Midleton Very Rare Barry Crockett Legacy

Hi, I'm Dustin and this review might trigger some people. So bought this recently because of my "Irish guy" and if you know me you know him, he RAVES about this. So I had to get into it. The first thing is WOW this is a nice box. And I mean that as a guy, read my reviews, who has had some nice bottles and with them some nice boxes. This might be near the top, right there with my best kavalan boxes and in some ways this is better even than them. OK so I wasn't impressed and with that, I'm trying this next to John Lane's 12 year to see if I'm crazy. Nose - First off the nose is soft and it's a struggle to pull things out. Certainly jammy, oak notes are here, it's very approachable, calm, but has the bones of some older oaked influence and some traditional irish unmalted barely grainy notes coming through. This would totally work as a higher end starter whisky if that makes any sense. Oh it's opening up more and now I'm getting more citrus notes, a bit of a bite from them, very cool change, but still that jammy sweetness balances it out. Taste - Again this is approachable upfront but there's a very good spicy kick at the end, almost too much for my starter group I listed above. There's a good oak note here. It's sweet, but overall it's a very generic irish whisky. So my first impressions were that this was mostly 12-15 year old whisky with some 20 year old stuff. I'm told it's mostly 10 year old with up to 25 year old whisky in it. So there's something to be said about the complexity of the oak and there's a nice spice and flavor profile here. It however does nothing to wow me and does nothing that 200 dollar bottle should do. Finish is however pretty good and long, but it's mostly just well aged irish on the finish, not old, just well aged. OK so back to that powers. It's bolder, fruitier, the spices are the same flavor but the way they approach your tongue is different, they're more scattered vs concentrated. It gives the powers a bit more of a younger and less refined feel. The Barry really is an irish take on showcasing oak and in a good way. The powers is bubbly and fruity and it's like meeting a lovely 21 year old blonde at a bar and talking to her. You're smiling because she's lovely and she's just full of energy and life, but lets be real....she doesn't have much to say. The barry is more of an interesting conversation with someone less "interesting on the eyes". It's objectively better, but I'm not sure I'd not have more fun with the powers. The thing is, while I do objectively see that the Barry Crockett is more expensive and better whisky, it's not that much better. But at the same time, maybe it is? And I say this because as I nose and drink the two side by side, I see the refinement that Barry has, I see the more concentrated older oak notes vs the more bubbly and sweet notes of the powers. But these are two whiskies coming from really really similar bases and neither strike a note of "wow" neither strike a note of "special" and neither have an off character that might send me elsewhere. So score, I gave the powers a 2.5 and frankly, I think I'd rather drink it. It's just a bit more flavorful and sweet, but Barry Crockett is a more refined whisky. So an objective score which isn't just about how much I like something, I have to give the edge to Barry crockett, but is it enough better for a higher score? Yeah, I think there's enough here. I'm going 2.75 and I know Im going to get some upset Irish whisky lovers on this one. I feel this is the irish whisky you get for a doctor or a lawyer to put on his shelf who wants a bit more flavor than a "very rare" gives. I don't think this is something anyone should buy who isn't just a die hard irish lover. And don't get me wrong, it's very well made whisky but it's very well made 100 dollar whisky and it's not the best of anything.

Nose: New-mown hay, barley, sage, rosemary, papaya, ghee, tinned fruit salad (you smell both the fruit and the tinned metal can), baked apples, green mangoes, fresh-ground coffee, pipe tobacco. After resting for a while some vanilla and surprisingly zappy, cedary oak emerges. Palate: Creamy, herbal, earthy and deep spice arrival - almost like mango chutney and raita. Sweet at first on the front of the tongue, it gains rich, but soft, spicy tones as it moves around the mouth - ginger, orange and some honey. Hugely expressive and satisfying - it reminds me of goat tagine with mint tea on the side. There is a bright intensity that is balanced by a deep spicy warmth and a grassy cereal presence that is never far away. Finish: Very long and lingering. The palate slowly segues into the finish and the herbal spices gradually ease away, replaced by a most refreshing sweet minty note in the aftertaste. Immediately after pouring, the nose is unruly and unusual but with a few minutes of rest everything starts to relax and merge. It never loses its dark herbal and fruity profile however (thankfully!). Don't add water - it just turns down the volume and this one should be enjoyed at full force. There is something about this that is uncannily like some Mortlach expressions. An earthy, meaty character that is here balanced by a very fine herbal-fruity presence. Maybe they should call it the "Beast of Midleton"? I enjoyed this immensely and it was a great way to finish today's tasting of Irish whiskey. The only problem is its high price. For the same money I can buy truly wonderful cask-strength independently bottled Scotch whisky that, as good as this is, far eclipses it. It's an excellent whiskey, nontheless, and recommended if you have deep pockets. "Excellent" : 88/100 (4.5 stars)

Nose: strawberries and raspberries, fresh shrubs, peach, vanilla, cherries, very fresh and pleasant. In some olfactory aspects it reminds me of a high quality bourbon, with the characteristic perfume of enamel and crystal ball. Palate: strawberries, plums and cherries, sultanas, wildflower honey, sweet citrus, very dense and oily. Light chocolate in the background. A whiskey that you "eat". Final: wonder of flowers and cherries with notes of mandarin and a hint of sweet spicy. Spectacular whiskey with character and without any discordant note. I am now a big fan of Irish single pot still…. Rating 5.00 ___________________________________________________________________ Naso: fragole e lamponi, arbusti freschi, pesca, vaniglia, ciliegie, molto fresco e piacevole. Mi ricorda in alcuni aspetti olfattivi un bourbon di grande qualità, con il caratteristico profumo di smalto e crystal ball. Palato: fragole, prugne e ciliegie, uva sultanina, miele millefiori, agrumi dolci, molto denso e oleoso. Leggero cioccolato in sottofondo. Un whisky che “si mangia”. Finale: meraviglia ai fiori ed alle ciliegie con note di mandarino ed una punta di piccante dolce. Whisky spettacolare con carattere e senza nessuna nota stonata. Ormai sono un grande fan degli irish single pot still…. Voto 5,00

Master Distiller – Barry Crockett. Serial number 2577 and 7937 (original signature by Barry). The Midleton Barry Crockett Legacy was created to commemorate the career of the former master distiller who retired in 2013 after 47 years at the distillery. Barry himself helped to formulate this single pot still and it is highly regarded as one of the best in the range. The pot still elements used are drawn from light, medium and heavy styles and the spirit is mostly matured in 1st fill bourbon casks with a small amount going into virgin American oak. There is no age statement but some of the whiskey used is very old (around 25 years). Nose - Soft and delicate aromas with honey, white flowers, baked bread and some caramel. Taste - Soft and light - Citrus fruits, mixed peel, toffee, cocoa, honey - dash of water will bring more fruitiness. Great whiskey, but prefer the Dair Ghaelach a bit more. Bought this when finished the Midleton Academy course with Jamie. (credit to published reviews - on which I built mine)

I was a little disappointed with this when I first opened it-the wooden box and shapely bottle were so sumptuous I expected something spectacular from the first sip. Perhaps it needed to breathe a bit? Anyway, it’s come into its own now. It’s a lovely, leggy red-blonde (no tittering at the back there boys) with a sweet aroma of orange blossom and heather. The first sip smothers your tongue in a delightfully warm, fruity embrace, with more orange and honey and dried stone fruit flavours. The length is superb: integrated, concentrated and harmonious. Irish whiskey is sooo much better value than Scotch. This wasn’t cheap by any means, but it was about 1/4 the price of a comparable Scotch. Truly an exquisite dram.

Sep 2017 The full bottle typically costs around €250 and so is out of my comfort range but I was lucky enough to receive a gift pack that included a miniature bottle of it along with Redbreast 12, Green Spot, and Powers John's Lane ( http://mitchellandson.com/single-pot-still-4x50ml-gift-pack.html). A few drops of water improved it slightly. The nose is of honey and toffee and tastes of orange and other fruits ending with a wonderfully lingering aftertaste. It is a torture to know that due to the price my opportunities to enjoy this frequently will be few and far between. However, the other three whiskeys in the pack are top notch and can be bought without the risk of defaulting on a mortgage payment.