First of all, what a beautiful box and presentation! The wooden case looks great and the fit of the bottle inside is precise, complete with a specific spot on the bottle to allow for the bottle to line up perfectly. Light golden in colour. Nose: Sweet vanilla and honey overlaying a crisp malty character. Peach cobbler with vanilla ice cream. Rich and smooth with maybe a hint of clove following up. Fresh grains are present hinting at the Irish pleasures ahead. Palate: Despite a lower proof, this has a nice mouth feel. Flavours of apples and more vanilla. Very mellow start. Smooth and satisfying although this could go down far too easily! This sweet vanilla continues and starts to pick up the traditional, and anticipated, Irish flavors along the way. Just like meeting some old friends between your first pub and your second pub on a nice evening out. Finish: This is where the band starts to play and the party picks up. The array of flavours all come together and carry on through the night. Pepper, spices and fresh barley flavours dominate and allow this Irish character to shine. Medium to long, and as the grain notes fade, the vanilla background stays present Overall, a very enjoyable creation. I would have liked a higher abv in the range of 45-48%. I think this would have allowed some of the more subtle spice flavours to really shine, as well as increase and improve the finish even more. However, This whiskey is about as smooth and inoffensive as you could ask for, without being dull and uninteresting. The whole presentation adds to the drinking experience and it sure looks good on my shelf.
About this bottle
This edition of Midleton Very Rare is the first to bear the signature of Master Distiller Kevin O'Gorman who took over the role from Brian Nation in 2020. His is only the third signature to appear on the Midleton Very Rare series which first began in 1984 by Master Distiller Barry Crockett. The whiskey is a blend of single pot still and Irish single grain which aged between 15-36 years in American oak casks. Released in the spring 2021 which is a departure for the brand which typically released it in the autumn.
Reviews
Showing the most detailed of 13 parsed reviews.
Excellent whisky. Great balance and flavor. Would be a 5 except that I think it trades incredible balance for a bit of uniqueness that would push it over the top. And considering the price ($225 USD) this can hold its own against pricier expressions.
Semi-sweet with fruit and caramel notes. Light on the palate. Easy drinker. Worth trying for $24 per glass one time. Then maybe a bottle.
Perfect Irish Whiskey, shortbread, creme brulee forward with that finishes as good as it starts
Peach, sherry, honey nose/ bakers chocolate, black tea front middle/ peppery, grassy finish
Sweet nose, easy palate, easy finish. Floral, enjoyable.
7 more reviews were collected for this bottle. The longest ones are shown first.
Tastes like this
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