Midleton Very Rare is an annual edition of Irish whiskey from the Midleton Distillery in County Cork, combining single pot still and single grain whiskey in one blend. The launch of Midleton Very Rare in 1984 set a new standard for Irish whiskey, and the collection is created from the finest matured whiskeys, hand-selected each year by the Master Distiller. It is bottled at 40% strength.
Production takes place at the New Midleton Distillery, owned by Irish Distillers, part of Pernod Ricard. This is a no-age-statement whiskey, containing a blend of pot still and grain whiskeys, maturing for approximately twelve to twenty years in American oak ex-bourbon casks. Each year, the Master Distiller creates a new edition, using whiskeys hand-selected from the distillery's warehouses.
The character of the blend is built on the pairing of two distillates. The pot still brings a spicy core, while the grain adds mellowness and floral nuances. The blend is composed of rare, hand-selected single pot still and single grain whiskeys from the distillery's exclusive inventory, maturing in lightly charred American oak ex-bourbon casks, and Master Distiller Kevin O'Gorman composes it to encompass a broad spectrum of styles – from the lighter, more delicate to the more robust, traditional pot still character.
In the aromatic profile, notes of orchard fruit, vanilla and spice recur. Master Distiller Kevin O'Gorman uses single pot still and single grain whiskeys maturing in American oak casks to create a blend encompassing the finest flavour profiles of Irish whiskey. On the palate, fruit meets the delicate spiciness of pot still and a creamy texture, while the oak backdrop brings vanilla and subtle tannins.
Midleton Very Rare is among the most esteemed whiskeys in the Irish Distillers portfolio. Since its launch in 1984, it has been one of the most expensive whiskeys regularly produced by Irish Distillers and has repeatedly earned high scores and awards. Each vintage is a limited, collectible edition bearing the Master Distiller's signature.