I've had a bottle of the 12 & 12 cs and currently have the 15. I enjoyed all 3 of them very much, especially when the price was much cheaper. The 21 is next, but I'm not paying $300. I would certainly take your advice and try it at a bar. Great review.
Great review! The 21 is a fantastic whisky, one of my favourite currently available Irish spirits. So much fruitiness that's hard to find in modern whiskies from any provenance. It's also one of those weird bottles that can be found cheaper in Canada sometimes (*gasp), usually in the $175 to $230 range. Gotta admit, the packaging is beautiful and cleverly designed for the newer releases. Do you know which batch you've got there? Looks like 2019 to 2022? Edit: Oh, and that soapy sensation? It most likely is literally a small amount of acetone, or similar chemical compounds that are collectively called ketones ('kee-tones'). They most commonly form on the head or "foreshots" from a distillation run of a pot still. The original source of ketones is the yeast, as the yeast consumes the amino acids from the fermenting barley and excretes ketone compounds as waste. Nearly all distilleries will try to remove the ketones and other content from the head cut as the alcohol content is super high and contains other volatile metabolites (some of which can cause blindness, as with cheap moonshine). The amount of ketones leftover in subsequent runs of the pot still depends on how much was initially filtered out, and how long the "rest phase" of fermentation lasted. The rest phase causes the yeast to consume all available amino acids, at which point they are forced to begin consuming ketones for energy. This can decrease ketone concentration before putting the liquid in the pot still. However, if you're a big operation cranking out millions of litres per year, you might not have a lot of freedom to let vats of fermenting product sit around for days or weeks.
Loved the review! The prices on the Redbreast 21 seem to wildly differ from place to place, I got a bottle for 135 euros a couple of weeks ago. I did feel like I hit the jackpot with it, it's more around the 200 euro mark in most of Europe. 300 USD seems a bit excessive, but anyway had 3 drams of it so far and I'm really liking it. Will put it away for a few months, I'm really curios how it will change, but I can already tell now that it will get better. Interesting note with the slight soapy note you get, I don't get that, but I do get that coppery note on all Irish whiskeys, didn't like it at first, but I did learn to like it in time :)
Very nice price/find!! I hear you on the coppery note and I also find that if there is a note that slightly bothers you it goes away with air sometimes it you get more familiar with it and it stops bothering you. Not always the case but it has happened to me before. Let that bottle breathe and I think more fruits will start coming out. Cheers
I absolutely love Redbreast. Thanks for sharing this great review. Awesome as always. Your reviews are always the best of the best. Enjoy the weekend with my best wishes. Cheers from Miami.
Love RB21. Well worth buying at under $300 and under $250 buying a few. Now I find it normally at $350 to $480 unfortunately. It is a beautiful pour and in low 90’s in score.
A very nice Irish! The packaging for the 21 has changed from the cardboard package to this which reflects in the new cost. That 12 cask strength though. A few bottles of those for the cost of the 21 would be more bang for the buck.
Redbreast 21 year is $330 in my area. I'll try to get it overseas to save some money when I'm finally ready for it. This one is one of my bucket list whiskeys.
There is definite jump in price as it doubles from 15 to 21 and doubles again from 21 to 27, but 15 and 21 are so good. It's a lot of money but I do believe it's worth a look at $300'ish given the quality you get in the bottle. Slight soapy bitter note? I get that in almost all bourbons and many scotches. Maybe more the palate thing IMO.
Yes I agree, especially if your a fan of Irish whisky. Yes it’s slightly soapy/nail polish remover. I know it’s a palate thing maybe but I also know others who experience the same thing. Interesting that you get that with bourbons and scotches. I have def gotten a soapy/waxy note in a lot of scotches but it’s diff from what I experience here. Again it’s ever so slightly and it can def be a personal thing. Big fan of Irish whisky overall!!!
I've had a bottle of the 12 & 12 cs and currently have the 15. I enjoyed all 3 of them very much, especially when the price was much cheaper. The 21 is next, but I'm not paying $300. I would certainly take your advice and try it at a bar. Great review.
Yes def try it and hopefully you run into a better price. Thanks Keith
The note you described is present in both RB 12 CS and Blue spot. Thank you, Narby, great work as always.
Yes it is. Cheers Krishna
Great review! The 21 is a fantastic whisky, one of my favourite currently available Irish spirits. So much fruitiness that's hard to find in modern whiskies from any provenance. It's also one of those weird bottles that can be found cheaper in Canada sometimes (*gasp), usually in the $175 to $230 range. Gotta admit, the packaging is beautiful and cleverly designed for the newer releases. Do you know which batch you've got there? Looks like 2019 to 2022?
Edit: Oh, and that soapy sensation? It most likely is literally a small amount of acetone, or similar chemical compounds that are collectively called ketones ('kee-tones'). They most commonly form on the head or "foreshots" from a distillation run of a pot still. The original source of ketones is the yeast, as the yeast consumes the amino acids from the fermenting barley and excretes ketone compounds as waste. Nearly all distilleries will try to remove the ketones and other content from the head cut as the alcohol content is super high and contains other volatile metabolites (some of which can cause blindness, as with cheap moonshine). The amount of ketones leftover in subsequent runs of the pot still depends on how much was initially filtered out, and how long the "rest phase" of fermentation lasted. The rest phase causes the yeast to consume all available amino acids, at which point they are forced to begin consuming ketones for energy. This can decrease ketone concentration before putting the liquid in the pot still. However, if you're a big operation cranking out millions of litres per year, you might not have a lot of freedom to let vats of fermenting product sit around for days or weeks.
Love the knowledge
Thanks bud! Ya I paid about that as well and I think its a 2019 bottling.
Mr Scientist ay?
@@maltreviews Haha the degrees were good for something after all
@@maltmoment 100%
Loved the review! The prices on the Redbreast 21 seem to wildly differ from place to place, I got a bottle for 135 euros a couple of weeks ago. I did feel like I hit the jackpot with it, it's more around the 200 euro mark in most of Europe. 300 USD seems a bit excessive, but anyway had 3 drams of it so far and I'm really liking it. Will put it away for a few months, I'm really curios how it will change, but I can already tell now that it will get better. Interesting note with the slight soapy note you get, I don't get that, but I do get that coppery note on all Irish whiskeys, didn't like it at first, but I did learn to like it in time :)
Very nice price/find!! I hear you on the coppery note and I also find that if there is a note that slightly bothers you it goes away with air sometimes it you get more familiar with it and it stops bothering you. Not always the case but it has happened to me before. Let that bottle breathe and I think more fruits will start coming out. Cheers
I absolutely love Redbreast. Thanks for sharing this great review. Awesome as always. Your reviews are always the best of the best. Enjoy the weekend with my best wishes. Cheers from Miami.
Thank you Chris, much appreciated as always! Cheers bud!
Love RB21. Well worth buying at under $300 and under $250 buying a few.
Now I find it normally at $350 to $480 unfortunately.
It is a beautiful pour and in low 90’s in score.
A very nice Irish! The packaging for the 21 has changed from the cardboard package to this which reflects in the new cost. That 12 cask strength though. A few bottles of those for the cost of the 21 would be more bang for the buck.
Yes packaging def will do that. Also everything costs more now. Yes 12 will always be more bang for the buck but fun to have both of course. Cheers
Still have an unopened bottle but the last 2 I had were excellent. I don't think I spent more than $175 Cad on any of the bottles of 21 though.
Fortunate. Not so much in Ontario. And this was a few years ago when the 21 was at the LCBO.
Ya I think I paid about the same. Nice to have a back up for sure!!
Redbreast 21 year is $330 in my area. I'll try to get it overseas to save some money when I'm finally ready for it. This one is one of my bucket list whiskeys.
Yes def shop around
There is definite jump in price as it doubles from 15 to 21 and doubles again from 21 to 27, but 15 and 21 are so good. It's a lot of money but I do believe it's worth a look at $300'ish given the quality you get in the bottle. Slight soapy bitter note? I get that in almost all bourbons and many scotches. Maybe more the palate thing IMO.
Yes I agree, especially if your a fan of Irish whisky. Yes it’s slightly soapy/nail polish remover. I know it’s a palate thing maybe but I also know others who experience the same thing. Interesting that you get that with bourbons and scotches. I have def gotten a soapy/waxy note in a lot of scotches but it’s diff from what I experience here. Again it’s ever so slightly and it can def be a personal thing. Big fan of Irish whisky overall!!!
Soapiness does not sound appetizing. Like the Redbreast PX though
I know, its very faint and most people don't experience it honestly.
Is there color added to the 21?
My favourite thing about Redbreast is that red berries note.
Has that bottle been gassed for few years?
no gas