Redbreast is considered by many to be one of the best Irish whiskey brands. In fact, we even named the brand’s 12-year-old expression our favorite Irish whiskey, period. That track record should remain intact with the addition of this fantastic new 18-year-old expression.
Redbreast is a single pot still Irish whiskey, a category that has a few specific guidelines: the whiskey is made from a mash bill of malted and unmalted barley (a small amount of other cereal grain is allowed), and it’s distilled in a pot still at one distillery. Compare that to single malt whiskey, which is made from a mash bill of 100 percent malted barley at one distillery, a style that is mostly associated with Scotland.
The pot still mash bill gives a unique fruit-forward flavor profile. And in the case of Redbreast, the types of casks that are used, typically a combination of bourbon and sherry casks, also contribute a great deal to the whiskey’s character.
Redbreast 18 falls just in between the core lineup’s 15- and 21-year-old expressions, but the specific types of barrels it’s aged in make it stand out from the pack.
“The addition of Redbreast 18-Year-Old to the core range beautifully bridges the gap between our older and younger offerings,” said master blender David McCabe in a statement. “By incorporating cream sherry casks, we’ve created a whiskey that boasts a rich profile of dark chocolate, blackcurrants, and hazelnuts.”
Cream sherry is a blend of sweet sherries. The use of these casks, which were sourced from the Antonio Páez Lobato cooperage in Spain, brings something new to the Redbreast portfolio.
The whiskey was made at Midleton, the large distillery, just outside of Cork, where other well-known Irish whiskey brands like Jameson, Powers, and Green Spot are also produced. It’s triple distilled and then aged in several different types of barrels: bourbon, oloroso sherry, and some ruby port casks in addition to the cream sherry casks.
At 18 years old, the whiskey has taken on big notes of oak and tannic spice. But it’s softened and balanced out by the different types of casks in which it spent nearly two decades resting. The resulting whiskey has big notes of cherry syrup, grape, butterscotch, fresh berries, dark chocolate, hazelnut, blood orange, and even a hint of Dr. Pepper on the palate.
The Redbreast portfolio is strong from start to finish, beginning with the 12-year-old that anchors the range all the way up to the outstanding (and expensive) 27-year-old. The new Redbreast 18 sits right in the middle in terms of age and price, $250. It’s not cheap, but still much less than the $700 or more you might pay for the 27.
There is nothing mid about the flavor, however. My advice to longtime Redbreast fans and newcomers to the category? Grab this bottle if you see it in the wild and be sure to share it with friends.
‘Reservation Dogs’ creator Sterlin Harjo joins Rachel Martin for Wild Card. He talks about why people should go to more funerals and why Whole Foods makes him irrationally angry.
No sooner has the Phone 16 lineup arrived than the folks at iFixit start taking them apart, a process made easier this time around by the day-one release of repair manuals from Apple. The disassembly process shows the Camera control is a real button that moves, along with a flex cable that likely measures force, and the heat sink that appears positioned to keep the A18 chip’s Neural Engine cool while it handles AI workloads.
Who doesn’t love a luxury hotel? Even if you’re priced out from regular five-star stays, the grandeur of a well-appointed, beautifully designed accommodation demands appreciation. For those of us who have had the privilege to stay in one (or a few or many), there is a singular joy, a feeling of luck, that for just one (or two or a few or many) nights, you’re royalty.
So if you’re a hotel addict like we are at Lonely Planet, disappear into the second annual ranking of the World’s 50 Best Hotels, recently announced in London. Last year’s number one, the stunning Passalacqua in Lake Como, Italy, has been dethroned as the number one hotel in the world in favor of the Capella in Bangkok, Thailand. Overlooking the Chao Phraya River this hotel has 101 rooms, suites and villas, a Michelin-starred chef, a stunning spa and concierges who can plan you an itinerary for your time in the city. The combination of elegance, spare design and impeccable service result in a sublime stay, a serene place to recharge or enjoy a cocktail in a chic and happening bar.
The list’s collective judges are part of the The World’s Best 50 Hotels Academy, a body of 580 international travel experts (with a 50/50 gender balance!) from the hotel and travel industries who vote anonymously on the best properties globally.
The view from a room at Borgo Santandrea in Amalfi. The World’s 50 Best Hotels
Making its debut on the list, the Bulgari Hotel occupies the 40th to 45th floors of the Tokyo Midtown Yaesu skyscraper. Centrally located and within walking distance of many of the Japanese capital’s top sites, the ultra-luxe property has 98 rooms and suites, the Michelin-starred Il Ristorante – Niko Romito, along with a bar, lounge and spa.
This carbon-neutral luxe property is styled as a “creative village” where “music, art, design, food and wellness converge under a zero-waste philosophy.”
Minimalist design, stunning artwork, extraordinary views – the Upper House in the Admiralty District of Hong Kong is an extraordinary property, the work of acclaimed local designer, André Fu.
Raffles London at the OWO is in the meticulously renovated Old War Office. The World’s 50 Best Hotels
The recipient of the Lavazza Highest New Entry Award 2024, this magnificent hotel is situated in the renovated Old War Office. Both historical and modern, with incomparable views of Whitehall and Horse Guards, Raffles at the OWO has become the place to see and be seen in London – for locals and visitors alike – be it at one of its nine dining venues, three bars or at the Guerlain spa.
This converted Renaissance-era palazzo is located near Florence‘s city center, so you can spend the morning touring the Duomo and easily pop back to the outdoor pool for a refreshing dip.
Gleneagles boasts “endless country pursuits on tap,” including archery, fishing, and even falconry, making this Scottish getaway unique. The staff can also arrange for fabulous outdoor meals set against the stunning Perthshire scenery.
The Four Seasons at the Surf Club in Surfside, Florida, has two heated outdoor swimming pools. The World’s 50 Best Hotels
A stay at this beachfront hotel is as marvelous as it is sensual. Four Seasons at the Surf Club is the rare Miami-adjacent location where you can enjoy a peaceful, coastal holiday – no DJs blaring music at the pool here. Instead you’ll find a stunning architectural example of the area’s history (the original hotel opened on New Year’s Eve 1930) and one of the best restaurants in town, the Surf Club Restaurant.
Originally a private residence owned by an Italian duchess, this 50-acre property on the Riviera Maya features striking natural eye candy: white peacocks that wander the grounds.
Set in an Italianate villa that at one time was the city’s maternity ward, this glamorous mid-century hotel in São Paolo boasts contemporary works from 57 Brazilian artists.
The Brando in Tahiti is the ultimate luxury escape. The World’s 50 Best Hotels
Appearing as a mirage in the Tetiaroa atoll in Tahiti, French Polynesia, this island beauty was indeed once owned by the actor Marlon Brando. An all-inclusive tropical paradise, it is the incarnation of luxurious escape and the apex of getting off the grid in the most over-the-top fashion.
Enjoy laid-back Aussie vibes at the stylish Calile in Brisbane, where rooms and suites offer a sense of calm with their natural cork floors and marble surfaces. Disconnect with a book at the in-house library, or chill on a day bed or cabana beside the pool.
Kruger National Park is the setting for the list’s smallest property, the 18-room Singita Lodges, where a highlight is a traditional 18th-century boma dinner, an African menu served “al fresco, under the branches of a candelabra tree.”
Attitudes about diet are ever changing, and what was once considered healthy might eventually be found to pose a problem, or vice versa. Case in point, a “wellness culture BS busting dietitian” is highlighting three foods that have a bad reputation, but as it turns out, are pretty healthy for you.
The insights come from Abbey Sharp, who serves up “science and sass” on her popular TikTok account, which boasts over 840,000 followers. In her latest video posted this week, Sharp detailed three “bad foods” that she actually thinks people should eat.
First up were potatoes, which have been particularly demonized in recent years in the era of low-carb diets. “Potatoes do not inherently make you gain weight,” she explained, noting that they’re actually a great source of slow digesting carbs with blood sugar-regulating residence starch fiber. Not to mention, they’re also a great source of nutrients such as potassium, vitamin C, and vitamin B6.
Potatoes are actually quite filling as well, as she pointed out that the root vegetables actually topped a satiety ranking of common foods. For comparison, that’s seven times more filling than say, a croissant.
The next food Sharp tackled was egg yolks, which have likewise always gotten a bad rap.
“For too long I feel that diet culture has painted egg yolks, specifically, as these fatty cholesterol bombs that will harden your arteries overnight,” she continued. “But we now know that dietary cholesterol doesn’t actually impact our blood cholesterol all that much.”
Plus, Sharp argued that egg yolks are also a great source of key nutrients such as vitamin D, choline, as well as containing half of the protein of the entire egg. “So definitely do not skimp on the yolks,” she advised.
Finally, the last item on Sharp’s list? Full fat dairy—or specifically, fermented dairy like yogurt—which she says is full of unique compounds like conjugated linoleic acid, butyrate, and gangliosides, that may actually offer a protective effect on heart health.
“Recent research has also found no association with full-fat dairy and cardiovascular disease while other research has found that full-fat dairy may actually reduce the risk of obesity and weight gain,” she added.
“So yeah, I feel like we have a lot of unlearning to do,” Sharp concluded the video, asking her followers which item on the list surprised them most. So next time you’re out at breakfast, don’t pay extra for an egg white omelet; and while you’re at it, get a side of potatoes or a yogurt parfait, as well.
Scratch the surface of Windows (and macOS), and you’ll find a command line console underneath, a lingering remnant of how these operating systems started out: as user-friendly graphical wrappers built on top of text-based, monochrome interfaces.
If you’re as old as I am, you might remember having to launch apps and games on a computer by typing out text commands, rather than pointing and clicking. The modern-day methods are much easier, of course, but the old ways are still available — and they’re actually still useful for multiple tasks, as the list below shows.
To begin with, Windows kept the Command Prompt utility as a reminder of its MS-DOS roots. That was later joined by PowerShell (Command Prompt with extras), and in the latest…
An enduring mystery surrounding a body found buried beneath Notre Dame following the disastrous 2019 fire that destroyed the church may finally be put to rest, Le Monde and La Croix International reported.
The remains were found in 2022 encased in a lead sarcophagus, one of two exhumed from the cathedral by a team of roughly 50 researchers with the National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research (INRAP) who have worked since 2019 to preserve the site.
After examining the remains, scientists believe they belong to famed Renaissance poet Joachim du Bellay, who died in 1560 at the age of 37. Du Bellay, founder of the literary group La Pléiade, was believed to have been buried near one of his relatives at a chapel in Notre Dame, but the precise location of his grave was never pinpointed.
Further examination from the Forensic Institute of the University Hospital of Toulouse found that the man had suffered from bone tuberculosis and chronic meningitis during his lifetime. Éric Crubézy, a professor of biological anthropology at Toulouse, believes that du Bellay hinted at both conditions in several of his poems.
“He matches all the criteria of the portrait,” Crubézy explained. “He is an accomplished horseman, suffers from both conditions mentioned in some of his poems, like in ‘The Complaint of the Despairing,’ where he describes ‘this storm that blurs [his] mind,’ and his family belonged to the royal court and the pope’s close entourage.”
However, INRAP’s archaeologist and excavation leader Christophe Besnier contests this assertion. “Certain elements do not support this hypothesis: isotope analysis of the teeth indicates that the individual lived in the Paris region or Rhône-Alpes until he was 10 years old. However, we know that Joachim du Bellay grew up in Anjou,” Besnier said.
The remains are set to undergo further testing to determine the exact age at which the man died, but experts warn any definitive answers will be elusive due to the lack of comparative DNA.
Only 10 percent of the floors beneath Notre Dame have been examined, leaving much opportunity for similarly impressive finds. However, those will have to wait. The legendary church is entering its final phases of renovation before finally reopening to the public on Dec. 8.
A city with a rich industrial heritage, a huge heart and a no-nonsense approach to life, Manchester has become a wildly diverse and vibrant modern metropolis. It’s one of the best – if not the best – cities in the UK.
It’s a place where difference is embraced and celebrated – indeed, as you wander Manchester’s neighborhoods, you may think you’ll have traversed many cities. Canal St is the multicolored heart of the Gay Village, while the Chinatown here is the second-largest in the UK. The bright lights of a modern metropolis fade away to reveal medieval buildings, imposing industrial bridges and even the remains of ancient Roman walls.
In Manchester, you can easily get distracted – and that’s precisely what you should do. Let this guide to an unforgettable day here serve merely as a starting point, and never be afraid to take a peek around that next corner. You never know what you might find.
Manchester’s Rainbow Village is lively by day – and even more so by night. Jun Huang/Shutterstock
Breakfast: Plan-making and people-watching
Open at 7:30am weekdays and 8am weekends, Ezra & Gil stimulates the senses in an atmosphere filled with the aroma of coffee, the taste of sweet delicacies and the buzz of conversation. With a fresh brew in hand, perch in a window seat at the Hilton St location – at the threshold of the vibrant and eclectic Northern Quarter – and spend an hour or so watching the world go by while mapping out a day to remember.
Early morning: Get creative in the Northern Quarter
The NQ is a neighborhood known for its creative and independent spirit – so take some time to wander its streets and get to know its independent shops, galleries and boutiques. The creative spirit also spills onto the street, thanks to colorful and occasionally surprising street art.
When you’re ready to head indoors, get lost roaming around the four floors of Afflecks, which is crammed with innovative independent traders. The building began life as a department store in the 1860s, and today is a must-visit emporium in the city that attracts 24,000 visitors every week. Drop in right when it opens (10:30am) for a quieter visit, and pop into the cafe on the top floor for elevenses before journeying on.
The Northern Quarter’s creative spirit extends to its colorful street murals. Alberto Manuel Urosa Toledano/Getty Images
Early afternoon: A cathedral, and a tram tour
As you walk toward the oldest part of the city, watch out for the vaulted arch of the “Hanging Ditch,” the remains of a medieval bridge that was built over, rediscovered, covered over once again and is now at the base of the building housing the cathedral visitor center.
Grand and imposing Manchester Cathedral is free to enter; in the soaring Gothic nave, friendly red-sashed volunteers will answer all your questions. The church has a busy calendar of events, so ask what’s happening during your visit. And if cathedrals aren’t your thing, then the National Museum of Football is right next door.
Manchester trams scurry all over the city, and are a cost-effective way to cram even more into your day. Wind your way up to St Peter’s Square and catch a tram out to MediaCityUK. Next to the tram stop, you’ll find Rise Up, Women, a statue to pioneering suffragette and Manchester native Emmeline Pankhurst.
Aboard the tram, you’ll get a quick tour of some city highlights, including the grandly classical Manchester Central Library, the classic pub Briton’s Protection and Deansgate Railway Station. To your right, look out for Castlefield Viaduct, an old bridge that has been converted into a carefully managed green space. And just after Pomona station, look to the left to catch a glimpse of Old Trafford, home to Manchester United.
Lunch: At the Lowry, with a side of art
Once you get to the docks, head to Pier Eight at the Lowry cultural center for lunch. (You’ll have worked up an appetite by now.) Among the many highlights of this multimedia theater and exhibition space is a collection of 300 works by LS Lowry, whose paintings documented Manchester and Northwest England in its 19th-century industrial heyday. If the weather is fair, take time to explore more of what MediaCity has to offer, including outdoor screenings. Plus, with the BBC studios nearby, you might even spot a celebrity or two.
Ultra-modern MediaCityUK occupies the quayside area that was once Manchester’s bustling port. Alex West/Getty Images
Late afternoon: A waterside wander
If you fancy a more leisurely afternoon, relax with a drink at one of the quayside bars before catching the tram back to the city. If you’re feeling more active, take a walk back along the waterways for a real chance to see the city from a very different angle. (The full walk will take 60 to 90 minutes.) Stop in a Ordsall Hall, a former manor house that has since been absorbed into the city. It’s free to wander around, and a small cafe offers well-priced mugs of tea and toasted cheese sandwiches to enjoy under glorious oak-beamed ceilings.
From here, make your way to the river path – a part of town known as Graffiti Palace thanks to the brightly colored designs that cover every wall. Once you’ve crossed over to the Bridgewater Canal, it won’t be long before you reach Castlefield Basin, a meeting of waterways, roads and railways that’s teeming with bars, restaurants and cafes abuzz at all hours. You can pause for a drink here or venture a little further on to the Gas Works Brew Bar for a pint of locally brewed beer and a traditional pub atmosphere as you ponder how best to spend the evening.
Dinner: Chips and gravy (what else?)
Food in Manchester is famously hearty: think pie, chips and plenty of gravy. If you’ve kept pace with the city so far then you’ve definitely earned a big plate of proper food – and the best place to find it is at Sam’s Chop House. The bar menu here offers a solid range classics, including crispy pork, slow-roast beef and freshly battered fish, all served with a big helping of fried-to-perfection chips. (A note when ordering in Mancunian: a “barm cake” is a bread roll.)
Before hitting the bars and live-music venues, stop for an elegant cocktail at 20 Stories. Christina Nwabugo for Lonely Planet
Night: Madchester beckons
“Madchester” is the well-earned nickname of a city that gave us Oasis, Morrissey, the Stone Roses, the Happy Mondays and many other acts. So if you were hoping to retire early, think again. Ascend to enjoy swank cocktails and magnificent views over the city at 20 Stories, or take a wander back to the Northern Quarter to try out some of those bars you spotted earlier. Gullivers is a great place to enjoy live local music and spot the next up-and-coming Manchester legends. Alternatively, you could do a bar crawl along rainbow-festooned Canal St for a lively end to a perfect, packed Manchester day.
