Redbreast Kentucky Oak Edition

The Redbreast Kentucky Oak got kind of lost in the sauce when Redbreast started their wine barrel Finishing Series. I’m not sure if this is a fixture or just a one-off, but they’ve done so well with the limited releases I figured this couldn’t fail. Nose: Sandalwood. Shortbread cookie, vanilla, and honey. Apple, pear, and white grape. White chocolate. Toasted almond, pecan, macadamia, and walnut. Cocoa butter. Cinnamon, white pepper, peppermint, and heavy oak. Palate: Vanilla custard, toffee, shortbread cookie, and honey. Caramel and fudge. Sandalwood. Toasted almond, macadamia, and walnut. Pistachio. Cocoa and tobacco smoke. Black pepper and a faint hint of orange rind. Ginger. Apple. Dried apricot and cranberry. Peppermint. Finish: Toasted almond, macadamia, and walnut. Golden raisin. Cocoa, tobacco smoke, and orange rind. Ginger. Clove, nutmeg, black pepper/white pepper, cinnamon, and oak spice. Long finish.Awesome stuff. Yet another great NAS one-off from Redbreast. This profile actually reminds me more of Mizunura Oak than Bourbon Oak. Doesn’t change the fact that this is really good, in fact, it just make it that much more unique. My only critique is the price. It’s not unreasonable based on the quality, but it’s also not getting any awards for VFM at $120. Otherwise, I like the product here. I feel like Irish whiskies can go one or two ways. They are either bottled at cask strength, or have relatively low proofs. 101 proof seems like a nod to Kentucky, and it’s nice to see a non-CS expression that punches with the power that this does. 4.5/5.

Popped this open to get a quick idea on what we have here. I'll try and fill more out later. Highlights, it's still sherry and bourbon...so don't be confused by the marketing. The difference is they used a virgin oak cask, NOT charred, but air dried. So there's ZERO bourbon connection here. Other than the use of kentucky and the odd 101 proof. So blatant misleading marketing. Nose - vanilla and toffee. Maybe some nutty elements. Rather nice rich irish nose. Does lack much fruit. Taste - Sweet up front with vanilla and toffee (right off the box), then a nuclear bomb of spice, and then followed by funky over the top wood...more wood...and more wood. Did I mention wood? And not yummy bourbon oak, but raw oak like you'd get on a wine or lambic beer. No char flavors that can add so many lovely elements. More spice. Not aged or mellowed long enough to do much good. This would be one to perhaps blend into some non virgin oak casks, not to bottle as one. I'll leave this as a 1 star, but I'll try and come back and see if anything improves. I'm not hopeful.

Decent strength aroma features graham cracker, honey, vanilla bean, toffee, nutmeg, rubber, sea salt, rock candy, and subtle oak. Some ethanol but it’s low. Decent start. Palate opens with butterscotch, vanilla, caramel, almond, and the slightest hint of stone fruits. Bourbon barrel makes its presence known here as this features much more of a sugary candy profile than any other Redbreast. Flavors have richness and depth to them. Finish has big toffee notes along with barley malt, the nutmeg from the nose, and an oak that comes off as lightly toasted. Longer finish than you would expect given the proof. Mouthfeel is medium bodied and slightly grainy, which is a minor flaw as the flavor profile cries out for more of a silky smoothness. A nice whiskey, but I’m not sure that an Irish whiskey aged in bourbon barrels does a better job of being a bourbon than bourbon itself. At $99.99, I can’t really see myself paying for another bottle as I’d much rather have Lusteau, RB 15, or a host of bourbon options, leaving this one as a niche product.

Nose- plenty of vanilla and a hint of lemon zest Body- vanilla continues here strongly with peppery spices prevalent, there are hints of honey and citrus Finish- light and fairly dry Notes- For someone that predominately drinks bourbon, the spice notes really balance the typical Irish sweetness. If someone is looking for more typical bourbon notes that you would get from a charred barrel, this ain’t it. While I am not sure this is an improvement on the regular Redbreast line. This is an interesting rendition.

I was a bit disappointed with Redbreast Kentucky Oak. It has some nice woody notes from the virgin American Oak but it lacks the classic Redbreast Sherry complexity. I didn’t think it tasted that different than Hinch Double Wood which is a blend and 1/3 of the price. The Score Distiller gives it tells you everything…it’s an Irish Whiskey for Bourbon drinkers. My bourbon friends like this one, my Irish Whiskey friends (myself included) think Redbreast PX was far superior to Kentucky Oak.

BLIND TASTING Nose: sherry cask notes, maraschino, vanilla. Water adds acetone Taste: sweet, spicy, suspect cask strength. Cocoa and licorice finish. Aberlour or dalmore reminiscent, the more I taste the more I find that matches Nikka. Suspect sherry cask, speyside. Rich and full. Increasing maltiness with time and a little water