Redbreast Kentucky Oak Edition

BLIND TASTING Nose: sherry cask notes, maraschino, vanilla. Water adds acetone Taste: sweet, spicy, suspect cask strength. Cocoa and licorice finish. Aberlour or dalmore reminiscent, the more I taste the more I find that matches Nikka. Suspect sherry cask, speyside. Rich and full. Increasing maltiness with time and a little water

This is fantastic! @jdjmad @Zslug @Kyle-Metes-Randolph

Straight: Good! Water: Ehh Ice: Alright

Decent strength aroma features graham cracker, honey, vanilla bean, toffee, nutmeg, rubber, sea salt, rock candy, and subtle oak. Some ethanol but it’s low. Decent start. Palate opens with butterscotch, vanilla, caramel, almond, and the slightest hint of stone fruits. Bourbon barrel makes its presence known here as this features much more of a sugary candy profile than any other Redbreast. Flavors have richness and depth to them. Finish has big toffee notes along with barley malt, the nutmeg from the nose, and an oak that comes off as lightly toasted. Longer finish than you would expect given the proof. Mouthfeel is medium bodied and slightly grainy, which is a minor flaw as the flavor profile cries out for more of a silky smoothness. A nice whiskey, but I’m not sure that an Irish whiskey aged in bourbon barrels does a better job of being a bourbon than bourbon itself. At $99.99, I can’t really see myself paying for another bottle as I’d much rather have Lusteau, RB 15, or a host of bourbon options, leaving this one as a niche product.