🥃 Whisky Auctioneer

Ok, so this is not about anything! Redbreast 12 CS is a miracle! Circus tastes and smells without mistakes and compromises! If I had to choose a whiskey that everyone on this planet who has taste likes, this whiskey would probably be in the final... Great, great great whiskey at a good price! This is how it should be done, wonderful whiskey available to the general public!

Cinnamon bun, Christmas, vanilla, oak and clove. Short finish but really solid bottle

With a little water it opens up nicely. Very tasty, spicy and fruity tipple!

Nase: Süß, Vanille, Aprikose, Apfel, leicht Zitrone, Malz, Marzipan, etwas Zimt, Eiche ••• Geschmack: Süß, würzige Eiche, Apfel, Vanille, Marzipan, Malz, leichte Zitrone, Eiche, etwas Apfelschale ••• Abgang: Mittellang, süßes Malz mit Apfel und etwas Apfelschale bleiben. ••• Fazit: Die Nase ist cremig und süß. Süße Noten, Vanille und Aprikose kommen zu Beginn. Anschließend folgen Apfel und ein Hauch Zitrone. Dazu kommen Marzipan und etwas Zimt. Eiche ist ebenfalls da. Im Geschmack geht es sehr kräftig los. Süße Noten und würzige Eiche gibt es anfangs. Gleich danach kommen Apfel, Vanille, Marzipan und Malz. Ein Hauch Zitrone schwingt mit. Eiche und zum Ende hin etwas Apfelschale kommen nun noch. Der Alkohol ist im Geschmack deutlich präsenter als in der Nase, aber nicht störend. Mit Wasser gibt es in der Nase mehr Vanille und Malz und der Antritt im Geschmack wird etwas entschärft. Lecker. Ein schöner Whiskey. Die Iren bekommen oft ein wärmendes und cremiges Gefühl mit ihren Pot Still Whiskeys hin. Fehlnoten habe ich keine. ••• 87-88

What a board. When I try to recall the previous batches, I can't remember such a magnificent nose. And since the rest is hardly inferior to the nose, I'll just say it like this: best batch so far.

Tasting: 2025-02-22 Character / Style: Mild & Fruity, Spicy & Woody

Fruity, caramels, butterscotch, apricots and peaches. Pot still renders the oily mouthfeel, spices, red fruits and well rounded. Top notch sherry flavours. Excellent Irish whiskey. Well worth the jump in price from the still worthy standard 12. My favourite Irish whiskey and in my top five favourite whiskies.

I tasted it today with a little added water, as I haven't been able to tolerate alcohol strengths above 50% very well lately. But in my opinion, that's good for this whiskey.

Creamy honey, very juicy yellow plums, lemon zest, freshly cut young wood. Light floral notes, a hint of iodine. Bananas and dates, apricots and tangerines, melting toffee, buttered toast. On the palate, pure honey. It's a bit light, though, rather spicy, vanilla and citrus, ginger. Pastry cream and cooked fruit, but also some malted cereals, cut hay. Full-bodied, long, woody and earthy finish, deep spices, royal jelly. Egg custard, shortbread cookies, fresh mint. Hazelnuts. It is said that the 12 yo Cask Strength is the cask strength version of the 12 year old but this is inaccurate, there is much less Sherry in the Cask Strength. https://ilikesky2020.blogspot.com/2026/06/redbreast-12-yo-cask-strength-batch.html

I think this is the sweet spot in the lineup. Tasting side by side, and individually over time, 12 Cask is my absolute favorite against the 12 standard, 15, and 21. Midleton is lovely, but the price tag isn't, and I'd rather have more of this than less of that. I have other Irish I enjoy (Dunville's, Waterford), but this is a consistent favorite for its delivery and price point.

Direct comparison with B1/22, still 87.5 points, vanilla, sweetness, nuts, caramel, a lot of spices, earth, chocolate, sometimes grass and sourness 88.5/100

Color: amber

Cotton candy, boiled beans, caramel, vanilla The signature triple-distilled Irish style offers a light and airy cotton candy sweetness. The flavor has creamy vanilla and soft nutty textures.

The intensity and complexity are good, and the enjoyment is acceptable. However, the alcohol effect is too strong! It's not easy to accept. Adding water could reduce the alcohol effect while maintaining the intensity, but the expression would still be somewhat chaotic. Reference price (based on rating): CNY 600

A well-balanced and approachable cask strength whiskey with good complexity and structure. The profile is rich and layered, yet remains easy to engage with. The alcohol is noticeable but does not dominate. Represents strong value for the style and quality, and offers a satisfying balance between intensity and drinkability.

Again a complex exotic fruit bomb on the nose (plus icing rhubarb, gooseberries, forest honey, pine and cedar wood, milk chocolate, raisin rum pot, etc.) with a slight increase from the last edition. Exotic fruits? Yes, endlessly. Toffee? Yes, perfectly combined with the cocktail fruits, fantastic...full-bodied and powerful in the mouth that pushes and pushes; From the back of the empty nosing glass I smell plum jam and a full load of cinnamon. See my notes for Batch 1/2022 (WB217562). I tasted the stuff again today on January 13th, 2024, together with the batch 01/2022. Both bottlings tempt me to let more and more air into the bottle. You have to be very careful. With both bottlings I still find hay and freshly mown grass in the nose. That's awesome!!! Okay, it's very clear: no matter what bottling, in the end the Redbreast 12 Y CS are simply fantastic for the price. These bottlings don't have to hide behind any Scots with similar specifications, the other way around, this Irishman is the benchmark for Scots with similar features top, top, top.

My first Irish whiskies - Redbreast tasting - 08.09.2025 Redbreast 12-year-old https://www.whiskeybase.com/whiskies/whiskey/239822 86 Redbreast Lustau https://www.whiskeybase.com/whiskies/whiskey/270915 84+ Redbreast PX Edition https://www.whiskeybase.com/whiskies/whiskey/261899 86

was sceptic before but wow for a whiskey. verry good

Not your usual Irish whiskey. Heathery, woody, nutmeg, paprika, overripe fruit. Box states dried apricot. Definitely minty. Compared to the 12 year 56.3% version and superior. High marks for complexity. Definitely the better of the 2. Ratings appear to be all over the place. I sometimes suspect some of this has to do with reputation and cost.

Simply a pleasure. All the batches I've been able to taste so far have been excellent - it's difficult for me to determine specific differences, that's only possible in direct comparison and for me the differences are marginal. For single pot still fans, this is the Champions League. This batch surprises with an outstandingly beautiful nose but you won't be disappointed in the taste either. All in all, I'm very satisfied and the next batch has already been booked.

88,50

Probably best quality core range CS available now (2024).

An amazing drop....

Full nose of peaches, tropics, ripe, overripe fruits. It even seemed that there was smoke in the background. Honey-peppery, also creamy in taste. Spicy oak, notes of vanilla. Throat, warming aftertaste. 22-21.5-21.5-22 (almost 88)

Beautiful clean and creamy pot still style. It is a very nice balance between the soft Redbreast malt base spirit and good bourbon casks with just the right amount of sherry casks in the mix. Very sweet and fruity but with enough malty nuttiness and complexity to not make it overbearing. This is very smooth stuff at 57+ % abv and a benchmark for whiskies world wide, a real treat. For more extensive notes read my malt mate Archer and Izzino reviews. If I take price performance into account I would score this higher towards perfection like them. Punches well above its weight as an older more expensive whiskey. 87/100

The 12-year-old Redbreast at cask strength presents itself as an expressive, complex, and powerful single pot still whiskey that convincingly showcases both the typical characteristics of the Redbreast range and the intensity of the cask strength. Even on the nose, it displays a beautiful balance between fruitiness and spice. The combination of vanilla, apricot, and lemon gives it a pleasant freshness, grounded by nutty, malty notes and a significant portion of oak. A subtle pepperiness and spice nuances provide additional depth and make the nosing lively and multi-layered. The complexity continues on the palate: the entry is spicy and powerful – here the cask strength is clearly evident without being overwhelming. The oak is present and adds structure, while vanilla and passion fruit provide a lovely, fruity sweetness. Grainy notes are reminiscent of the pot still distillation and create a creamy, full-bodied mouthfeel that gives the whiskey a characteristically Irish feel. The finish of Redbreast remains pleasantly present. Medium-long, slightly creamy with lingering wood and vanilla notes, it leaves a round, harmonious impression. The cask strength remains noticeable here, but it contributes more to the depth and persistence than to the sharpness. Overall, this Redbreast 12 Cask Strength is an excellent whiskey for lovers of stronger, undiluted bottlings. It rewards with complexity, character, and a balanced interplay of fruit, spice, and wood. Despite its high alcohol content, it feels well-integrated—a whiskey that deserves time, attention, and perhaps a few drops of water to develop its full potential.

Creamy, vanilla, yellow fruit, spices, powdery notes; a bit pungent, very rich, not bad.

It's a nice dram with decent complexity and well-rounded notes. It's doesn't, however, brings the full-bodied stimulation that I expected from a 12-year old CS whiskey.

fruity sherry nose, on red and black fruit, on dry blueberry berries, on damson malty, woody, fruity and candied on the palate, the blackcurrant takes the place of the blueberry, a more pronounced scent, on the blackcurrant jam exactly, sweet and creamy, with the sweet return! long and monolithic finish with a spicy touch.

I am indeed disappointed. I've already had 3 5cl drams over a period of 2 weeks and this is not getting better by any means. I think I will just leave it aside for a few months now, since the bottle has now plenty of brething room to develop, assuming that will happen eventually. It needs water like its predecessor, which I prefer --- sure, I was still a noob when I tried that one, and I like it but did not love it, but I still prefer that one over this one. For 90 euros, totally not worth it. Maybe in the 50 euro range. Maybe. I honestly prefer the 40% version. This one is more alcoholic, more muted, less available, more expensive. The nose is just okay, a lot of alcohol even after dilution and breathing time, the toffee + pot still spices never get to the bliss point of the 40% version, IMO, the casks are just decent. The palate, however, is better, more intense and versatile than the normal version, but the finish is once again just as good as the 40% one. Not recommended, maybe I will change my mind in a couple weeks/months, but I honestly don't have much hope. -1 for the price.

This batch of the 12-year-old Redbreast at cask strength is also top class for me. What a fruit bomb! Compared to the standard bottling with only 40% alcohol, the 12 CS is more honest because it is bottled without the addition of caramel coloring. When I know that no coloring has been added, not only my nose and palate enjoy it, but also my eyes!

An Irish single pot still, i.e. a mixture from just one distillery, in which different types of grain such as oats are used in addition to barley malt. Triple distilled, but not as smooth as earlier Irish whiskeys. That's why there will have been a certain amount of oats and of course unmalted grain in the mash. A solid 12yo cask strength that for me is between 87.5 and 88 points. I find the aromas a little lacking in clarity and stringency. This is a colorful mixture of fruit, spice and vanilla sweetness that harmonizes well, but is neither fish nor fowl.

Very rich and intense dram, might need a bit of water if you’re sensitive to alcohol burn. Ripe fruits with the right amount of sherry influence, the oiliness from unmalted barley, big vanilla cake and gentle spices

I think it needs a bit of water to be tasty and too much water makes it a bit boring, you have to find the right level. But then I really liked it and it's worth the money.

Another fine batch, and the alcohol is wonderfully integrated. The sherry influence remains subtle. Clear parallels to previous batches.

Smell: It's out there. Beautiful, aromatic, distinctive, fruity, spicy treat (exotic fruit, honey, marzipan, chocolate, grog) amazing aroma Taste: a velvety, fruity explosion of flavors, spiciness, slightly burnt wood, overripe fruit, jam - with an amazing range (I don't know what I was in my past life, but I'm home here)

Blind taste

Either very gently sherried or not sherried at all. I would go with the later. On the other hand, truckload of butterscotch, caramel, honey, vanilla, cloves and black pepper. Wood tannins are providing a slight bitterness. Quite malty. In terms of fruitiness, there is a beautiful pear and yellow apple note. Overall, the whiskey is a tad too sweet and spicy for me. Missing some complexity from previous bottlings as well. On the plus side, no off notes and very fair pricing. If you like Irish whiskey in general, this is a very good buy! For a Scotch single malt whiskey lover like me, not so much. Just saying...

Great cask whiskey, I really liked it. Probably the best Irish in my whiskey experience.

Tasted at Sherry Butt, Paris, 02/24.

Nose:89 palate:92 fınısh:93

First off, a solid 87 points. The alcohol isn't overpowering, even though the bottle was freshly opened. The aroma and taste are still somewhat subdued. The departure is long and enjoyable. I'd like to see more pronounced fruity notes. Perhaps that will develop once the bottle has had a chance to breathe.

86+

"Made from a mash of malted and unmalted barley and then triple distilled in copper pot stills, Redbreast 12 boasts the flavour complexity and distinctive qualities of Pot Still whiskey. Matured in a combination of Bourbon seasoned American Oak barrels and Oloroso Sherry seasoned Spanish oak butts, the distinctive Redbreast sherry style is a joy to behold in each and every bottle. The Cask Strength expression gives a glimpse of Redbreast 12 in its natural, full flavoured taste." Overall I think this dram is full of character and complexity, with that unmistakable pot still spice driving the experience from start to finish. The balance between sweet and dry is well-played—vanilla, orchard fruits, and jammy red berries sit comfortably alongside toasted oak, espresso, and a touch of sulfur for depth. The sherry influence is strong but not overpowering, adding layers without masking the spirit. It's punchy, flavorful, and lingers beautifully, making it a great showcase of the pot still style with a sherried twist. Definitely one that keeps you coming back to explore more in every sip. I rate this whiskey 8.4 / 10. Buy it, try it. Drink responsibly. https://www.whiskeyjourneyz.com/l/redbreast-trio-lustau-px-12-cask-strength/

It's quite drinkable, full-bodied and powerful. If the salty, oily taste I had in the Redbreast 27yo is the characteristic of Redbreast, then this wine has been made.

A delicious daily drink; the ratio of bourbon to sherry is just right.