Redbreast Lustau Edition

Sweet poached pears with dark stone fruits. The sherry makes a significant impact. Very good.

Maple syrup on the nose. Dark fruits throughout the tasting. I appreciate the sherry, but it's missing the lovely, light Irish whiskey feel.

Well this was nice and sweet. Sherry coming through great. Probably sweetest whisky I jave had. Loved it.

Red berries dipped in vanilla with spices. Finishes with a nice sweetness.

Sooo…full disclosure: sherry finishes can be super hit or miss for me, mostly a miss. Many times I get kind of a burnt keratin aroma and taste from them maybe why I’m not a scotch guy. But luckily this isn’t that. Read on… On the nose getting raisin, date, fig, new tire (?), bread pudding, flan, green oak, and clove. I could do without the rubber, but inviting enough. Definitely a strong nose for 94 proof. Palate offers fruitcake (date, plum), mandarin orange, vanilla creme, and hazelnut. Flavors are both rich in depth and punchy on the tongue, and this may be the most flavorful whiskey under 100 proof I have tasted. That said, there’s also a softness about it proving both things can co-exist. Medium length finish brightens things up with baked apple, sweet bread, cane sugar, then a small spice bloom of cinnamon and black pepper, ending in a beautiful milk chocolate note after everything else fades. Mouthfeel is medium bodied but very oily and fits the flavor profile to a tee. This is superb. Everything about it comes together seamlessly and effortlessly and makes for a really enjoyable experience. I avoided this for a long time due to its $85 price tag and when Total Wine inexplicably marked this down to $50 I pulled the trigger and glad I did. At that price it’s a rebuy all day. At $85? Quite possibly which should tell you something…