Review #: 434
Description: Review #434 – Redacted Bros Islay Single Malt 1991
Spirit: Scotch
Background: This is a single cask of Islay single malt, distilled in 1991 and aged for just under 30 years in a hogshead before bottling by Thompson Bros specifically for K&L Wines in California. The distillery isn’t disclosed, but one might immediately have Caol Ila come to mind, but I have also seen speculation of this being Laphroaig. I won’t make a say either way, but I’m excited to jump into it. This carried a price of $300 per bottle.
Distillery – Undisclosed
Bottler – Thompson Bros
Brand – Redacted Bros
Selection – K&L Wines
ABV – 50.8%
Age – 29 Years
Nose – Light and delicate, lemon curd, dark chocolate with sea salt, sugar cookie, key lime pie. Lots of sweet pastry and just a hint of peat behind all the notes.
Taste – More sweet and buttery pasty, lemon curd, light milk chocolate, vanilla cream, thin caramel, cooked red apple
Finish – Peat creeps in more and brings some bitterness to the aforementioned sweetness, bit of salty ash that lingers.
Score: 7
Would I buy a bottle? It’s certainly a fair price to get into a high age stated, Islay single malt. I say yes.
Thoughts: Coming from the bruiser that was the Ledaig, this is far more nuanced but really well constructed between the cask and the spirit. I only can really compare it to the 32 year Laphroaig, and this certainly maintains more peat characteristic (not that that’s a negative). Nice depth, good balance, and a better price than you would find on nearly any bottle with similar stats, this is just a great cask.