Weekend Brief Nov. 2023: Milk & Honey, Redbreast, and Miyagikyo
The trio of world whisky reviews below were all done during a good friend’s birthday party, prior to the main event, and all the wonderful food he provided. We brought desert, but nothing could compare to the spread of whiskies he set out and asked us to help polish off. Some guests contributed more than others, but considering I had to maintain my wits about me, I was not as helpful as I could have been. I have no doubt that all of us left thinking we needed to throw a similar birthday party of our own.
There is no better whisky than that which is shared with others.
Whisky Details: Milk & Honey 3 Year (2018), 67.4%, Fortified White Wine Cask 2018-0548 for Hawaii Whisky Mafia
Nose: Fruity and concentrated, syrupy, apricots and peaches, touch spirited and peppery,
Palate: Spicy and full-bodied, very fruity, dates and figs, dried fruits, peppery, subtle florals, cedar wood and kiawe pods toward the end, hint of rye-like medicinal spice.
Finish: Medium to long and drying, dried fruits and subtle florals and oak.
Score: 6
Mental Image: Winter Larder Fruit Storm
Narrative & Notes: Intense, lively, and spicy; exactly what one would expect from a whisky topping 67% abv. Despite the youthful quality of the whisky and its flammable alcohol content, it was pleasant; even at cask strength, it was alright. However, it did need water for the whisky to shine; dropping the abv helped tame the spicy heat and lift out more of the subtle florals and medicinal spice. The young, aggressive malts from M&H often remind me of Kavalan, especially the cask-driven flavor profiles. I find this approach to whisky helps raise the floor of whisky but at the price of bringing the ceiling down. For those who love big cask flavors, M&H is definitely worth a try.
Whisky Details: Miyagikyo Distillery “Sherry & Sweet,” 55%, Sherry Casks
Nose: Sherried fruits with an accent of salt, dried stone fruits and brined plums, fruit preserves with a touch of matchstick, chocolate, and cinnamon.
Palate: Medium to full-bodied, viscous and oily, bright fruits and salt, fruit leather with hints of balsamic, bright citrus, apricot and matchstick, sweet smoked salmon toward the end.
Finish: Medium-length dried fruits with an accent of salt.
Score: 6-7
Mental Image: Power Outage Candlelight Special
Narrative & Notes: Had I known this was from a Nikka distillery and tried it blind, I am confident I would have thought this was from Yoichi Distillery rather than Miyagikyo. While Miyagikyo has done some peat in the past, I suspect the wispy elements I picked up reflect more heavy lifting by the cask than anything. The aroma and flavor profile were rich and well structured, with some additional depth than your average sherry bomb. I love whiskies that lean toward balsamic, and this had just a hint in that direction. The finish was lovely, and I had to check the bottle several times afterward to verify again that this was, in fact, Miyagikyo and not Yoichi. Overall, hands down the best whisky from Nikka’s Miyagikyo distillery I have tried to date.
Whisky Details: Redbreast “Kentucky Oak,” 50.5%
Nose: Caramel, vanilla, nougat, Boston cream pie, hints of vanilla, toffee blonde bar.
Palate: Medium-bodied, crème de caramel, vanilla, hints of banana and toffee, pastries and cookie dough, hints of orchard fruit.
Finish: Medium length toffee blondie bars and crème de caramel.
Score: 5
Mental Image: Banana Cream Pie in a Nilla Wafer Crust
Narrative & Notes: An interesting Redbreast! This release highlighted the influence of ex-bourbon barrels on the Midleton whisky and, in the process, provided a radially different version of the dried fruits and spice for which RedBreast is best known. It reminded me more of Jameson at times, and considering that it is another Midelton product, go figure! The pastries, cream, and caramel that came forward were reminiscent of single-grain scotch more than the single malts I typically gravitate to. So, if you ever wanted to see how RedBreast performed in bourbon casks and did not want Jameson, this was a great option with tons of bourbon cask notes. Overall, relaxing and mellow but a bit one-note and overly sweet for my taste.
