Something new from The Whisky Exchange, a Redbreast 1997 25 Years bottled exclusively for the online retailer. And not just from any cask, but from a cream sherry cask, which is not the most common vessel for whisky maturation.
The Whisky Exchange was acquired by Pernod Ricard in 2021. Since then we’ve seen a number of exclusives from brands owned by Pernod Ricard, such as this Scapa and Strathisla. The Redbreast 1997 25 Years is just the latest such example. It is part of Irish Distillers, which is also owned by Pernod Ricard.
Now what is cream sherry, you might ask? For that I’ll gladly refer to SherryNotes, a most excellent resource. They write:
“Cream sherry is the general name for different kinds of sweetened sherries. They are usually produced by blending a dry wine like Oloroso with naturally sweet Pedro Ximénez or Moscatel wines.
“The Cream sherry category is named after a hugely popular product called Bristol Cream from Bodegas Harveys. Around 1860 they invented a kind of thick, sweet blend that originated in Bristol but conquered the world. […] Nowadays it’s still commonly found, but it is slowly becoming the symbol of an old generation of sherry drinkers that are not really looking for the dry, more authentic wines.”
Redbreast 1997 25 Years Cream Sherry (57.6%, OB for The Whisky Exchange, C#14143)
Nose: There’s an initial herbaceousness alongside almonds and maybe some walnuts, but then we move into the backbone of this Irish pot still whiskey. Hints of cortado, mead and ground coffee, followed by intense dark chocolate, slivers of cassis and raspberries. Then a tinge of angelica root as well, but we’re ending on sweet notes of nougat.
Taste: Quite rustic even at such an advanced age. Hints of blackcurrant, espresso and chocolate truffles, but that herbaceousness (marjoram, rosemary) make an encore as well. Then it becomes sweeter, more gentle. Dark caramel, fudge, maybe even some butterscotch.
Finish: Medium to long. Dried red fruits, pollen and almond oil.
Sample provided by The Whisky Exchange
