Redbreast launches competition to win a rare €520 bottle of whiskey

Redbreast Irish Whiskey is offering UK consumer the chance to win a bottle of its latest annual Dream Cask expression, which retails for €520.

The whiskey brand has partnered with online retailer Masters of Malt to offer UK shoppers the chance to win the eagerly anticipated bottle by finding one of six golden corks in the latest release of its Redbreast 12 Year Old whisky, which is available exclusively from the online whisky specialist.

It marks the fourth annual Redbreast Dream Cask release – a series devised by master blender Billy Leighton that sees a limited release of a selection of the very finest whiskeys from the inventory of Midleton Distillery in County Cork, which is finished in one ‘dream’ cask.

The 2021 edition, which was unveiled last week, is a 29 year old single pot still Irish whiskey in the signature Redbreast style, which has been finished in a single oloroso sherry butt from Jerez de la Frontera in Spain’s Andalusia region, and left to mature for a further 15 months. This “brings an evolution of its characteristic flavours to the Redbreast experience”, the company said, in an annual release “like no other”.

The rare bottling has an ABV of 51.2%, and tasting notes include “notes of dark brown sugar, succulent berries and vanilla” that off-set Redbreast’s trademark spices.

“Our annual Dream Cask release is an opportunity for whiskey lovers to savour something truly exceptional from our warehouse,” Leighton said.

Only 924 bottles of the latest release are available (RRP of €520) and the company are expecting high demand. The first Dream Cask release in 2018 – a hand-selected 32 Year Old single pot still Irish whiskey finished in a first-fill Oloroso Sherry-seasoned butt – sold out on the first day, at a rate of more than two bottles per minute, but this was beaten in the second year, when the 2019 release sold old at a rate of 65 bottles per minute. A balloting system was introduced in 2020 in order to make the release “as equitable as possible”, Leighton said, and this will be run again via Redbreast’s online members’ club, The Birdhouse, from Monday 17 May until 2pm on Tuesday 25 May when successful participants will be able to purchase one 500ml bottle.  

Ian Peart, commercial director at brand owner Pernod Ricard UK, said the team were delighted to partner with Master of Malt on the exclusive opportunity. “The consolation for anyone who purchases a bottle of our Redbreast 12 Year Old, but isn’t lucky enough to find a golden cork, is that they still get to enjoy an outstanding and multi award-winning single pot still Irish whiskey,” he said.