Spirits retailer The Whisky Exchange has released two exclusive whiskies for March, including a 20-year-old Redbreast Irish whiskey.
The exclusive Redbreast 20-Year-Old Small Batch Oloroso Cask is a single pot still whiskey aged in third-fill Sherry casks.
Bottled at 60% ABV, the Irish whiskey offers aromas of citrus fruit, orange, star fruit, lemon zest, incense and Turkish delight, with nuances of dried figs, sultanas and apricots, spices and seasoned oak on the nose.
On the palate, the whiskey displays notes of dark and milk chocolate, orchard fruits, spices, cherry jam, raisins, and ginger cake.
The Redbreast small batch expression retails for £275 (US$368) for a 700ml bottle.
The second exclusive bottling, Mars Komagatake 2017 7-Year-Old Sumo Series #5, was distilled at Japan’s Mars Komagatake Distillery, nestled in the shadow of Mount Komagatake in the Central Alps.
After being aged for seven years in a Bourbon cask, the whisky was bottled at 57% ABV, resulting in notes of tropical fruits, vanilla and soft spice.
The bottling is the distillery’s fifth instalment in its Sumo Series, is limited to 168 bottles, and retails for £225 (US$301).
Mars’ Sumo Series draws inspiration from the ancient Japanese sport of Sumo wrestling, a tradition characterised by its rituals and hierarchical structure. These roles determine a wrestler’s responsibilities, privileges, and daily routines.
Each bottle in the series references one of the 82 official kimarite (winning techniques), with labels printed on traditional Japanese washi paper.
The series’ fifth bottling highlights the Tsuki-dashi, a classic winning technique in which the wrestler pushes his opponent out of the ring with rapid thrusts.
Both limited releases are now available exclusively from The Whisky Exchange stores in London and online.
Last weekend (27-28 February), The Whisky Exchange hosted its second Welcome to Whisky event at Glaziers Hall on London’s Southbank.
Last month, the retailer debuted its Zodiac whisky series with four horoscope-inspired releases.
