Redbreast Lustau Edition

This is one of my certified 'Tasty Tipples.'

I’m a big fan of Redbreast 12 year and this ranks right up there with it in my book. If you like Redbreast and you haven’t tried this you need to give it a try. You won’t be disappointed.

Having tried and loved the Redbreast 12 year old, I had to try this when I saw it on our tour of Ireland. Really enjoyed it although I prefer the 12 year old. Now have to try the others and continue to explore this wonderful group of Whisky’s

"Redbreast fans have long cherished our whiskey's sherry notes" says the audio commercial for this bottling, and...well, yes. The sherry-tinged quality of Redbreast is probably its best known trait. It plumps up the dram, giving it a rich, fruity, nutty roundness lacking in, say, Green Spot. And, in Redbreast's best iterations, it's a delight - I think about the 15 year old. This NAS (the youngest whiskey in the mix is 9 years old, or so I heard on WhiskyCast) is finished in first fill sherry casks..and things go from pleasantly round to REALLY plump. Like, me after my third piece of pie at Thanksgiving plump. The spicy, toasted bread pot still quality that dances with the sherry notes in the standard bottlings is lost here; instead, there's almond, marzipan, a medley of dried fruit. There's more "young spirit" nip here than in the age statement versions, but it's far from the worse NAS offender on this front. I've vacillated on a rating; I settled on a high three stars since it's an enjoyable dram, but not quite up to the high standards I hold for Redbreast.