When it comes to Irish whiskey, Jameson reigns supreme, far outselling any other brand on the market. But the distillery where that blend is produced, Midleton, also makes a lot of other whiskey, including some that is much more luxe. One of those is Midleton Very Rare, and the brand just released its first mizunara cask-finished expression to celebrate the distillery’s 200th anniversary.
Last spring, Midleton released its oldest pot still Irish whiskey to date as part of the distillery’s bicentennial celebration. That whiskey was distilled in 1973 and aged for 50 years in ex-bourbon barrels before being married together in a bespoke cask and released as part of the Silent Distillery Collection. The whiskey in the bottle was the literal last drops that were produced at the Old Midleton Distillery, which was replaced by New Midleton in 1975. This new Midleton Very Rare 200th Anniversary Edition was distilled at the new distillery, however, which is located just outside of the city of Cork.
This is a 28-year-old single pot still Irish whiskey, meaning it was made at one distillery on a pot still from a mashbill of malted and unmalted barley, as opposed to a single malt which is made from 100 percent malted barley. The whiskey is a blend of five different barrels—four first and second fill American oak casks, and one Japanese mizunara oak barrel that held whiskey for an additional six years after initial maturation in American oak. If you’re unfamiliar, mizunara is a type of oak that is native to Japan that is notoriously difficult to use because of how porous it is, but prized by whiskey makers for the unique notes of spice, incense, and coconut that it can bring to the palate.
“The 200th Anniversary Edition is both a celebration and an evolution, remaining true to Midleton Very Rare’s elegant and sophisticated nature whilst embracing the opportunity to explore something new,” said master distiller Kevin O’Gorman in a statement. “The mizunara oak cask brings a vibrant, layered flavor that perfectly complements the liquid and legacy of the brand.” We were not able to try this new whiskey, but the official tasting notes describe sandalwood, fresh wood spices, pineapple, kiwi, and lemon leading the palate, along with more traditional flavors like vanilla, toffee, and honey.
Midleton Very Rare 200th Anniversary Edition, which is bottled at 54.7 percent ABV, is being released in a run of just 636 bottles (SRP €1500, about $1,760). You can pre-order one now from the website, but it looks like U.S. customers will have to wait (or try to find one online once it hits the secondary market). However, you can find previously MVR editions available to purchase at websites like ReserveBar now, and these are all generally very good.
Authors
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Jonah Flicker