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8th April 2016 |
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Irish Distillers whiskey range crowned with top awards from the worlds most prestigious whiskey competitions.
 Going by the recent haul of awards
Irish Distillers continues to lead the field in the production of quality Irish whiskey, the Irish whiskey producer has recently scooped top honours at the prestigious San Francisco World Spirits Competition and World Whiskies Awards.
The outstanding
Redbreast 21 year old was awarded ‘Best in Show’ at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, overcoming all other whiskeys – not only Irish but Scotch, American and from the rest of world. In an equally impressive feat, Green Spot Chateau Leoville Barton, was crowned World’s Best Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey at World Whiskies Awards.
Irish Distillers outstanding haul of awards across its portfolio of Irish whiskeys in both competitions were:
- Redbreast 21 Year Old
‘Best in Show’ San Francisco World
Spirits Competition
- Green Spot Chateau Leoville
Barton
World’s Best Single Pot Still Irish
Whiskey World Whiskies Awards
- Redbreast 12 Year Old
Gold Medal: Single Pot Still Whiskey
World Whiskies Awards
- Jameson Caskmates
Gold Medal Irish Blended Whiskey no
age statement World Whiskies Awards
- Jameson Original
Category Winner: Irish Blended
Whiskey no age statement World
Whiskies Awards
- Midleton Very Rare
Best Blended Irish Whiskey and
Double Gold medal San Francisco
World Spirits Competition
- Redbreast 15 Year Old
Double Gold medal San Francisco
World Spirits Competition
- Redbreast 12 Year Old Cask
Strength
Double Gold medal San Francisco
World Spirits Competition
- Yellow Spot
Gold medal San Francisco World
Spirits Competition
- Powers Signature Release
Gold medal San Francisco World
Spirits Competition
- Redbreast 12 Year Old
Gold medal San Francisco World
Spirits Competition
In total, The Midleton Distillery
claimed 20 awards across the two
competitions. Commenting on
the awards, Brian Nation, Master
Distiller, stated that, "These awards
are testament to the dedication and
commitment of the passionate
craftspeople at the Midleton Distillery;
past and present. We should remember
that many of the whiskeys that are
receiving plaudits today were imagined
and distilled many years ago and are now
being brought to life by our current
team of very skilled whiskey makers"
Now in its 16th year, San Francisco
World Spirits Challenge is one of the
most influential spirits competitions in
the world, widely recognised as one of
the most reliable indicators of
excellence in spirits.
World Whiskies Awards are part of the
World Drinks Awards programme, launched
in 2007. Presented by Whisky magazine
and TheDrinksReport.com, World Whiskies
Awards reward and promote the best
whiskies to consumers and trade across
the world.
You
can read what I thought about a few of
the award winning whiskeys below and if
you fancy a a dram you will find
them all available from specialist
online whisky shops such as
The Whisky Exchange
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Redbreast 21 Year Old Review
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 William
Morrison's Tasting Notes:
Nose:
Packed with that unique Irish pot still
fruitiness with just a touch of sherry
fruitiness in there also. The fruit
makes way for vanilla and mild pot still
spices.
Taste:
Soft creamy vanilla, juicy barley, a
lovely Demerara sweetness, layers of
rich fruit, touch of nuttiness. The
delicious mild pot still spices increase
with each mouthful, menthol at the end.
Finish:
Long. Dark chocolate, raisin and
pineapple, mildly drying oak and slowly
fading pot still spices.
Comment:
As I hoped a 46%, unchillfiltered Irish
pot still whiskey of this age would be,
brilliant from nose to finish. The
balance of fruit, spice and oak is
perfect. It is unbelievable to think
Redbreast pot still whiskey almost
disappeared, I could only have dreamt of
a Redbreast 21 year old a few years ago.
A must try for Irish pot still whiskey
drinkers, a deliciously juicy mature
Irish single pot still whiskey.
SMW Score
93/100
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Redbreast 12 Cask Strength Tasting Notes
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 William
Morrison's Tasting Notes:
Nose: Lovely rich sherried notes,
the fruit just hits you, red apples,
raisins, coconut ice, sweet vanilla
fudge. Some fresh oak spice.
Taste:
Full bodied, layers of rich fruit and
spice, oatcake biscuits, dark chocolate,
delicious sweet vanilla and dry oak.
Finish:
A long finish. Slowly drying oak, fading
fruit and spice and a touch of vanilla
fudge hanging around right to the end.
Comment:
Wonderful sherry and spices, you just
want to pour yourself another. The
balance of rich fruit, spice and oak is
perfect. Interestingly adding a drop of
water doesn't turn it into a standard
Redbreast 12 (I tried), it keeps its big
rich sherried fruit, spice and vanilla
character, I guess this is to do with
the number of casks in the batch being
much smaller than the number going into
a standard Redbreast 12.
An absolute cracker, loved it!!!
SMW Score 96 /100
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Redbreast 12 Year Old Tasting Notes
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 Redbreast is aged 12 years and
bottled at 40% ABV.
William
Morrison's Tasting Notes:
Nose: Oak, vanilla, sweet ripe
fruits.
Taste:
Spices and sherry simply dance around
the mouth, creamy, coconut.
Finish:
Deliciously long, rich fruit, sweet
vanilla, oily, spicy.
Comment:
This is a classic, absolutely delicious
and in my opinion the best buy Irish
whiskey available. This is single pot
still whiskey!!!
SMW Score 90 /100
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Powers Signature Release Tasting
Notes
|
 William
Morrison's Tasting Notes:
Nose:
This is Irish single pot still whiskey
for sure. Sweet vanilla and honey with
mild candied pear, red berries. A touch
of spice.
Taste:
The taste is a delicious replay of the
nose. Honey, vanilla toffee, some
orangey notes, ripe pears, cinnamon,
some drying toasted oak spice, pepper
and a touch of bitter sweet dark
chocolate.
Finish:
A long finish. Lingering honey
sweetness, coffee, slowly fading fruit
and spice.
Comment:
There is no age statement and it is
obviously younger than the Powers Johns
Lane 12 year old but don't let that put
you off it is still a very good single
pot still whisky. A very nicely balanced
easy to drink Irish whiskey full of
honey and vanilla, it gets spicier by
the mouthful with a nice touch of sherry
influence to round it off.
SMW Score
88/100
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Where To Buy Whisky Online
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specialist Whisky shops who delivers to
you:
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Whisky Focus
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