Review by: The Muskox

This is one of the many, many times where I’m really glad to be friends with my friend Brad. In addition to being the a wonderful gentleman, he’s generous to the point of insanity with his whisky. I’ll refer you to this mysterious found footage as proof that we actually got our hands on a bottle of this. This is the oldest-ever Redbreast. This cask was first identified during the vatting of the first release of Redbreast 21, where it was deemed too special to include, hence the single-cask release.

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Distillery: Midleton

Bottler: Official bottling

Region: Ireland

ABV: 46.5%

Age: 32 Years. Distilled October 31st 1985.

Cask type: Initially matured in refill bourbon barrels, finished for 7 years in cask #41207, a first-fill sherry butt.

Price: I don’t wanna know. I think it was around $850 for a 500 mL bottle at release.

Color: Gold. Natural Color. Non-Chill Filtered.

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Nose: Definitely Redbreast. The nose leads with that fresh, green, oaty unmalted barley note. Just past that comes all the Oloroso influence. Vanilla, cinnamon, almond, and lots of nutmeg. Raisin, plum, and sweet red apple. Lots of dried citrus peel. The sweetness lies somewhere between demerara sugar and honey. There’s an interesting floral side to the nose, with something like candied flowers and lavender appearing. Underneath everything is this somewhat savoury note: fresh leather, espresso roast coffee beans, and that sundried tomato note I keep finding in Redbreasts.

Palate: Oily texture. Holy COW. This has got to be the brightest and shiniest whisky I’ve ever tried. The sherry influence has suddenly vanished. At first is some sour pear, with a little bit of vanilla and more nutmeg. The sweetness has gotten super-floral like a clover honey. Then in the middle is that green unmalted barley note, which only hangs around for a second. The development is oily, astringent, and acidic: all citrus oil, green coffee beans, oak, and leather. A real moisture-sucker, this one. The honey fades into a greener, grassier sweetness, joined by nuttier notes of sunflower seeds and nutmeg.

Finish: Very long. Fresh and effervescent to the point of a cooling sensation, and every bit as complex as the nose or palate. The sherry returns a bit as everything calms down. It develops through all kinds of fruit: pear, green grape, cherry, banana, and grapefruit. A touch of toffee, some nutmeg and light cinnamon. Plenty of that clover honey, grass, and green coffee. Definitely some wintergreen as well. More greenhouse notes: tomato vine and green peas! Maybe some birch beer?

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Conclusion: This is a beautiful mess of a whisky. It’s so complex and all-over-the-place. The brightness and intensity of the flavours, especially on the palate, is unlike anything I’ve tried. The nose is as rich and magical as you’d hope for, but the palate and finish are just… ludicrous. Honestly, I don’t really know how to score this one. It’s as challenging to drink as the peatiest scotch or the spiciest rye. I wasn’t ready for this whisky. As I was drinking it, I didn’t really know what to think, except that I wanted more.

Final Score: 97.

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Scoring Legend:

• 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
• 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
• 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
• 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
• 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
• 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
• 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
• 50-59: Save it for mixing.
• 0-49: Blech.