Redbreast Recipe

Crush and prepare botanicals

Lightly crush the juniper berries, coriander seeds and grains of paradise using a mortar and pestle. Chop or break larger roots and barks (orris, angelica, cassia, licorice) into small pieces. Zest lemon and orange, removing all pith; cut peels into strips. Measure dried botanicals (meadowsweet, heather tips) and set aside.

Combine botanicals with neutral grain spirit in a clean, sealable glass vessel. Add juniper, orris, angelica, cassia, coriander, lemon peel, orange peel, meadowsweet, grains of paradise, heather tips and licorice. Seal and shake gently to mix.

Macerate at cool room temperature (15–22°C) for 12–18 hours. This timeframe favors a bright citrus and floral lift while avoiding overly bitter extracts from citrus oils and cassia.

Set up still

Transfer the macerated spirit with solids into your pot still's boiler. If you plan to vapour-infuse additional delicate peels and juniper, place them in the botanical basket above the boiler (do not overload).

Perform a slow distillation: heat gently until vapors form and collect heart fractions. Make a heads cut for approximately the first 100–150 ml per 700 ml charge (or until the aroma is no longer solvent/pine-like). Collect the hearts until the flavor begins to fade — roughly 350–400 ml of hearts for this recipe depending on still and run. Stop before strong vegetal/woody tails taste appear.

If you use vapour infusion, monitor the aroma coming off the lyne arm — lemon and fresh juniper should be prominent. Adjust cuts to prioritize bright citrus, floral and rounded spice notes.

Combine collected distillate (hearts) and the 50 ml single pot still Irish whiskey (Redbreast-style) in a clean container. The whiskey addition adds texture, waxy and creamy malt character and a light sherry-like sweetness that evokes a Redbreast profile.

Measure alcohol by volume of the combined liquid. Target final bottling strength around 42–45% ABV. Slowly add purified water, chilled if possible, in small increments, mixing and resting 10–15 minutes between additions. Continue until desired ABV is reached. For this recipe, starting from ~70–75% distillate strength you will likely add ~600–700 ml water to reach about 700–750 ml of finished gin at 43–45% ABV; exact volume depends on initial distillate proof.

Rest the proofed gin in a sealed container for 48–72 hours to allow integration and for any remaining cloudiness to clear. If cloudiness persists, filter gently through coffee filter or fine muslin.

Optional: If you want a touch of mineral softness, add the optional 50 ml Irish spring or soft mineral water to taste, then rest another 24 hours.

Sanitize bottles and funnels. Transfer the finished gin into bottles. Label with date, recipe name (REDBREAST Single Irish Pot Still Gin), ABV and batch number.

Ageing is optional: bottle can be enjoyed immediately, but a week of rest in bottle will meld flavors further.