Redbreast 12 Year Cask Strength

Batch No. B1/20; 57.6% ABV; 115.2 Proof. N: Coconut with pot still spices right up front. Rich milk chocolate, dark red fruit, swirl of vanilla, fresh orchard fruit (especially pear and apple). Dash of dried peach and/or apricot. Another wave or layer comes with soft citrus (lemon, I think) and then a sweet tropical note - more floral than fruity. Pot still spice hangs with and colors every different note that comes. There's a huge richness in the nose. Excellent, bordering on incredible. P: Juicy and fruity right at the front of the tongue - bright red apple and something almost like a cross between strawberry and raspberry (and a little sweeter than both). A little further back on the tongue you get that milk chocolate, a big coconut note, and vanilla marshmallow cream. The chocolate shifts dark and bitter just about the time the pot still spices hit, which in turn hits the marshmallow cream and gives it a toasted nature - like a toasted vanilla marshmallow cream, which sounds like an amazing idea. Finish is toasted coconut - and toasted like it had been set on a hot charcoal grill and left there until it caught fire - more dark chocolate, dried red fruit, dried cereal grain, and obviously pot still spices. The spice has some heat, but it's less than your average cinnamon bomb bourbon. This is much more subtle with a narrower range of baking spice notes - a little cumin, a little cardamom, maybe a dash of allspice, a little ginger heat, just enough cayenne to let you know it's there, and then all of that cooked together in a light brown sugar syrup to sweeten it all up. Mouthfeel is actually a bit thinner than you might expect from a cask strength whiskey - this is not one of those thick, oily, viscous single pot still whiskies. It is a bit coating, but nothing more. The overall effect is entirely pleasant and delightful. I think Irish Single Pot Still is my favorite type of whiskey. There's something magic in the unmalted barley, maybe. Or it's the oats. I don't know. Anyway, I think this is my favorite Irish SPS. I don't think that exactly makes it my favorite whiskey - I'm not sure how I could even pick such a thing - but it's about as close as it gets. I have no complaints about this: it's delicious, complicated, even thought-provoking the way that good whiskey sometimes is (for me, anyway). It's also relatively cheap and relatively abundant. If I had to say one almost bad thing about it, it would be that it tends to feel a bit straightforward, takes no risks, and lands almost too true to style, but someone has to set the bar: this does that for Irish SPS. Can't recommend this enough.

Nose: orange and spices. Some coconut Taste: toasted notes, more orange and some honey, creamy long finish, buttery. So good.

Really good stuff. There's honey, apple cider, and vanilla. A thicker creamy butter rolls up. The sherry is noticable but comes across a bit different than expected. It's more of a cherry and plum hit, rather than the brighter berries. Oak and hot cinnamon creep in and are met with a pepper finish. It's short but enjoyable. Less bright apple and light cereal than most Irish I've had; there's a fullness, richness, and boldness throughout that is very welcoming. This is worth the $90 to buy again.