Before It Was Redbreast: The Forgotten Name of This Iconic Irish Whiskey (Whisky Names Explained)

The robin is a familiar little bird in the Netherlands and certainly in the whisky world. How the Redbreast name became tied to the brand is the subject of this edition of Whisky Names Explained.

Animals often take center stage on whisky labels. In our review of Redbreast 12 Years Old, we briefly mentioned that the name wasn’t attached to the whiskey from the very beginning.

For instance, in 1904 a 12-year-old whiskey was released under the name “JJ Liqueur 12 Year Old,” and it wasn’t until 1912 that the whiskey was officially sold as “Redbreast JJ Liqueur Whiskey 12 Year Old.”

The exact origin of the Redbreast name remains unclear. Since Gilbey’s, the company behind the brand at the time, introduced the name, it’s assumed that the Redbreast nickname had already been associated with the whiskey for some time. It’s believed the name came from one of Gilbey’s chairmen, a noted bird enthusiast.

The brand makes no secret of its avian inspiration. The charming bird appears on every bottle and box, and in 2021 Redbreast launched its self-styled Robin Redbreast Day.

On this special day, Redbreast raises awareness for the “everyday” bird in partnership with BirdLife International. There are also various fundraising initiatives, such as a special edition of Redbreast 12 sold with a matching bird feeder. The most recent Robin Redbreast Day took place on November 17, 2022.

Irish actor Chris O’Dowd, known from his roles in the series The IT Crowd and the film The Cloverfield Paradox, has served as the event’s ambassador for the past two years, creating a humorous sketch each year to promote Robin Redbreast Day.

Curious about Redbreast whiskey? Be sure to check out our review of Redbreast 12 Year Old!