Redbreast Cask Strength

Normal Redbreast 12 is bottled at 80 proof. Redbreast Cask Strength is bottled at 115 proof. The whiskey is not diluted with water nor chill-filtered. This leaves both a stronger taste profile and slight murkiness in color. Don’t let it scare you though! This bottle is about smooth sipping, not burning your tongue with a high proof.

Redbreast Cask Strength

I live out in the sticks and don’t have access to a good liquor store unless I’m willing drive an hour or so. That means that when I see a bottle I feel like I need to buy it because I’m not sure if I’m going to find it anytime soon again. I was with my brother when I saw this bottle of Redbreast Cask Strength. His reaction was shock. He drinks beer, so a $100 price tag was just crazy for him. He’s not a whiskey snob (that’s what my wife calls me) but I had to get it when I saw it. I should have gotten two bottles, because now that I’ve tried it, I know I’m going to want more.

The Nose

The nose on this Redbreast 12 Cask Strength is deep and rich. There is a hint of malt just under rich dark fruits which is perfectly balanced against the vanilla from the bourbon barrels. I can sit and sniff this dram all day. It is just as good as the sip. If you want to up your Nose game, this is a great bottle to appreciate. Pour a dram into a Glencairn Whisky Glass and enjoy.

The Palate

The mouth feel is crisp and clean. The front of the tongue is sweetness that immediately turns to dryness and fruitiness that finishes with a charred oak from the time spent in the bourbon barrels that coasts to a very subtle smokiness. It is complex and lovely. It is not for new drinkers, or at least I don’t think most new Whiskey drinkers will appreciate it, but I could be wrong.

The Score

This cask strength Redbreast is all the goodness of Redbreast 12 but concentrated and powerful, but in a refined, balanced way that really just hits it out of the park.

This Redbreast Cask Strength is all the things I love about Redbreast 12, without the overly wooded notes from Redbreast 15, on steroids.

Redbreast Cask Strength scores a 97/100, making it the all time best whiskey I’ve ever had, and it earned every point.

Color

Deep amber with just a touch of murkiness.

Proof

55.8% ABV

Pros

  • Nose full of fruits and vanilla that is balanced perfectly by the oak from the bourbon.
  • If you like Redbreast 12 this is going to nock your socks off.
  • Perfectly balanced flavors that make for easy sipping.

Cons

  • Can you find it!
  • If you are on a budget, these bottles can hurt your wallet.
BottleScorePriceType
Redbreast Cask Strength97$100 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
High N’ Wicked The Wild Rover Single Malt Irish Whiskey97$160 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style Bourbon96$65 / 750mlBourbon
Redbreast 12 Years96$70 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Jameson The Distiller’s Safe95$70 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Colonel E.H. Taylor Small Batch Bourbon94$45 / 750mlBourbon
Redbreast Lustau Edition92$65 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Redbreast 1591$115 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Dublin Liberties Copper Alley Irish Whiskey90$75 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
The Dubliner 10 Year89$70 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Tyrconnel Irish Whiskey 16 Year88$95 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Powers Three Swallow Irish Whiskey87$40 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Tyrconnel Single Malt87$50 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Knappognue Castle Irish Whiskey 12 Year87$50 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Smooth Ambler Contradiction Whiskey86$40 / 700mlBourbon
Fighting 69th Irish Whiskey86$30 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Jameson Triple Triple Travel Exclusive85$35 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Uncle Nearest 185684$60 / 750mlWhiskey
Smooth Ambler Old Scout American Whiskey84$55 / 700mlBourbon
Glenmorangie The Original 10 Year82$45 / 750mlScotch
Redwood Empire Pipe Dream Bourbon81$50 / 750mlBourbon
Willett Pot Still Reserve Whiskey81$65 / 700mlBourbon
Tullamore D.E.W. 14 Year81$65 / 700mlIrish Whiskey
Old Forester 1870 Bourbon80$55 / 750mlBourbon
Jameson 18 Year Irish Whiskey80$140 / 700mlIrish Whiskey
Dubliner Bourbon Cask Finished Irish Whiskey80$40 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Jameson IPA Edition80$30 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Redbreast Kentucky Oak Edition Irish Whiskey80$125 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Don Julio 194280$190 / 750mlTequila
Monkey Shoulder Scotch79$30 / 750mlScotch
West Cork Irish Whiskey77$30 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
ChestNut Farms Bourbon77$70 / 750mlBourbon
Basil Hayden’s75$35 / 750mlBourbon
Jameson Irish Whiskey75$25 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Glendalough Double Barrel Irish Whiskey74$45 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Slane Irish Whiskey74$25 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Tullamore D.E.W Irish Whiskey 12 Year73$55 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
John L. Sullivan Irish Whiskey72$25 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Tullamore Dew Caribbean Rum Cask Finish Irish Whiskey72$30 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Bushmills 10 Year Irish Whiskey72$50 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Clyde May’s Original Alabama Style Whiskey71$35 / 750mlBourbon
Appleton Estate Reserve Blend Rum70$35 / 750mlRum
Mr. Whiskey70$20 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey70$40 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Paddy’s Old Irish Whiskey70$20 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Tito’s Vodka69$30 / 750mlVodka
The Dead Rabbit Irish Whiskey69$35 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Death’s Door68$40 / 750mlBourbon
Kavanagh 16 Year Irish Whiskey66$50 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
McConnell’s Irish Whisky66$25 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Kirkland Irish Whiskey65$18 / 1500mlIrish Whiskey
Wellsley Farms Irish Whiskey65$28 / 1500mlIrish Whiskey
Ha’Penny Irish Whiskey64$25 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Wild Turkey Bourbon63$30 / 750mlBourbon
Drumshanbo Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey62$65 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Stillhouse Black Bourbon61$20 / 750mlBourbon
Maker’s Mark Bourbon60$30 / 750mlBourbon
Fighting Cock Bourbon58$20 / 750mlBourbon
Jameson Orange55$30 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Buffalo Trace55$25 / 750mlBourbon
Fistful Of Bourbon53$40 / 750mlBourbon
Kilbrin 10 Year Single Malt Irish Whiskey52$55 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 Tennessee Whiskey51$30 / 750mlBourbon
Agitator Kentucky Bourbon50$35 / 750mlBourbon
Howler Head Whiskey50$25 / 700mlWhiskey
Knob Creek Small Batch49$35 / 750mlBourbon
Blade And Bow48$50 / 750mlBourbon
Proclamation Irish Whiskey44$30 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
The Temple Bar Irish Whiskey40$60 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Redemption Bourbon 40$30 / 750mlBourbon
Natterjack Irish Whiskey35$35 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Hell-Cat Maggie Irish Whiskey32$25 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Grace O’Malley Believe in Grace Irish Whiskey31$40 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Baha Founders Reserve30$65 / 700mlIrish Whiskey
Woodford Reserve29$35 / 750mlBourbon
Breaker29$65 / 750mlBourbon
Pure Kentucky28$35 / 750mlBourbon
Stranahan's27$60 / 750mlWhiskey
Egan’s Fortitude Irish Whiskey26$45 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Winchester Extra Smooth Bourbon Whiskey15$30 / 750mlBourbon
Jack Daniel's Tennessee Honey10$20 / 750mlBourbon
Hill Billy Bourbon9$20 / 750mlBourbon
Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey5$25 / 750mlWhiskey
The Busker Irish Whiskey4$35 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Kavanagh Irish Whiskey3$25 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
The Balvenie 14 Years Caribbean Cask1$100 / 750mlScotch
American XXX Born Bourbon Whiskey1$25 / 750mlBourbon
Highland Park Magnus Single Malt Scotch0$40 / 750mlScotch
Pops McCann0$40 / 750mlWhiskey
Silkie Irish Whiskey0$30 / 750mlIrish Whiskey

High N’ Wicked The Wild Rover Single Malt Irish Whiskey

High N’ Wicked The Wild Rover Single Malt Irish Whiskey is a product of the Royal Oak Distillery in a joint venture with New Riff Distilling. If you are familiar with the Busker brand of Irish Whisky you’ve already drank a few drams that the Royal Oak Distillery created.

High N’ Wicked The Wild Rover Single Malt Irish Whiskey

Unlike American Bourbon, new Irish Whiskey offerings don’t come out every day, so when I saw this bottle of High N’ Wicked The Wild Rover I jumped on it, super excited to open the bottle and try it.

Now that the bottle is open, let’s dig into how it stands up to its peers.

High N’ Wicked The Wild Rover Single Malt Irish Whiskey

The Nose

The nose on this High N’ Wicked The Wild Rover Single Malt Irish Whiskey is delicate but deep. There are those lovely butter cookie notes I love in Irish Whisky in general mixed with vanilla and molasses. The sweetness here is rich but some ends with a dry not that really accents the time spent in the Sherry Casks. For a Whiskey bottled at cask strength there is zero booziness.

The Palate

This whiskey is just so damn smooth. There is absolutely no hint that this was bottled at cask strength. The front of my tongue is awash in desert flavors. Sweetness and butter cookies. The mid tongue blends that sweetness and creamy maltiness with the dryness of the time spent in the sherry casks. The finish is a blend of those sweet flavors and the dryness of the sherry. It really is a masterful blend.

These are very rich flavors. Have you ever had a really fatty, creamy meal that was amazing, but also made you think you just couldn’t eat another bite? It is so so rich you can’t take it? That is exactly how this High N’ Wicked The Wild Rover made me feel.

The Score

High N’ Wicked The Wild Rover Single Malt Irish Whiskey scored a 97/100 making it Sip Worthy. This is an expensive whiskey, but if you have the dollars, it is well worth a try.

Color

Amber and dark honey.

Proof

58.7% ABV

Pros

  • This is a dangerous bottle. It is so smooth you don’t feel the Cask Strength bottling until your head is swimming a bit.
  • Sometimes I crave that dry sherry finish on my Irish Whiskey and this knocked it out of the park.

Cons

  • At $160 bucks this is a steep price for the bottle.
  • This is a limited release. if you love it you may not be able to find it again.
BottleScorePriceType
Redbreast Cask Strength97$100 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
High N’ Wicked The Wild Rover Single Malt Irish Whiskey97$160 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style Bourbon96$65 / 750mlBourbon
Redbreast 12 Years96$70 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Jameson The Distiller’s Safe95$70 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Colonel E.H. Taylor Small Batch Bourbon94$45 / 750mlBourbon
Redbreast Lustau Edition92$65 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Redbreast 1591$115 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Dublin Liberties Copper Alley Irish Whiskey90$75 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
The Dubliner 10 Year89$70 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Tyrconnel Irish Whiskey 16 Year88$95 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Powers Three Swallow Irish Whiskey87$40 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Tyrconnel Single Malt87$50 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Knappognue Castle Irish Whiskey 12 Year87$50 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Smooth Ambler Contradiction Whiskey86$40 / 700mlBourbon
Fighting 69th Irish Whiskey86$30 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Jameson Triple Triple Travel Exclusive85$35 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Uncle Nearest 185684$60 / 750mlWhiskey
Smooth Ambler Old Scout American Whiskey84$55 / 700mlBourbon
Glenmorangie The Original 10 Year82$45 / 750mlScotch
Redwood Empire Pipe Dream Bourbon81$50 / 750mlBourbon
Willett Pot Still Reserve Whiskey81$65 / 700mlBourbon
Tullamore D.E.W. 14 Year81$65 / 700mlIrish Whiskey
Old Forester 1870 Bourbon80$55 / 750mlBourbon
Jameson 18 Year Irish Whiskey80$140 / 700mlIrish Whiskey
Dubliner Bourbon Cask Finished Irish Whiskey80$40 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Jameson IPA Edition80$30 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Redbreast Kentucky Oak Edition Irish Whiskey80$125 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Don Julio 194280$190 / 750mlTequila
Monkey Shoulder Scotch79$30 / 750mlScotch
West Cork Irish Whiskey77$30 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
ChestNut Farms Bourbon77$70 / 750mlBourbon
Basil Hayden’s75$35 / 750mlBourbon
Jameson Irish Whiskey75$25 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Glendalough Double Barrel Irish Whiskey74$45 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Slane Irish Whiskey74$25 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Tullamore D.E.W Irish Whiskey 12 Year73$55 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
John L. Sullivan Irish Whiskey72$25 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Tullamore Dew Caribbean Rum Cask Finish Irish Whiskey72$30 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Bushmills 10 Year Irish Whiskey72$50 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Clyde May’s Original Alabama Style Whiskey71$35 / 750mlBourbon
Appleton Estate Reserve Blend Rum70$35 / 750mlRum
Mr. Whiskey70$20 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey70$40 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Paddy’s Old Irish Whiskey70$20 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Tito’s Vodka69$30 / 750mlVodka
The Dead Rabbit Irish Whiskey69$35 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Death’s Door68$40 / 750mlBourbon
Kavanagh 16 Year Irish Whiskey66$50 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
McConnell’s Irish Whisky66$25 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Kirkland Irish Whiskey65$18 / 1500mlIrish Whiskey
Wellsley Farms Irish Whiskey65$28 / 1500mlIrish Whiskey
Ha’Penny Irish Whiskey64$25 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Wild Turkey Bourbon63$30 / 750mlBourbon
Drumshanbo Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey62$65 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Stillhouse Black Bourbon61$20 / 750mlBourbon
Maker’s Mark Bourbon60$30 / 750mlBourbon
Fighting Cock Bourbon58$20 / 750mlBourbon
Jameson Orange55$30 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Buffalo Trace55$25 / 750mlBourbon
Fistful Of Bourbon53$40 / 750mlBourbon
Kilbrin 10 Year Single Malt Irish Whiskey52$55 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 Tennessee Whiskey51$30 / 750mlBourbon
Agitator Kentucky Bourbon50$35 / 750mlBourbon
Howler Head Whiskey50$25 / 700mlWhiskey
Knob Creek Small Batch49$35 / 750mlBourbon
Blade And Bow48$50 / 750mlBourbon
Proclamation Irish Whiskey44$30 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
The Temple Bar Irish Whiskey40$60 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Redemption Bourbon 40$30 / 750mlBourbon
Natterjack Irish Whiskey35$35 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Hell-Cat Maggie Irish Whiskey32$25 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Grace O’Malley Believe in Grace Irish Whiskey31$40 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Baha Founders Reserve30$65 / 700mlIrish Whiskey
Woodford Reserve29$35 / 750mlBourbon
Breaker29$65 / 750mlBourbon
Pure Kentucky28$35 / 750mlBourbon
Stranahan's27$60 / 750mlWhiskey
Egan’s Fortitude Irish Whiskey26$45 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Winchester Extra Smooth Bourbon Whiskey15$30 / 750mlBourbon
Jack Daniel's Tennessee Honey10$20 / 750mlBourbon
Hill Billy Bourbon9$20 / 750mlBourbon
Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey5$25 / 750mlWhiskey
The Busker Irish Whiskey4$35 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
Kavanagh Irish Whiskey3$25 / 750mlIrish Whiskey
The Balvenie 14 Years Caribbean Cask1$100 / 750mlScotch
American XXX Born Bourbon Whiskey1$25 / 750mlBourbon
Highland Park Magnus Single Malt Scotch0$40 / 750mlScotch
Pops McCann0$40 / 750mlWhiskey
Silkie Irish Whiskey0$30 / 750mlIrish Whiskey