Product Description
Midleton Very Rare Silent Distillery Collection Chapter Three Whiskey Whiskey
is an exceptional 47-year-old whiskey born from the marriage of two separate whiskeys matured in an ex-sherry butt and an ex-bourbon barrel. The two whiskeys date back to 1973 and were blended before bottling to give the whiskey an extraordinary flavour. The release of Midleton Very Rare Silent Distillery Collection Chapter Three Whiskey, which marks the halfway point of the collection, pays homage to history and craftsmanship, a journey of age and time inspired by the element of fire, as the pot still worked its magic through the fires which burned beneath it.
The inspiration behind the element of fire, goes back to 1854 when the largest pot still in the world was assembled and installed by local craftsmen at the Old Midleton Distillery and managed by the skilled hands of ‘fire men’ whose job it was to control the temperature of the stills which could heat more than 30,000 gallons of liquid in a single day. The roar of the fires has been silenced but the still remains in the grounds of the old distillery. It is this trailblazing story which serves as an inspiration for the third release from Midleton Very Rare Silent Distillery.
With just 97 bottles of this extraordinarily rare Irish whiskey produced, Midleton Very Rare Silent Distillery Collection Chapter Three is incomparable in terms of age and history and presents as a true connoisseur’s dream. Created and matured under the guardianship of four celebrated Master Distillers, the whiskey has been enhanced through each changing of hands, with each Master taking great care to protect the legacy of the precious liquid.
Kevin O’Gorman is only the fourth person in 75 years to hold the title of Master Distiller at Midleton Distillery. Kevin follows in the footsteps of previous Master Distillers including Max Crockett, the forefather of modern Irish whiskey; his son Barry, the creator of Midleton Very Rare and Brian Nation.
This whiskey has been decanted into handblown and etched crystal decanter bottles, produced by Ireland’s Waterford Crystal, with each of the bottles individually numbered 1-97. The bottle comes displayed in a bespoke wooden cabinet handcrafted by Irish designer, John Galvin, using wood made from Burr Elm, an ancient wood as rare as the whiskey within it.
TASTING NOTES
NOSE
The first impression is a rich medley of forest fruits. Notes of sugar-glazed cherries, earthy and toffee tones of muscovado sugar and almond flake follow, complementing the oak’s enduring influence on the spirit. Aromas reminiscent of worn, leather-bound ledgers and pipe tobacco linger, while measured levels of pot still spices add their own delicate presence.
TASTE
Opens with a luxuriously rich and full-bodied texture accompanied by notes of freshly brewed dark roasted coffee, caramelised fruits, crushed pistachio and hazelnut. Hints of dried herbs and peppermint add further complexity, along with the oak’s soft tannins and subtle pot still spices.
FINISH
A lasting finish finds soft fruits and old pot still spices lingering in harmony with the oak and emphasises how decades of undisturbed ageing can create such balance and complexity.
