Definitely picked up a lot of the bourbon barrel but also the dark, juicy fruits from the oloroso sherry barrels. I think I’m going to have to get a bottle of this for myself. More Irish whisky needs to be cask strength.
Water is totally mandatory here, but even then, we’re very far from the previous Redbreasts, whether young or older. A much simpler, harsher spirit, without much of the trademark seductively arrogant fruitiness.
The side effect of high-proof whiskey is always that crazy long finish, though (I wouldn’t call it “burn” here), something you can only cut with… another sip.
But it shines as a base for mixed drinks, as its honeyed Sherry scent and mix of malty apple and faintly smoky flavors stand up to significant dilution.
With its high proof, easy drinking profile, balance that is out of this world and the taste profile, Redbreast 12 Cask Strength B1/12 should be sipped by every single whisky lover to fill a gap.
Raided Score is a conversion from an external site's score, to our in house uniform scoring system. Please see the FAQ for more.
House Review
Nose:
This might sound weird but bread. Sweet, yeasty, caramel-y bread notes. Theres some vanilla as well but not nearly as prominent as the bread notes. Pretty inviting.
Taste:
Malty sweetness, some light floral fruit, some more caramel and vanilla but all subdued. For the proof its very welcoming and there isnt much ethanol bite.
Finish:
Long, mildly hot but gentle overall. More honey and yeasty malt with some more light floral fruit on the way out. Kind of like spiced pears.
Overall:
For a subset whisky I really havent tried a while lot of, this was a great re-introduction. Delicious, high proof and really just solid all around.
Score:
88
By t8ke
Our in house critic rates spirits on a scale of 0-10 (10 best) and is aggregated the same as external sources
Get the inside scoop on the latest & greatest spirit releases in our daily newsletter.
