Redbreast Mano A Lamh is a first for Redbreast in several ways. For starters it’s the first NAS release they’ve ever released. It’s also the first time they’ve used 100% sherry barrels in a release. This whiskey was a special release so it’s not available anymore unfortunately, but they do tend to show up in auctions. Especially around this time of year.
In Midleton’s Words: Redbreast Mano A Lamh
“Mano a Lámh, means ‘hand in hand’, represents the joining of two languages, Gaelic and Galician, in celebration of the relationship between the Masters of Midleton and the collective of artisans in Spain, who have crafted the distillery’s sherry butts over 20 years.”
And with that lets’ head on into the Redbreast Mano A Lamh review!
Redbreast Mano A Lamh Info
Region: Ireland
Distiller: Midleton
Mashbill: 100% Malted Barley
Cask: ex-Sherry
Age: NAS
ABV: 46%
Non-Chill Filtered | Natural Color
Price: NA – Auction, Specialty Store or Private Seller
Redbreast Mano A Lamh Review
EYE
Toffee
NOSE
Toffee, orchard fruit, honey, lemon zest, malt, copper, spice, graham and light bits of buttery caramel, pie crust and dark fruit.
PALATE
Toffee, dried fruit, malt, copper, cinnamon heavy spice, toasted nuts, and light bits of citrus, buttery pie crust and dark fruit.
FINISH
Long fade of graham, fruit, nuts, honey, spice.
BALANCE, BODY & FEEL
Great balance, full body and an oily feel.
OVERALL
The Redbreast Mano A Lamh is a good example of the underlying complexity that can be brought to Irish whiskey when it’s treated more like a Scottish single malt and not blended away, chill filtered and watered down to the minimum legal level. This is the kind of whiskey I would drink on a daily basis if I could and if the aroma were more complex it would have easily hit an A-.
As it sits now the Redbreast Mano A Lamh has an aroma that’s unfortunately quite light and feels topical despite the nice array of notes. The palate on the other hand comes through rich, dense and heavy. If the aroma mimicked the palate the Redbreast Mano A Lamh would have been a truly amazing whiskey, but even as it sits now a darn fine dram.
SCORE: 88/100 (B+)