about redbreast 18 year

Redbreast’s 18 Year Old introduces a different shade of sherry to the brand’s single pot still style. Alongside ex-bourbon barrels and Oloroso sherry- and ruby port-seasoned casks, the recipe includes cream sherry-seasoned casks, bringing a distinctive twist to the core range. 

behind the bottle

Introduced in 2024, Redbreast 18 Year Old fills the gap between the 15 and 21 Year Old expressions in the permanent range. It’s made at Midleton Distillery in County Cork from malted and unmalted barley, triple distilled in copper pot stills and matured across bourbon, Oloroso sherry, cream sherry and ruby port casks. It’s bottled at 46% ABV without chill filtration.

flavor camp taste profile

key flavor notes

production details

Single pot still Irish whiskey
Midleton Distillery
Midleton, County Cork, Ireland
46% ABV
18 years
Malted & unmalted barley
Copper pot stills, 3 distillations
Ex-bourbon barrels, Oloroso sherry, cream sherry & ruby port casks
Caramel colouring (non-chill filtered)
$300-$400ish CAD (2026)

what shapes the flavor

The mash and the casks both matter. Single pot still whiskey uses a mix of malted and unmalted barley, which gives a creamy, oily texture and a spicy character that shows up as nutmeg, allspice and mace. Ex-bourbon barrels add vanilla spiced oak and rich toffee, while Oloroso sherry brings dried figs, dark chocolate and cigar box. Cream sherry and ruby port are the new additions, adding caramel apples and dried raspberries. Eighteen years in wood push it toward leather and coffee cake.

house style

Redbreast is the flagship of the single pot still Irish whiskey style, known for rich, fruity, sherry-influenced whiskeys with a creamy texture and warm spice. The classic Redbreast formula relies on bourbon and Oloroso casks. The 18 Year adds cream sherry and ruby port to that recipe, bringing a new layer to a style rooted in Ireland’s historic single pot still tradition.
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