I continue my journey in discovering the Redbreast range, with the Redbreast 15 year old. A few years older than the previously reviewed 12 year old and so I’m curious if this also means a step up from that one.
Like the rest in the range, this is also a Single Pot Still Whiskey, made from a mash of malted and unmalted barley and then triple distilled. It has matured in a combination of 1st-fill and refill ex-bourbon and Oloroso sherry casks, before being bottled at a strength of 46% ABV. And that is quite a bit higher than the 12-year-old, which was bottled at only 40% ABV.
Redbreast 15 year old tasting notes:
Nose: caramel and a hint of spices such as nutmeg and cinnamon. Pineapple in the back. Quite some acacia honey, followed by plenty of fruits. Sweet cherries and blueberries, but also oranges. Dried figs and milk chocolate. Later also a touch of liquorice.
Taste: liquorice and lots of honey again. A creamy mouthfeel with a touch of vanilla and caramel fudge. Blueberries and oranges again. But I also get a hint of peach. Then hazelnuts in the background. Cacao and a hint of oak. And later also a touch of black pepper, ginger and cinnamon.
Finish: mid-long with plenty of honey again. Black pepper and cinnamon Oranges. Milk chocolate and a touch of oak.
The flavours are very consistent from nose to palate to finish. What you smell is what you get. Not many surprises here, but I don’t mean that in a bad way. Just a very solid dram and quite enjoyable. It’s really a step up from the 12 year old. So that’s another lovely Redbreast in my books.
