Redbreast Single Sherry Cask – Irish Whiskey
Here at Whisky Boys HQ I have just received a sample of the new Sherry Single Cask release.
Tasting a fine Irish dram takes me back to a trip I had to Midleton Distillery to review the new Irish Whiskey Academy which included some special tastings. The Irish Distillers (Pernod Ricard) who have Redbreast in their fine portfolio of Irish Whiskey, which also include:-
Lets get back to the main feature, this Whiskey was matured in a single toasted Oloroso Sherry butt with a release of 576 bottles, this cask slept deeply and peacefully in one of Midleton’s warehouse for a little over 16 years.
Head Blender Mr Billy Leighton (who I was pleased to meet and chat with on my trip to Cork) in a statement said “Being able to introduce the world to Redbreast Single Cask is very exciting, as it celebrates the heart of what connoisseurs love about the brand; its exceptional ex-Sherry cask contribution, our relationship with the Spanish bodegas and respect for the craftsmanship throughout the production process.”
This bottling available and exclusive to the Whisky Exchange.
Let’s enjoy a wee tasting.
Redbreast Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey – All Sherry Single Cask, 16 Year Old, 59.9% Alc/vol 70 cl.
Colour: Manuka honey on a golden spoon.
Nose: Deep sherried dried fruit is first out the starting block, rich Christmas cake with marzipan topping, vanilla hints, cinder toffee, fine kid leather gloves sitting on a oak church pew. This is a complex one to say the least.
Taste: Heavy, rich and full, I had to put just a tear drop of water into my dram, some spicy oak, the freshest of soft fruit with vanilla ice cream, now I get some fresh ground coffee, loads of sherry soaked sultanas, oddly I also get chocolate coated liquorice laces, the more I taste the more I am getting, I have let it sit for a few minutes and now ripe oranges and dried tobacco leaves.
Finish…An elegant and quite sophisticated dram, oak and sherry still haunts my palate, fruit and sherry remain in full charge of this exceptional dram.
Quite an exceptional Whiskey, complex and ever changing in your glass, all at Midleton can be very proud of this dram, the choice of cask, choice of spirit and length of maturation could not have been chosen any better. I can only hope that this is the start of many Single Cask expressions to come out of Midleton.
