Irish Distillers released Redbreast Dream Cask 38 year old Zenith Edition earlier this year, the seventh and final edition in its series of exceptional and rare cask selections and finished single pot still whiskeys. The series originated after a Facebook Live tasting hosted by master blender Billy Leighton in 2017 to coincide with World Whisky Day, during which Leighton showcased a 31 year old single pot still whiskey distilled at Midleton Distillery. The following year, the Dream Cask series began in earnest with the debut of that whiskey, bottled at 32 years old. Each annual release came in 500 ml bottles and was sold by ballot through The Birdhouse, Redbreast’s online members’ club. The releases sold out quickly every year. Leighton made the cask selections, working with blender Dave McCabe as the series progressed. By the time of the final release in 2024, McCabe had been named the new master blender and Billy Leighton had retired, becoming master blender emeritus.
U.S.-based Redbreast fans could not participate in the initial lotteries due to delivery restrictions. Now, with auction houses in Europe offering delivery to many states and bottles filtering into U.S. auction houses as well, owning a complete Redbreast Dream Cask collection has become a realistic prospect for Irish whiskey collectors on this side of the pond. With the series at an end, we’ve drawn together our ratings and reviews for all seven editions, together with the details of each and the original retail prices.
Redbreast Dream Cask Series: Reviewed
91 Redbreast Dream Cask 32 year old, 46.5%, €500
Released in 2018, this debut bottling was a single pot still whiskey distilled in 1985 that was initially matured in a refill bourbon barrel for 26 years, then finished for a further 6 years in a first-fill oloroso sherry butt. This one can be found in two packaging variants, as the initial boxes could not properly contain the branded glasses in the gift set, which caused many of them to be broken in the mail. Irish Distillers issued replacement packs and an apology set, which also became collectible.
Bursting with hawthorn, red currant, cherry, pomegranate, baked sugar sweetness, roasted spices, cardamom, dark honey, and plum pudding aromas. This pot still whiskey from 1985 is mouth-drawing with flavors of fruit flesh and skins, stewed fruits, baked orange, apple, and pomegranate, with a very fine shimmer of spices that sparkles on the tongue. Adding to its canon of single cask Redbreast releases, this is absolutely smashing. (816 bottles)
95 Redbreast Dream Cask 20 year old Pedro Ximénez Edition, 52.5%, €380
Released in 2019, this combined four whiskeys distilled in 1985, 1995, 1997, and 1998 matured in bourbon barrels, an oloroso sherry butt, and a Pedro Ximénez sherry butt, which were vatted together and finished in a Pedro Ximénez sherry cask.
This vatting of four mature pot still whiskeys finished in a PX butt is quite a departure for Redbreast. The nose has incredible depth, with dark, sticky, concentrated black cherry, candied peel, coriander, vanilla, allspice, clove, and whole almond. This heavy, unctuous, mouth-coating whiskey resonates with rich fruits, clove, licorice, and juicy blackberry, ending with pot still spice and bitter notes. (924 bottles)
93 Redbreast Dream Cask 28 year old Ruby Port Cask Edition, 57.5%, €490
Released in 2020, this began with four casks of whiskey distilled between 1989 and 1991 and matured for a minimum of 28 years in bourbon barrels, an oloroso sherry butt, and a ruby port-seasoned cask. These were vatted and married in a ruby port pipe.
Cranberry, red apple, candied peel, glacé cherry, Red Vines, and black pepper, with heather honey, florals, and festive spices on the nose. A fruity concoction of cherry lip balm, cranberry sauce, caramel, peppercorn, and a hint of apple, the fruit sails through as the spice and sugar fade. Water softens the impact, but widens the flavor spectrum to embrace plum, orange, walnut, and cranberry. (912 bottles)
92 Redbreast Dream Cask 29 year old Oloroso Sherry Edition, 51.5%, €520
Released in 2021, four whiskeys aged for a minimum of 29 years in bourbon, sherry, and ruby port casks were married together and finished for 15 months in an oloroso sherry butt.
A wave of pot still spice and high alcohol carries aromas of blueberry muffin, Victoria plum, ground ginger, nutmeg, and lush sherry. In time, greater complexity develops scents of juicy raspberry, black olive, and rose and violet creams. Dense sherrywood flavors with chocolate-covered Brazil nuts and nippy, peppery spices encircle the tip of the tongue, then it finishes with blueberry gum and flashes of candied peel. (924 bottles)
95 Redbreast Dream Cask 30 year old Double Cask Edition, 56.9%, €550
Released in 2022, the fifth edition was a marriage of two casks, including a first-fill oloroso sherry butt filled in 1990 picked by then master blender Billy Leighton and a first-fill bourbon barrel filled in 1991 picked by then blender Dave McCabe.
There is an urgency to the pot still spices on the nose, their insistence backed by a jumble of dark fruits, new leather, maple syrup, dates, balsamic vinegar, teriyaki sauce, molasses, and charred oak. It’s a seriously big hitter to taste, with stewed apple, black currant, treacle, peppercorn, sultana, and fruit skins, getting darker and weightier with more oak, black coffee, and bitter chocolate extending into the dry, spicy finish. An extraordinary whiskey. (714 bottles)
96 Redbreast Dream Cask 27 year old Port to Port Edition, 56.3%, €580
Released in 2023, the blenders combined two casks of single pot still whiskey, a 27 year old bourbon cask and a 28 year old ruby port cask matured, and finished it for 3 months in tawny port casks.
Unctuously honeyed, with sweet dried apricots, papaya, cantaloupe, and soft sticky figs, it’s sprinkled with white pepper, adding black cherry, plum, and orange peel to herbal notes, clove, and wood spices. Fruity dark chocolate on the palate with succulent raisins and dried red berries while chile flakes provide some spicy heat. It’s a mighty whiskey and concludes under the weight of the oak with melted milk chocolate, burnt sugar, and cacao. (870 bottles)
94 Redbreast Dream Cask 38 year old Zenith Edition, 45.3%, €1,000
Released in 2024, the last chapter was distilled in 1985, just like the first edition. It spent 27 years in second-fill bourbon barrels before being recasked into oloroso sherry butts in 2013.
Spicy and herbal on the nose with underlying dark sherry fruit, black cherry, sprigs of rosemary, black currant purée, Concord grape jelly, dried citrus, and some lovely layers of walnut and seasoned oak. Though it dances lightly on the tongue, there’s rich fruit on the palate with flavors of red apple, vanilla essence, and black cherry, then a slow, drying finish of gingersnaps, dark fruit, and increasing oakiness. (822 bottles)
