Robin Redbreast flying over the smooth lands of Ireland…
I went to Japan the last time I was on this voyage to experience a nice combination of local whiskey and food. It was a wonderful experience for me, and I hope the following stage will be just as enjoyable.
This time, I am back in Europe and ready for another adventure. Even though I am back in Europe, I am going on another adventure into uncharted territory. I have entered Ireland’s forests, which have been famed for their smoothness and lightness since the 12th century. I have had Irish whiskey before, and I have to give credit where credit is due: the Irish have been producing smooth and light whiskies since the dawn of time. Ireland has produced a number of excellent whiskies. I am pleased the adventure has brought us here so that we may all enjoy their fantastic whiskey.
As I previously stated, I am in the forest, and one of the things I enjoy most about being in the middle of all the trees is the sounds. I especially enjoy hearing birds sing, and I am currently looking for a certain bird that produces one of Ireland’s most unique whiskies. Fortunately, he is easily identified by his red breast, which I have found! The Red Breast Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey, aged 15 years, has just landed on my shoulder. This whiskey is unique in a variety of ways.
For starters, it is a single pot still whiskey that I have never had before, therefore it is a unique experience for me. Single pot still whiskey is created in a single distillery and is a blend of unmalted and malted barley. Second, this 15-year-old Redbreast still has his original bottling label. They now mainly make updated labels.
Irish whiskey is recognized for being sweet and light, but Redbreast is in a class of its own. Let us see how it differs from traditional Irish whiskey! Let us start with the colour, which has that lovely burnt amber aspect to it. Beautiful colour, it reminded me of warm and melted sugar!
After the initial note, the nose was pleasantly engaging; I could sense something quite unfamiliar and soft. The unknown element got my attention because I would never sniff anything like that before; it was delicate, fruity, fresh, sweet, and salty. This scent that the whiskey enjoys was quickly becoming my all-time favourite whiskey nose I had ever experienced. I began to dig deeper into this rich wonder and discovered some mango, liqueurs, lemon, and cotton candy from the theme park.
The whiskey in my mouth was smooth and oily; it was not as light as other Irish whiskeys I had experienced, but it was sophisticated and spicy. The peppery note appeared after I swirled the alcohol in my mouth, so be prepared for it. That is the impact that a single pot still provides; you will certainly feel the barley’s side effects. It would take some effort to keep it in, but in the end, I felt an olive oil leftover after grilling steak with rosemary. It is magnificent, and it will get your tastebuds tingling.
After the hot and greasy phase was over, I had the pleasure of witnessing the effects of a wonderful sherry cask that had matured and become more diverse. The aftertaste of the notes resembled me of some of the best scotches I would ever have, but there was still an Irish whiskey touch to it. With the first half of the finish, the whiskey provided woody, toasted, and flowery notes. The next stage displayed to me the deeper layers of everything that had come before, and I began to feel toasty and burnt toast that had just hopped out of the toaster. There was oak bark, and after the wood part, I was left with a beautiful Christmas tangerine that periodically caressed my tastebuds with a scent of lavenders for a long time.
The 15-year-old Redbreast offered me a new viewpoint on the Irish whiskey market; now I know that Irish whiskies are not only light and sweet but there are also wide-ranging whiskeys that will fire up your engine. Before the sampling, I decided to bring food that I consider to be near to my heart. On my wooden cutting board, I have smoked duck breast and smoky pork sausage. I added a jar of spicy jalapeno jam, where also was kiwi, lime, and mint, to make the meat portion “mine.” Great dinner for me, and now I am going to have some whiskey next to me. Let us get started.
The primary attraction, the smoked duck, was tender, and the duck fat laid the groundwork for the whiskey. The whiskey had an oily component to it, and the duck fat worked well together; there was nothing wrong with this combo.
Now it is time for the smoked pork to shine, and the bar has been raised after the duck. The pork did not offer me the same emotion or experience as the duck, but it was not any worse. The smokiness that the pork provided for the whiskey was a positive factor for the pork because it was lacking in the Redbreast. That was not a negative thing; the whiskey was sophisticated in its own right. The smoky pork and the liquor worked well together, and if you want to add some smoke to the mix, use that combo.
The wild horse is the hot jam since the jalapeño has the potential to block my tastes to anything else. I will start with the duck in the jam and then go on to the pork. The outcome with both of them was the same as predicted: overly hot. The mouth was on fire, and the powerful alcohol did nothing except give fuel to the flames. As a result, do not pair jalapeño with whiskey during dinner.
The conclusion was marked by a large bonfire, yet there are no regrets. I spent a wonderful time in the Irish countryside, and it was a delight to spend time with the Robin Redbreast. He provided me with rich and eye-opening knowledge that I will remember throughout this journey. I shall return to the whiskey world’s wilderness the next time since the next guest is the oldest of the lot. If you are curious, you can find out who my next tasting partner is by following me on social media. But now it is time to call it a night; I hope you loved it as much as I did. Have a wonderful time and be safe! Salute!
DiamondWhiskey 