Redbreast 1999 Sherry Cask TWE Exclusive

Nose

Rum soaked raisins and millionaire's shortbread. With time in the glass it becomes darker, like thick treacle.

Palate

At first there is toffee and 85% dark chocolate. Autumnal fruits and dry leaves, figs and currants. A heavy meaty note emerges, like hot Bovril.

Finish

The flavour of cold-pressed coffee with cracked black pepper coats the tongue.

An intense nose packed with dried fruits and burnt rich caramel, a hint of struck match and a meaty savoury character that gives way to autumn leaves, figs and sultanas. The palate is spicy and rich with a lovely woody note with dried figs and brown sugar – delicious.

Nose

Freshly snapped Crunchie bars, toffee bananas, glacée cherries, old matchboxes and ground almonds. Creamy almond notes continue, with spicy horchata and vanilla pods poking out from behind layers of sherry fruit – raisins, sultanas, dates and prunes.

Palate

Thick and weighty with bittersweet dried fruit and rich caramel and toffee. Fruit then bursts across the palate, with cherries – fresh, maraschino and cocktail – joined by baked apples and singed raisins. Liquorice and blackcurrant sweets sit at the back, with woody spice – clove and cinnamon – and a hint of mint chocolate.

Finish

Raisins, dried cherries and spiced malt load fade to liquorice, mint and a hint of bitter coal dust.

Comment

A full-on sherry-matured dram, with stacks of expected character. However, there's still that classic Redbreast fruitiness peeking in around the edges that not even an active cask can hide.

Nose

Classic single pot still spices in harmony with oloroso seasoned Spanish oak. Deep dried-fruit richness with a little mandarin orange zest blends with bitter almond, leather and toasted oak. Some nutmeg and sweet vanilla bring some balance to the exceptional complexity.

Taste

Full, round and velvety smooth. The rich single pot still spices mingle effortlessly with the abundance of succulent fruit. Soft vanilla complements the robust note of ground coffee on a firm background of Spanish oak.

Finish

Complex and sophisticated, remaining in balance as it fades.