Breizh Blended
When you think of whisky, complex flavours, rich oak barrel notes and a long, smooth finish often come to mind. Well, the Breizh blended whisky has bypassed all these expectations in a remarkable way.
Tasting Notes
Nose
From the very first whiff, it is clear that Breizh Blended is not about traditional whisky flavours. Instead, the smell is reminiscent of a visit to a child's paradise: Balloons and jelly babies dominate, followed by a light, almost unobtrusive maltiness. The characteristic distillery odour does come through, but it seems to have lost its way. Barrel notes? Virtually non-existent - perhaps the barrels were used for something else instead.
Palate
The first sip confirms what the nose has already surmised. Breizh Blended tastes as if water has been mixed with a hint of whisky flavour. Hardly any character, but a sweet, almost sugary smoothness that floods the palate. However, this ‘smoothness’ lacks any depth. Instead, a flavour reminiscent of soap imposes itself - as if you had accidentally nibbled on a baked block of gummy bears from the dashboard.
Finish
The finish is so short that one wonders whether it exists at all. A barely perceptible oak note quickly disappears to make way for a slightly ethanolic, sugary aftertaste. It is as if the whisky is literally running away from itself.
Thoughts
Marcel 59/100
Anyone seeking enjoyment and character would be better off steering clear of the Breizh Blended – here, an overly sweet, almost childishly naive aroma dominates, lacking depth or soul. This is a whisky that evokes more the taste of sweet gummy bears than genuine pleasure, leaving one disappointed.
Sascha 57/100
From a structural standpoint, the Breizh Blended lacks the necessary balance between cask, malt, and alcohol, resulting in a flat, unbalanced composition. The exaggerated sweetness and barely noticeable finish make this blend come across more like an industrially produced product than a true whisky.
Value for Money: Expensive
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Why does the Breizh Blended Whisky have hardly any cask notes in its flavor?
The Breizh Blended Whisky shows almost no cask notes because it was apparently matured in very neutral or heavily used barrels that impart little oak or wood character to the whisky. This leads to a rather sweet and mild profile without the typical nuances of oak.
What explains the unusual smell of gummy bears and balloons in this whisky?
The aroma of gummy bears and balloons arises from unusual ester-rich compounds and flavor substances formed during production or maturation. Such sweet and artificially seeming aromas are rare in traditional whiskies and suggest a rather experimental or heavily filtered bottling.
How does the lack of an age statement affect the taste of the Breizh Blended?
Since the Breizh Blended has no age statement and is presumably young, it lacks the complexity and depth that longer maturation in wooden casks typically provides. The result is a light, sweet whisky with little character and a very short finish.