Master of Malt recently had an exclusive Redbreast 16 Year Old single cask bottled from a first-fill Oloroso butt. Official Redbreast single casks are quite rare so we’re still discovering what they can be like. Older expressions (Dream Cask and LMdW) are often excellent.
When this came out, the 582 available bottles went fast… it was sold out, but now it’s back in stock.
Redbreast 16 yo 2001 (60,2%, OB for Master of Malt 2017, first-fill Oloroso butt #18829, 582 btl.)
Nose: aromatic spices up front. Dried ginger, cinnamon. Then moves to cocoa, blackberries, figs and cassis. Baked apples with (dry) raisins. Black Forest gateau. Also a dusty oaky side – cedar oak. Nutty notes and whiffs of tobacco.
Mouth: again mostly on this dusty, oaky character, with a nicely mentholated side. Slightly hot. Caramelized nuts, walnut cake, a hint of crème brûlée and chocolate. Roasted coffee beans. Black pepper and peppermint. Lots of blackberries. Less fruity notes than expected.
Finish: medium, still minty, with sultanas and oak spices.
Really good, although the dark fruits and oak spices tend to overshadow the spirit. In line with modern sherry bombs (Glenfarclas 105, A’Bunadh, GlenDronach) with less of the classic Irish profile, I would say. Around € 160 from Master of Malt. Thank you Thijs for the sample exchange.
Score: 88/100