This is the 2019 edition of Midleton's fantastic Very Rare series, made using single pot still and single grain Irish whiskeys, matured exclusively in lightly-charred ex-bourbon American oak barrels. A rich, fruity expression, backed up by waves of vanilla and oaky spices.
This bottle was part of a private collection - if you'd like more detailed photos just get in touch!
Pot still spices – tannic oak, cinnamon and nutmeg – are straight out the block before they are tempered by creamy vanilla, rich toffee and plenty of ripe orchard fruit (green apple and Conference pear). A complex sweetness then builds underneath from muscovado sugar, tropical fruit in syrup and a touch of oak char.
More green apple, ginger root and just a flicker of tablet fudge sweetness, then sugary cereal and a prickle of oak spice before hints of pineapple and mango add another wave of tropical goodness. Charred vanilla oak also returns from the nose to provide the backdrop among a touch of creamy nuttiness.
An earthy element to the spice appears in the finish among more crisp, ripe and almost candied fruits and gentle tannins.
An artful, intriguing and well-integrated blend, the older casks have given this edition an almost rummy element (mostly tropical fruit), but its standout strength is the exceptional clarity of the distillery character that forms the core of the expression.
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You can never go wrong with Midleton. The sweet vanilla and toffee taste along with several other fruity hints in this smooth Irish pot still whiskey makes it one of the best. That said, there are several other Irish whiskeys now competing with Midleton in quality. Red Breast 12, Powers 12, and Yellow Spot to name a few.
