Redbreast Lustau Edition (46.0%): It sounds like I am late for the party but this review was waiting for its turn to be edited for a long time... Finally today I had some time to work on it and here it is: Redbreast Lustau Edition is the latest addition to the New Midleton Distillery's Single Pot Still line-up. It is a marriage of single pot still whiskeys aged both in ex- bourbon and ex-sherry casks for nine to twelve years which were transferred later for a year of additional maturation to first fill Spanish oak Oloroso Don Nuno sherry butts sourced from Bodegas Lustau. People absolutely loved it when it was released last fall and it became one of the most appreciated new releases of 2016... And here is what I have to say...
Color: Red gold with persistent legs.
Nose: That very familiar smell of the dashboard of a brand new car... Juicy fresh peaches, red plums and orange twist. Wild mushrooms and green almonds. Carrot cake, honey cornflakes, toasted wood and musty barrels. I have to say that it noses like a much older whiskey than it is.
Palate: Creamy and doughy. Cake batter, roasted hazelnuts, walnuts and almonds. Oloroso sherry, vanilla, candied lemon peel and orange blossom honey. Bananas, peaches and overripe plums.
Finish: Long with nutmeg, milk chocolate and marzipan. Malty and doughy.
Overall: So glad to see that the whiskey is not buried in sherry notes... You get clearly all the nutty and fruity qualities of Oloroso sherry casks but they never overpower the Redbreast in the core we all love. If you want to compare it with the other expressions of the range I would say that it tastes more like a younger version of the 21yo than a finished expression of the 12yo. Great permanent addition to the line-up and with a very reasonable price tag. I will definitely buy another bottle after I kill this one...
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