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Redbreast 12 Year Old Cask Strength

Flavour Bomb

10 591

@RianCReview by @RianC

21st Mar 2020

0

Redbreast 12 Year Old Cask Strength
  • Nose
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  • Taste
    ~
  • Finish
    ~
  • Balance
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  • Overall
    91

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Distribution of ratings for this: brand user

A very popular one this, so it would seem, and I had waited a good while after my pleasing experiences with the regular 12 to grab one of these and, yes, I'm glad I did!

Bottle's been open a couple of months and just passed the label. Review is neat.

Nose - immediately rich, creamy and buttery. Some sweet notes of red apples, rasiny, berry sherry influence and baking spices. There's quite a whiff of new pencils as well that integrates very well here. That unmistakable dry barley note and coppery twang are also present. Straightforward yet complex, if you get me?

Taste - Creamy again and really big on the palate with some more spice, butter, oak, a little liquorice, red fruits and Caramac bars. Dusty, almost grainy, yet rich and thick mouth-feel and perfectly balanced with it.

Finish - Long. Lots of spice, more toffee and oak with a little bitterness from the tannins at the death, but nothing is out of place. Some of the sherry influence hangs on in there as well and adds to the feeling of balance.

Water softens the edges a little but doesn't really change much other than diluting what's there. I prefer to drink this neat and savour the full sensations.

This is stunning Irish whiskey that deserves its solid reputation. One of those rare beasts that manages to be both quaffable yet powerful, rich, complex and rewarding at the same time. A total flavour bomb! That being said, I could get two bottles of the regular 12, with change, for one of these and I think that may be a better deal; which, in fairness, says more about the quality of the standard than this version per se.

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5 comments

@OdysseusUnbound
OdysseusUnbound commented

Thanks for your review. This is one of those rare whiskies that seems to be enjoyed by just about everyone who tastes it.

4 years ago 4Who liked this?

@BlueNote
BlueNote commented

I can’t say I was overly impressed with the standard 12. It was a bit too sweet and, dare I say it, smooth for my taste. Is the cask strength radically different and very much better?

4 years ago 0

@BlueNote
BlueNote commented

@OdysseusUnbound @RianC I can’t say I was overly impressed with the standard 12. It was a bit too sweet and, dare I say it, smooth for my taste. Is the cask strength radically different and very much better?

4 years ago 1Who liked this?

@BlueNote
BlueNote commented

Man that’s annoying. Is there no way to get rid of a post if you’ve doubled it, or don’t like it?

4 years ago 2Who liked this?

@RianC
RianC commented

@BlueNote - You can say that again! grin

I haven't done a head to head but going from memory this is much more powerful and the creamy, butteriness of this is like nothing I've had before. The standard was lighter (well, duh!) but I still found it enjoyable and extremely quaffable.

4 years ago 2Who liked this?