Redbreast 27 Year Old

Billy Abbott, The Whisky Exchange

• Nose

  Red, purple and orange jelly babies, sweet and fruity with a touch of the tropical. The fruit sharpens slightly as underripe mango and papaya develop, joined by a spoon of scooped out passion fruit innard. A hint of spicy grain rolls through the middle followed by rich, dark fruit cake.

• Palate

  Thick, rich, oily and intense. A compressed ball of tropical-fruit jelly surrounded by flashed apple, pear, gummi bear and jelly baby. Gentle spice builds, followed by a hint of mint and menthol. Vanilla toffees hide out at the back with a handful of tarragon.

• Finish

  Tropical fruit and toffee fade to leave a tingle of menthol.

• Comment

  The port hasn’t been laid on thick, and the bourbon casks in the mix give the whiskey the fruity, old-Irish-whiskey character that I’m looking for in something that’s been aged this long. The port and sherry casks add another dimension without swamping the spirit. For me, this is what blending is all about – layering and combining flavours to give a balanced whiskey that isn’t dominated by one component.