Irish whiskey darling Redbreast now has two different special release ranges delivering periodic additions to the portfolio: the Iberian Series and the American Oak Series. The latter kicked things off in 2023 with Kentucky Oak Edition, a standout debut that saw Redbreast finished in virgin casks made from oak harvested from a single farm in Kentucky. For the sequel, Redbreast is using virgin oak from the Ozark Forests in Missouri, which is admittedly not quite as bespoke as the inaugural release. A lot of white oak barrels come out of the Ozarks.

As for what’s in the bottle, the same concept applies here as before. This is classic Redbreast made from malted and unmalted barley, triple distilled in copper pot stills and matured in American oak bourbon barrels and Spanish oloroso sherry butts for an unspecified period that’s then finished for 10 months in virgin oak casks from the Ozarks. Let’s check it out.

While Kentucky Oak carried a classic Redbreast nose rich in coconut and vanilla, this is a big departure from the flagship with the virgin oak finish showing a lot more dark toffee, pie spice, and roasted nut notes. As it opens, things get a little dusty with more barrel char and toasted oak aromas. That heavier wood profile carries over on the palate where top notes of barley sugar, vanilla bean, and cooked stone fruit quickly give way to more overbaked notes of dark brown pie crust and crunchy chocolate biscuits. It’s soothing and warm but with significantly more spice and pepper than the Kentucky Oak offering, simmering into a generous finish with notes of peach tart, ginger tea, and chocolate mints.

I was admittedly skeptical of future iterations of the American Oak Series, wondering how different one batch of American oak casks could really be from another. Redbreast has proven its point with Missouri Oak, and while I didn’t enjoy it quite as much as the inaugural offering, I’m really looking forward to the next installment. I guess there could be 48 more potential options (plus some territories)!

101 proof.

B+ / $199

Redbreast Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey Missouri Oak Edition

$199

8.5

Rating

8.5/10

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