., these special editions don’t yet have the same legions of fans compared to highly allocated bourbon releases. I’ve seen some bottles of Missouri Oak marked up a bit above retail, but rarely by much.
Redbreast Missouri Oak Edition Review
As with all of VinePair’s whiskey reviews, this was tasted in a Glencairn glass and rested for at least five minutes.
Nose
The nose kicks off with a black cherry and grape candy, carried by a lightly warming ethanol heat that already makes me happy this was bottled at over 100 proof. There are traditional Rebreast notes — some semi-sour pot still “funk” and a pronounced malt characteristic — but even at the first sniff, those are folded in with complex sweetness and fruit beyond what the normal 12-year expression brings.
More time in the glass brings forth greater influence from the oak (though it’s always an inexact science to say which casks bring specific components). Cinnamon, allspice, and bay leaf shine through, and at times, those scents are reminiscent of rye spice one might sense on certain American whiskeys. Wet tobacco and book binding come through at the very end, and only then in minimal quantities. Roasted peanut, toasted wood sugars, and orange rind help round out a composed nose that carries fruit throughout while layering in escalating spice and wood influence. Intriguing!
Taste
A first sip brings a gentle wave of creamy sweetness, like light caramel made from sweetened condensed milk. (A fun crockpot recipe for those who are curious.) That sweetness builds with subsequent sips — carried by a silky, creamy mouthfeel — but never falls into saccharine territory.
By the midpalate, milk caramel partially hands the reins to spiced baked fruit. That fruit is less tart compared to the nose, more baked apple and green pear than cherry or grape. And about the spice: it’s slightly more muted than I would have liked, a criticism only in that the nose promised something a bit bolder than the palate delivers. It’s still plenty tasty, those baking spices — now with some cardamom pods! — frictionlessly complementing the fruit.
The back and sides of the palate move back toward caramel, this time darker and more wood-forward than the sweetness early on. Partially due to the whiskey’s viscosity, the flavors linger for quite some time here before transitioning to a true finish.
Finish
Light cinnamon sugar and baked apple stick around from the palate through to a satisfying and lengthy finish. (Apple cider donuts, anyone?) The overall strong palate had a few minor inconsistencies, but this last act shows a whiskey in full stride, with the additional virgin oak influence shining for a minute or longer after each swallow.
Redbreast Missouri Oak Edition Rating
93/100
Recap
Redbreast Missouri Oak edition builds on the brand’s familiar Irish pot still profile, infusing sweet and spicy flavors that are likely to please many bourbon drinkers. A bold nose and composed finish are strong highlights; the palate is also plenty tasty, if a tick or two less punchy than the other phases. If the purpose of the American Oak Series is to unite Irish and American whiskey drinkers, this second release is a bottle that’s certainly up to the task.
*Image retrieved from Pernod-Ricard
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