Uisce Beatha: Red Breast

I wrote yesterday that I would start reviewing some Irish whiskey, which is not a bad task to have since it involves going out and drinking a glass (at least) of uisce beatha. So I went out and had myself a glass of Red Breast. This whiskey is a 12 year-old, pure pot still whiskey. Pot still is significant because it is a more labor-intensive and expensive distilling process, as opposed to continuous still, and pot still generally results in more robust, flavorful whiskey. Red Breast is certainly robust, as far as Irish whiskey is concerned. Now, that’s not to say that it veers into Scotch territory of peat and smokiness. Red Breast has full flavor while still maintaining the typical smoothness associated with Irish whiskey. It also doesn’t have the sharp bite of alcohol that one associates with cheaper whiskey.

A common term used to describe Red Breast is “oily” which I found a bit strange at first. But “oily” is a very apt description for the way that this whiskey envelops your mouth. Red Breast has a stickiness to it in the way it really lingers after you’ve swallowed it. Red Breast has a nice burn when it goes down; you can really sense it moving down your chest. It manages this “burn” without sacrificing any of its mellowness. It’s a perfect cold weather dram, with a warm firmness that’ll chase the chill away. Balance is another good term to describe Red Breast. Some Irish whiskey veers too far in one direction or another, sacrificing one characteristic for another. For instance, regular Jameson is certainly robust, but that is the case mostly because it has that harsh punch to it, not managing to smooth off its rough edge. Red Breast doesn’t sacrifice anything: it’s robust and smooth, assertive without being overpowering or harsh.

One should definitely enjoy this whiskey neat. The experts suggest a dash of cold water to open up the flavors, which I won’t dispute, but I’ll caution that at most bars, a dash is usually quite a bit more than that. Unless you really know and trust your bartender to measure well for you, you are better off taking this stuff straight. And if you find yourself sitting next to a Scotch snob at a bar who won’t lower himself to drink Irish whiskey because it is not “complex” enough, buy him a glass of Red Breast. The snob should then stand you to a glass of it to show his appreciation for introducing him to something so good.

Paddy’s Grade: A-