Redbreast 16 Year 2002/2018 Sherry Cask #10351 58.7% for Sonny Molloy
Nose: Walking through a seaside farmers market. Ripe peaches and savory dates. Baking cherries. Cockles and muscles. Fresh pumpernickel bread. Clay; rich fresh churned farm soil. Touch of soy sauce or resins. Wildflower honey, fresh Madagascar vanilla bean, orange blossom. Fresh rain on warm concrete. The nose on this is freaking absurd and bodacious.
Palate: The pleasure of a truly amazing trip comes from the discomfort of the differences. The contrasts. Umami. Pumpernickel with caraway seeds. Vachetta leather. Apparently Ryan likes to gnaw on rare Italian handbags. Baklava. Baked pine nuts and pumpkin seeds. Lime peel, pineapple and ginger. White pepper. Celery salt, laurel leaves, and old bay seasoning.
Rating: 9 / 10 – This dram hits every freaking note. Every olfactory element, every piece of my tongue, my brain just lights up. That makes it interesting. And then when it’s excellent, then it transcends. This is a glorious spirit. I’ve gone back half a dozen times to make sure it wasn’t just the moment for me. Now I need to have it slipped into a blind round to see if its expectation. Or put it side by side with the Palace Bar bottle.