This elegantly sherried Redbreast was aged entirely in second-fill oloroso casks, making for a complex dram that balances notes of dried fruit and nuts with the distinctive spiciness of Irish pot still whiskey. After almost two decades in the Midleton distillery warehouses in County Cork, it shows excellent maturity with fine tannins and hints of dark chocolate. Outside of the celebrated core range, there are precious few Redbreast whiskies in the wild, so we are particularly proud to offer this limited-edition bottling exclusively to customers of The Whisky Exchange.
Nose: Opens with notes of black cherry and vanilla, accompanied by light dustings of nutmeg with a sherry nuttiness softly lingering in the background. The pot still spices continue to build along with delicate dried herbs, all gently resting on a solid oak foundation. Palate: Delicate tannins at first, with the fruits slowly building over time adding hints of stewed apples and prune. The tannins continue to evolve adding dark chocolate undertones that work in harmony with a subtle honey-derived sweetness, complimenting the pot still spices and red liquorice confectionary notes. Finish: The fading fruits and subtle sweetness allow the oak and sherry seasoning to have the last word, with the tannins lingering until the very end.
What Gary Says
Nose: Sherried fruit with golden raisins and cherries, vanilla, nutmeg, oak, heather and soft wood spices. Palate: Rich mouthfeel, fruity with apples and pears, oak, dark chocolate, honey, baking spices, black cherries and toffee. Finish: Long, damp and syrupy with fruit notes. Comments: Just lovely and right in my wheelhouse. I’m a big fan of Redbreast, and also a fan of sherried matured/finished whisk(e)y. The use of secondary fill sherry casks rather than first fill is nice and offers more of a balance where the sherry isn’t dominant but isn’t hiding either. A bit of water opens this up, bringing the nose towards more tropical notes of candied pineapple and mango, and on the palate the toffee forward over the dark chocolate. All of that is delicious as well, but I’m drinking the remainder of this sample neat and enjoying every last step of that fruit and dark chocolate dance!
Redbreast Tawny Port Cask Edition is a single pot still Irish whiskey initially matured in a combination of bourbon and oloroso sherry casks. The whiskey was then finished in Tawny Port casks for a number of years, adding a new dimension to the profile used in the expression. All of the whiskeys then completed their maturation journey by marrying in freshly seasoned tawny port hogsheads for a final maturation period of 14-25 months.
Nose: Sweet and warming confectionery notes of buttered pastry accompanied by aromas of caramelized almonds with subtle undertones of praline and dried cherry. Scented floral honey with whisperings of a delicate herbal character linger in the background while the seasoned oak and pot still spices accentuate the sweet and full-bodied nature of this wonderfully balanced whiskey.
Taste: Rich and nutty at first with notes of chocolate coated hazelnut and salted caramel, quickly followed with fresh plums and dried fig. The tannins’ soft presence works in harmony with the luscious and creamy texture, evoking notes of orange marmalade with delicate hints of toasted oak.
Finish: Lingering finish which sees the pot still spices and fruits slowly fading, leaving the tawny seasoned oak to have the last word.
What Gary Says
Nose: Rich fruity malt with blood orange, currants, figs, honey, mincemeat pie (without the cloves). Palate: Creamy and fruity with orange, figs, caramel apple, nutmeg, honey and a hint of clove. Finish: Moderate in length with dark fruits and baking spices. Comments: Sometimes you find whiskies where the nose and the palate are quite different; one might even say the nose was misleading. That couldn’t be further from the truth with this dram – the two are very closely aligned. I’m a fan of Redbreast (the 12 year cask strength was the first Irish whiskey I really loved). I’m also a fan of port for finishing or maturation. Maybe the two of those combined had set my expectations too high, as I couldn’t fight off this feeling of disappointment. I mean – this is a really nice and very drinkable dram; just not as special as I had hoped it might be. Although to be fair, it isn’t priced as outrageously as others, so all in all, it balances out.
Two Stacks The First Cut Signature Blend Irish Whiskey
43% ABV $38 (700 mL) / $5 ($100 mL ‘Dram in a Can’) Website We would like to thank Two Stacks Whiskey and Raptor Communications for sending us a sample to review.
What the Producer Says
Two Stacks Irish Whiskey Expands U.S. Distribution Ahead of St. Patrick’s Day Through Foley Family Wines & Spirits Partnership
Flagship Two Stacks The First Cut Signature Blend Irish Whiskey Now Available Nationwide through Foley Distribution Network, Including Innovative “Dram in A Can”
SANTA ROSA, CA (February 3, 2025) – In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, Two Stacks, one of only three recognized whiskey bonders in Ireland, is expanding the U.S. distribution of its flagship product – Two Stacks The First Cut Signature Blend Irish Whiskey – through its new import agency partnership with Foley Family Wines & Spirits. Both the 700 ml bottle of The First Cut and the unique 100 ml Dram in A Can are now available in 19+ U.S. markets, including NY, MA, FL, MN, and and are expected to achieve national distribution by the end of the year.
As more discerning Irish Whiskey drinkers reach for bottles during St. Patrick’s Day and other celebratory occasions that combine authenticity and tradition with quality and innovation, Two Stacks Irish Whiskey blends these attributes. Two Stacks The First Cut Signature Blend is the marriage of five whiskeys from some of Ireland’s most lauded distilleries making it a clear demonstration of the time-honored craft of bonding and blending. With two Single Grain Whiskeys providing the foundation, a Pot Still Whiskey (an Ireland-only geographic indicated spirit) lends layers of green apple and spice; a Double-Distilled Malt Whiskey adds body, rich mouthfeel and rounded fruity esters; and a Peated Malt Whiskey adds a hint of smoke.
Two Stacks’ signature five-part blend showcases transparency at its core, proudly highlighting the distilleries that contribute to its unique character. While this blend hails from Great Northern Distillery, Two Stacks collaborates with more than 17 distilleries across the island of Ireland, including Killowen, Boann, Adara, Dingle and Echlinville Distillery. Every label details the exact blend composition and the origins of the distillates, ensuring customers know exactly what is in their whiskey. This blend comprises 40% Single Grain Whiskey (aged in former Kentucky Bourbon casks), 40% Single Grain Whiskey (aged in virgin American Oak casks), 8% Pot Still Whiskey (aged in Oloroso Sherry casks), 10% Double-Distilled Malt Whiskey (aged in former Kentucky Bourbon casks), and 2% Peated Malt Whiskey (aged in former Kentucky Bourbon casks). Blended and bottled/canned at 86 Proof, it exemplifies both craftsmanship and full product transparency.
“Two Stacks The First Cut Signature Blend features Peated Malt Whiskey,” noted Two Stacks Co-Founder Shane McCarthy. “Peat is typically associated with Scotch, but, in fact, has a rich legacy in Irish whiskey history. As recently as the early 1800’s, historians noted an abundance of ‘smoky’ Irish whiskeys, primarily from northwest Ireland, where peat was an abundant fuel source.”
While only two percent of the final blend, the 4+ year old Peated Malt Whiskey adds more than a very light smoke. It delivers a layer of flavor complexity not found in other Irish whiskeys, as it contributes to an exceptionally long finish and a defined, robust character. According to the founders, The First Cut Signature Blend brings melted butter, peach, and a hint of black tea and brown sugar on the nose; seeded bread, a hint of toasty oak, butterscotch and blackberry greet the palate; followed by a long finish, with plenty of honeyed warmth.
Before the 1930s, there were hundreds of recognized whiskey bonders in Ireland – now there are just three, including Two Stacks. A whiskey bonder has the unique ability to take whiskeys from different distilleries, employ further aging if desired, and create truly differentiating whiskeys versus a single distillery laying down continuous distillate of a similar profile.
Two Stacks was founded in 2020 by three friends, Shane McCarthy, Liam Brogan and Donal McLynn, whose friendship began over 15 years ago, rooted in a shared love of Irish hospitality and a deep passion for Irish history & culture. Their singular goal of changing the narrative on Irish Whiskey would be achieved by reaching into Ireland’s deep whiskey roots and putting real people back into the fine art of Irish Whiskey making to create complex, sophisticated blends capable of challenging any Whiskey in the world.
In addition to a 700 ml sustainable bottle made from 100% recycled glass ($37.99 MSRP), The First Cut Signature Blend is also available in a ground-breaking 100 ml Dram in a Can ($4.99 MSRP). Both products may also be purchased online https://twostackswhiskey.com/. The recyclable aluminum can provides added convenience for those wanting to enjoy a high-quality whiskey on the go. With the new embossed bottles, Two Stacks is one of the first brands using 80% recycled glass, along with all-natural cork and recycled plastic seals.
What Gary Says
Nose: Heather, vanilla, peaches, apples, cereal with a hint of peat. Palate: Creamy mouthfeel, fruity with peaches and sweet lemon custard, toffee, vanilla and a bit of spice. Finish: Moderately long and syrupy with fading fruit notes and vanilla. Comments: This as a really lovely, thick mouthfeel for a 43% dram! The non-chill filtration really stands out, and they need to CALL THAT OUT (they don’t mention this on the web-site or in the press release; it does state on the bottle that this is non-chill filtered and in the glass that’s evident – and a differentiator!) Solid Irish whiskey, especially at this price point. Sure, I’d love to see this at a higher ABV but if it isn’t cask strength that’s often the case. The ‘Dram in a Can’ didn’t taste different – I tried them both side by side and while not EXACTLY the same, they were incredibly similar. Definitely no ‘off’ flavors from the canned dram, which I wondered about. Personally I’d just buy a bottle and use a flask for ‘on-the-go’ pours, but to each their own.
High n’ Wicked No. 7 Foursquare 2007 Single Grain Irish Whiskey
50% ABV $80 Website We would like to thank Altamar Brands, LLC and Ro-Bro Marketing & PR for sending us a sample to review.
What the Producer Says
High n’ Wicked, the importer and specialty bottler of exceptional whiskeys, today launched its latest singular limited release: a collaboration with Foursquare Rum Distillery. The new expression, a Single Grain Irish Whiskey, originally distilled in County Cork, Ireland, features a mash bill of 95% French maize (corn) and 5% malted barley. The whiskey was first matured in ex-bourbon barrels and then finished for six months in casks which previously held the award-winning “Mark X 2007” Barbados Rum from Foursquare Rum Distillery in Barbados.
This rare and distinctive expression was created by merging the skills of two of the most respected and admired producers of spirits in the world: Richard Seale of the legendary Foursquare Rum Distillery, and Noel Sweeney, former Master Distiller/Master Blender of Cooley who selected, finished, and blended this special whiskey.
“We got the Dream Team for this one,” said Lyons Brown, Founder and CEO of High n’ Wicked. “Foursquare has risen to the pinnacle of the rum world and is quickly becoming a global icon in spirits. We expect to work with Richard on additional releases in the future.”
Bottled at 100 proof (50% ABV), the new expression is available for purchase in select U.S. markets and online via highnwicked.com for the suggested retail price of $79.99 per 750ml bottle. It offers aromas of coconut, treacle, lemon peel, almond, nougat, fig, and vanilla, which give way to subtle tropical notes of clove and cinnamon followed by rich caramel and candied hazelnuts. The liquid lingers gently and finishes soft with a hint of custard.
“Foursquare’s ‘Mark X 2007’ was a highly expressive and complex Barbados rum and these casks married beautifully with the nuanced and subtle characters of this exquisite Single Grain Irish Whiskey,” said Richard Seale, Master Distiller/Master Blender, Foursquare Rums. “Seeing this collaboration come together from such a long-standing partner in our Exceptional Cask Selections importer, Altamar Brands, and through High n’ Wicked, has been a genuine pleasure.”
High n’ Wicked launches singular limited releases several times per year which are specialty bottlings of some of the finest domestic and global whiskeys. These “treasures” feature single barrels and expert double wood finishes that add layers of complexity to already superb distillates. To date, the brand has issued eight distinct American and Irish whiskey releases which include American Bourbon, Single Malt Irish whiskey, and Single Grain Irish Whiskey. High n’ Wicked also produces an award-winning flagship straight bourbon whiskey and straight rye whiskey which are regularly available.
Aroma: Coconut, Treacle, Lemon Peel, Almond, Nougat, Fig and Vanilla – giving way to subtle tropical fruit notes of mango and candied pineapple. Palate: Rich and sweet on the open, highlighting baking spice notes of clove and cinnamon, immediately followed by rich caramel and candied hazelnuts. It lingers gently and finishes soft with a hint of custard
What Gary Says
Nose: Lemon curd, cornmeal, coconut, hints of pineapple and molasses. Palate: Rich mouthfeel, sweet with caramel, honey, lemon spongecake, subtle baking spices including nutmeg and a hint of cinnamon with vanilla. Finish: Moderately long, syrupy with lemon pudding and caramel. Comments: Single grain whiskey tends to be very light and delicate, and this is absolutely all of that – but the corn sweetness shines through and is complemented really well by the tropical notes. I really like the mouthfeel on this, which drinks lovely neat but also holds up with a bit of water without losing that viscous feel.
Midleton Very Rare Irish Whiskey 2014 Blended Irish Whiskey
40% ABV $260 to $2,000 (range from new to vintage at auction) Website
What the Distillery Says
Since 1984, each Master Distiller of Midleton Very Rare uses their eye for detail, their passion for quality whiskey and their exemplary skill to create the pinnacle of Irish whiskey, our special vintage release.
NOTE: The 2014 vintage was the first year that Brian Nation signed off on (following the legendary Barry Crockett), and is a blend of pot still and grain whiskies, believed to be aged from 12 to 22 years old.
What Gary Says
Nose: Floral and fruity, poached pears, peaches, melon, roses, honeysuckle, soft oak and vanilla crème brûlée. Palate: Fruit salad with pears, apples, cherries, peaches, vanilla, honey, bit of toffee before a citrus note and a subtle mineral note. Finish: Short to moderate in length with dried fruit, a hint of cereal and vanilla. Comments: This is a nice layered dram with nuanced complexity, but a lot of work to unpack. If you didn’t let it sit and open up and just poured and sniffed at – may not have appreciated all it has going on. That said, while complex, it is a LOT of work to get after. Given the suspected age (and price, although many thanks to Richard for biting the bullet and sharing a sample!) I had higher hopes for the mouthfeel, and I can’t help but wonder if this would have been just lovely at 46% or more. Don’t get me wrong – if someone has one open and is offering me a pour, I’m not turning it down – but also wouldn’t pay the retail (let alone insane auction prices) for this one.
