Hey Geoff, did you notice that Redbreast is triple distilled? That means they do not need to chillfilter it to prevent the formation of Irish mist. So perhaps they didn’t? Might explain the great mouthfeel and texture on the regular 12. Cheers!
Nice comparison. RB 12 was my first "sweet mystery of life at last I've found you" whisky experience early in my journey, so it will always maintain a place in my heart for that reason. That being said, for and extra $40 - $50 more, the CS is superior and worth every extra penny and it is my standard RB in my collection. I've also really enjoyed the PX version, especially towards the end of the bottle. I recently picked up the 15 when I found it for $100 USD and I must say that I think my expectations of it must've been too high. I am a bit disappointed by it, though I am giving it time, hoping it will grow on me like the PX did. The 15 usually sells for a lot more than the CS in my area, but the CS blows it away, for me. Cheers!
Great side-by-side comparison Geoff! I haven't tried Redbreast yet because it is too expensive in my market compared to other whiskies. Teeling whiskey is more affordable and with better specs. At one point I was thinking of buying the RB12 but the price along with the 40% ABV put me off. The price is around $100 - $115 NZD depending on the retailer ($60-70 USD). The CS12 is about double the price, around $200 NZD with most retailers. Cheers!
That's what she said! Looks like she must likes this one 😉 I had 12, 15 and 12CS in a bar. Must say 12CS impressed me most. Don't know what batch i sipping but it was oily flavourful poqerful fruit bomb. Delicious dram. Now plan to buyfull bottle. Cheers 😁🥂🥂🥂🙋♂️
Solid side by side. I have lost the "best batch" as well, but the current release is still great. Cheers to being a douche with a camera. What we can all aspire to be. Cheers!
interesting review. i had this early on, should revisit it again with all those notes i missed the first time. -- also if cs is double the price, then two shots of 80 proof is now a higher total amount of alcohol :-)
Thanks for sharing your thoughts Geoff. Have done a side by side of those some time ago... ... and got sherry notes. On the CS more intensity (incl. More sherry), so needless to say which one I prefer. Slàinte mhath
Great review as always Geoff. 👍As for value, in the UK the standard 12 is £50, which I think is way overpriced for a 40% whisky. The cask strength here is around £75, which although expensive its more in line in terms of value I think. I would be very interested to hear what batch of the cask strength you didn't like too much. I have the B1/22, and to be honest, I've not been too keen on it. It's way past the shoulder now and its had enough time to properly open up, but I find it quite harsh and bitter even after adding quite a bit of water. However, after your review I think I'll give it another go this weekend! 🥃
I’m totally with you on price, I’m from the UK (Staffordshire) and I think the price of the higher end Irish whiskey in general is way over the top. Given what level of Scotch single malt you can get for £40-£50 mark it blows most of the Irish stuff away in my experience.
Hi Geoff I’ve had a scroll back at your vlog history and noticed you’ve not done any of the Spot whisky’s of Ireland. They come out of same Middleton establishment as Red Breast. You’ve got some classic Irish whisky with the Blue, Green, Red & Yellow Spot. Also a Golden spot but expensive. Would be great to see a review on the Spots. Red Breast cask is superb.
I bought a second bottle of CS just a year ago for around 100. It mightve been on some 15 dollars reduced price, but still, yeah. Most shoot up to ridiculous prices the last couple of years
Great review and interesting comparison my friend! I would suggest for a future occasion: Powers John Lane 12 vs Redbreast 15 😎 Slowly catching up on content here💥 Have a great week! Cheers Buddy 🥃🥃
Damn I finished my Powers bottle and I don't have access to another here. Tbh it might be a pretty close one! Going off memory, I think the RB15 is probably more mature-tasting, but the Powers was much more "fun" to drink. Cheers my friend! 🥃
Thank for the side by side, this did help! I got the 12y for 42 € and the CS is on sale for 53€ now, so thats a buy then :) Since its obligatory to label it here in germany, the 12y redbreast is indeed colored. How would you rate the redbreast 15y between these two? Greetings!
RB12 is $60 in the US which is too much imo. That, Tomatin 12, and Glenfarclas 10 all do the same thing for me: the sherry component is in this semi mild zone. It lands in a sort uncanny valley of offputtingness. I either want less sherry influence or more sherry influence. Another way to put it : it’s like taking a favorite fruit juice and watering it down until if feels dissatisfying.
Hi Geoff. Haven’t had the 40% red breast 12 in a number of years and my CS 12 is still closed, but I would say that the CS version is more intense bringing out more intense flavours? Saying that the 40 % red breast isn’t that bad really.Slàinte Geoff.🥃
Tough compare.....such varied proofs. I've spent time with both and don't get the love. Nothing bad just nothing super appealing esp the 12yr. I'd take Power's 3 Swallow and John's Lane over either any day. Cheers, buddy!
Hi Geoff. What is the story behind the "pulling some taffy from my mouth" action you make when 'measuring' the finish? Thanks for your informative and entertaining reviews.
My middle finger on my right hand sometimes too, can be very good, but will never replace another more effective part of my body... Agree that you have to pay for pleasure 😁 Love the cask power of Redbreast!
That’s so interesting. For me, the regular 12 is watery. It’s so underwhelming I can’t justify paying $56-65 for a bottle of it. The CS, otoh, is everything I was promised. I waited to find it on sale for $90 to pick up a bottle. I have a bottle of the Lustau too, but won’t buy again as the sherry overwhelms the redbreast flavor in that one. The 15 I tried and was merely whelmed. So as far as I’m concerned, the CS is the only one worth buying, and the regular 12 isn’t even worth drinking as it tastes watered down beyond acceptable.
For me, the most important thing about the rebranding you mentioned is that the previous branding had Non Chill Filtered and Natural Color prominently on the box and bottle label of the 12CS and the 15 which was my favorite. Cheers
Interesting. I guess it's been a while since I had the old packaging. I didn't realize they used to give specs. Upgraded look , downgraded info. Shame, that. Cheers. 🥃
Terrific side by side Jeff! The CS is a lot more expensive but it's worth it. I do enjoy the Red Breast 40% occasionally but if I am going to have a dram of Irish Whiskey I usually go for the CS. I find it very satisfying compared to the lower ABV RB. You are right on about batch variation which is frustrating. I agree that I'd rather pay the difference and have the better whiskey here between the two! Awesome thoughts! I would love to see the Lagavulin 11 Offerman 4th Edition - Rum cask - reviewed! I was able to get a couple of bottles! Cheers!! 🙂
Glad you agree, Christine! Great minds think alike! As for the Offerman, sadly that's not sold in my market. I believe those are North American exclusives. Shame, I hear good things. Cheers! 🥃
@@Gwhisky Definitely great minds!! Lol!! No worries! Hopefully when travelling you will be able to taste the new Offerman at some point. You have lots to choose from in your terrific part of the world! Love your reply! Have a fabulous day Geoff and I hope you are doing really well!! 🙂
Pretty funny for a douche with a camera :D I love my 12CS, and for once I get to feel we are not the biggest losers for price (here we pay about US$90, not continental nice price but for some reason, less than in UK at least)
Hey Geoff, did you notice that Redbreast is triple distilled? That means they do not need to chillfilter it to prevent the formation of Irish mist. So perhaps they didn’t? Might explain the great mouthfeel and texture on the regular 12. Cheers!
That could be the case! Cheers buddy! 🥃
Nice comparison. RB 12 was my first "sweet mystery of life at last I've found you" whisky experience early in my journey, so it will always maintain a place in my heart for that reason. That being said, for and extra $40 - $50 more, the CS is superior and worth every extra penny and it is my standard RB in my collection. I've also really enjoyed the PX version, especially towards the end of the bottle. I recently picked up the 15 when I found it for $100 USD and I must say that I think my expectations of it must've been too high. I am a bit disappointed by it, though I am giving it time, hoping it will grow on me like the PX did. The 15 usually sells for a lot more than the CS in my area, but the CS blows it away, for me. Cheers!
Nice review !! I am very happy with 12 CS and nice price in Taiwan!
A 15vs 12 CS comparison will be interesting!
Wish I could find Red Breast 12 for $40, it's $72 in Southern Minnesota, USA. I can't even find the Cask Strength.
Great side-by-side comparison Geoff! I haven't tried Redbreast yet because it is too expensive in my market compared to other whiskies. Teeling whiskey is more affordable and with better specs. At one point I was thinking of buying the RB12 but the price along with the 40% ABV put me off. The price is around $100 - $115 NZD depending on the retailer ($60-70 USD). The CS12 is about double the price, around $200 NZD with most retailers. Cheers!
This was a great side-by-side
I am a big fan of Redbreast; I have the 12, CS, Tawny Port (which is okay, but not my favorite), Kentucky Oak, and 15.
Hi Geoff ! I was thinking to buy Redbrest CS or not ,especialy i have a discount as a wwhisky club member , my decision - buy )))) Cheers !
Definitely buy the CS!
Have you tried lustau? I like red breast 12, but it's a bit light and expensive these days. It cost 60€ in my market
Redbreast makes good stuff, I love the cask strength. Have you tried Teeling yet? I recently got a few single malts from them that are spectacular.
I add a teaspoon of the Lustau to my Redbreast 12. The CS costs 40% more.
60$ for the Cask strength in Europe , Bulgaria
@Geoff a list of whiskies that carry a lot of flavor for a 40% abv bottling.
Pls 🙏
That's what she said! Looks like she must likes this one 😉
I had 12, 15 and 12CS in a bar. Must say 12CS impressed me most. Don't know what batch i sipping but it was oily flavourful poqerful fruit bomb. Delicious dram. Now plan to buyfull bottle. Cheers 😁🥂🥂🥂🙋♂️
I would be interested in what mixing the two is like, if it is worth beefing up the 12 a bit or if that's a waste of the cask strength
Nice catch with the Red head for the Red Breast face-off 🤣
Solid side by side. I have lost the "best batch" as well, but the current release is still great. Cheers to being a douche with a camera. What we can all aspire to be. Cheers!
interesting review. i had this early on, should revisit it again with all those notes i missed the first time. -- also if cs is double the price, then two shots of 80 proof is now a higher total amount of alcohol :-)
Thanks for sharing your thoughts Geoff.
Have done a side by side of those some time ago...
... and got sherry notes. On the CS more intensity (incl. More sherry), so needless to say which one I prefer.
Slàinte mhath
Great review as always Geoff. 👍As for value, in the UK the standard 12 is £50, which I think is way overpriced for a 40% whisky. The cask strength here is around £75, which although expensive its more in line in terms of value I think. I would be very interested to hear what batch of the cask strength you didn't like too much. I have the B1/22, and to be honest, I've not been too keen on it. It's way past the shoulder now and its had enough time to properly open up, but I find it quite harsh and bitter even after adding quite a bit of water. However, after your review I think I'll give it another go this weekend! 🥃
I’m totally with you on price, I’m from the UK (Staffordshire) and I think the price of the higher end Irish whiskey in general is way over the top. Given what level of Scotch single malt you can get for £40-£50 mark it blows most of the Irish stuff away in my experience.
So Red Breast 12 cs is better than Sex Panther.
Hi Geoff
I’ve had a scroll back at your vlog history and noticed you’ve not done any of the Spot whisky’s of Ireland.
They come out of same Middleton establishment as Red Breast.
You’ve got some classic Irish whisky with the Blue, Green, Red & Yellow Spot.
Also a Golden spot but expensive.
Would be great to see a review on the Spots.
Red Breast cask is superb.
Very professional video. Nicely done. I appreciate
Very kind words. Thanks for watching! 🙏
Nice to see this comparison. I wish we saw these for $40 and $80. I'd buy the CS all day. Here in northeast USA I see the 12 for $70 and CS for $100.
Red Breast 12 cask strength $158.55 at the LCBO. What a joke. I think it was just under $120 a few years ago?
I bought a second bottle of CS just a year ago for around 100. It mightve been on some 15 dollars reduced price, but still, yeah. Most shoot up to ridiculous prices the last couple of years
I’ve tasted the 15 last Saturday, and it is a fantastic whiskey! Any thoughts on the Lustau?
Have yet to try the Lustau. It's on the wishlist! 🥃
Great review and interesting comparison my friend!
I would suggest for a future occasion: Powers John Lane 12 vs Redbreast 15 😎
Slowly catching up on content here💥
Have a great week!
Cheers Buddy 🥃🥃
Damn I finished my Powers bottle and I don't have access to another here. Tbh it might be a pretty close one! Going off memory, I think the RB15 is probably more mature-tasting, but the Powers was much more "fun" to drink. Cheers my friend! 🥃
Love the cs 12. Nice review
In Japan the Cask Strength is 3X the price of the regular 12 at 20,000 yen ($130) and is barely available. Ouch!
Ouch! 😬
So how would you rate the 15y vs the CS they are more similar in price?
I have 5 from their line and I dont recommend the 15. I find the CS to be the best, and after that the Lustau
Thank for the side by side, this did help! I got the 12y for 42 € and the CS is on sale for 53€ now, so thats a buy then :)
Since its obligatory to label it here in germany, the 12y redbreast is indeed colored.
How would you rate the redbreast 15y between these two?
Greetings!
I prefer the 15 to the regular 12, but my top pick would still be the 12 CS. Cheers! 🥃
RB12 is $60 in the US which is too much imo. That, Tomatin 12, and Glenfarclas 10 all do the same thing for me: the sherry component is in this semi mild zone. It lands in a sort uncanny valley of offputtingness. I either want less sherry influence or more sherry influence. Another way to put it : it’s like taking a favorite fruit juice and watering it down until if feels dissatisfying.
It’s $75 in my market which is crazy when the 12 cask strength is $85.
Hi Geoff. Haven’t had the 40% red breast 12 in a number of years and my CS 12 is still closed, but I would say that the CS version is more intense bringing out more intense flavours? Saying that the 40 % red breast isn’t that bad really.Slàinte Geoff.🥃
Tough compare.....such varied proofs. I've spent time with both and don't get the love. Nothing bad just nothing super appealing esp the 12yr. I'd take Power's 3 Swallow and John's Lane over either any day. Cheers, buddy!
Hi Geoff. What is the story behind the "pulling some taffy from my mouth" action you make when 'measuring' the finish? Thanks for your informative and entertaining reviews.
My middle finger on my right hand sometimes too, can be very good, but will never replace another more effective part of my body...
Agree that you have to pay for pleasure 😁
Love the cask power of Redbreast!
This is like Mike Tyson fighting your mom 😂
I started with the standard 12, then I got a bottle of the CS, and now I never buy the standard 12 anymore. 😜
Life is short. Buy the good stuff.
Hah solid mantra. Cheers! 🥃
That’s so interesting. For me, the regular 12 is watery. It’s so underwhelming I can’t justify paying $56-65 for a bottle of it.
The CS, otoh, is everything I was promised. I waited to find it on sale for $90 to pick up a bottle. I have a bottle of the Lustau too, but won’t buy again as the sherry overwhelms the redbreast flavor in that one. The 15 I tried and was merely whelmed. So as far as I’m concerned, the CS is the only one worth buying, and the regular 12 isn’t even worth drinking as it tastes watered down beyond acceptable.
For me, the most important thing about the rebranding you mentioned is that the previous branding had Non Chill Filtered and Natural Color prominently on the box and bottle label of the 12CS and the 15 which was my favorite. Cheers
Interesting. I guess it's been a while since I had the old packaging. I didn't realize they used to give specs. Upgraded look , downgraded info. Shame, that. Cheers. 🥃
I have both as well. I agree that the CS is a noticeable plus. But the regular 12 is a great entry to whisky for non whisky drinker.
Yeah true it's a great one to keep around for non-enthusiast guests! 🥃
Terrific side by side Jeff! The CS is a lot more expensive but it's worth it. I do enjoy the Red Breast 40% occasionally but if I am going to have a dram of Irish Whiskey I usually go for the CS. I find it very satisfying compared to the lower ABV RB. You are right on about batch variation which is frustrating. I agree that I'd rather pay the difference and have the better whiskey here between the two! Awesome thoughts! I would love to see the Lagavulin 11 Offerman 4th Edition - Rum cask - reviewed! I was able to get a couple of bottles! Cheers!! 🙂
Glad you agree, Christine! Great minds think alike!
As for the Offerman, sadly that's not sold in my market. I believe those are North American exclusives. Shame, I hear good things. Cheers! 🥃
@@Gwhisky Definitely great minds!! Lol!! No worries! Hopefully when travelling you will be able to taste the new Offerman at some point. You have lots to choose from in your terrific part of the world! Love your reply! Have a fabulous day Geoff and I hope you are doing really well!! 🙂
Be honest, did you love to Taiwan for the affordable whisky prices?
Loads of reasons to love Taiwan. 🇹🇼
Nice side by side comparison..❤
Thanks buddy! 🥃
Pretty funny for a douche with a camera :D
I love my 12CS, and for once I get to feel we are not the biggest losers for price (here we pay about US$90, not continental nice price but for some reason, less than in UK at least)