Irish Distillers has unveiled the sixth and closing chapter of the Midleton Very Uncommon Silent Distillery Assortment, a 50-year-old whiskey priced at £55,000 (€60,000/ US$60,000).
Chapter Six is the end result of the model’s six-year journey of bottling whiskeys distilled on the now silent Previous Midleton Distillery.
Debuted in 2020 with a 45-year-old expression, the Midleton Very Uncommon Silent Distillery Assortment contains whiskeys aged 46, 47, 48, and 49 years, representing the rarest and oldest Irish whiskeys on the planet.
The Previous Midleton Distillery operated from 1825 to 1975, producing Irish single pot nonetheless whiskey. Chapter Six represents the final drops to be launched from the distillery – and the oldest single pot nonetheless whiskey from Eire.
Bottled to commemorate the distillery’s two hundredth anniversary, the ultimate chapter of the Midleton Very Uncommon Silent Distillery Assortment was initially aged in ex-Bourbon American oak barrels. The whiskey was decanted right into a bespoke cask crafted by grasp cooper Ger Buckley and his staff.
The distinctive barrel was created utilizing wooden from the 5 earlier Silent Distillery releases. Buckley meticulously chosen and reassembled staves from every chapter to type a one-of-a-kind cask for the historic launch’s closing marriage.
Buckley mentioned: “As a fifth-generation cooper at Midleton Distillery, it has been an amazing honour to supply a particular contribution to the creation of Midleton Very Uncommon Silent Distillery Assortment Chapter Six.
“Crafting a bespoke, one-of-a-kind cask for its closing maturation, utilizing wooden from the Silent Distillery Assortment’s unique casks embodies the heritage and craftsmanship which were handed down by my household’s legacy on the distillery.
“Engaged on the cask that might maintain this once-in-a-lifetime whiskey, I discovered myself questioning if my coopering predecessors ever felt such stress to protect each final drop.”
The 50-year-old whiskey’s character is described as ‘splendidly vibrant, with full of life, contemporary fruit flavours elegantly balancing earthy aromas of dried tobacco leaves and vintage oak’.
Finish of an period
The discharge represents the final drops distilled by grasp distiller emeritus Max Crockett on the planet’s largest pot nonetheless.
Matured for 50 years, the whiskey has been nurtured by three grasp distillers: Barry Crockett, Brian Nation, and, most not too long ago, Kevin O’Gorman.
Describing the final chapter, O’Gorman shared: “Midleton Very Uncommon Silent Distillery Assortment Chapter Six is a whiskey whose excellence is formed by so many extraordinary elements.
“From the traits of the now extremely uncommon single pot nonetheless distillate fashion created again in Previous Midleton to the 50-year maturation course of underneath the care of my predecessors and me to a one-of-a-kind closing marrying, this whiskey has been sorted like no different.
“Max, Barry, Brian, Ger and I, alongside the Midleton Distillery household previous and current, have been a staff over many many years, defending and nurturing this liquid to attain its peak. Whereas there’s a sense of disappointment because the Previous Midleton Distillery and the Silent Distillery Assortment attain a detailed, I do know they’d all agree that it has been a rare privilege to be a part of the creation course of.”
O’Gorman added: “As for this distinctive whiskey, I really feel immense delight and pleasure in unveiling these final treasured drops. There’s a stability of aged oak affect with contemporary fruit notes that may be difficult to attain in ultra-aged whiskeys, which I hope these fortunate sufficient to take pleasure in it’s going to discover a outstanding shock. I really imagine that we’ve got encapsulated the essence of Previous Midleton on this final expression.”
The presentation
The 50-year-old whiskey is encased in a hand-blown, hand-finished, etched, and polished decanter by the Home of Waterford and is offered in a novel picket cupboard designed by Irish grasp craftsman John Galvin.
To mark the sixth and closing launch, Galvin utilised six uncommon woods – every beforehand featured within the cupboards of the primary 5 Silent Distillery releases – with the sixth being a blue hen’s eye maple.
The cupboard is enhanced with an 18 carat gold-plated trim, a hand-cut and embroidered premium leather-based inside, and ending touches, together with oak reclaimed from previous Irish whiskey vats.
Midleton Very Uncommon Silent Distillery Assortment Chapter Six is bottled at 53% ABV and is out there to buy on the Midleton Assortment web site in addition to in specialist retailers within the UK, Eire and the US. Fewer than 250 bottles can be found.
Final month, Irish Distillers introduced the momentary manufacturing halt on the Midleton Distillery from April till summer time.
In 2022, Irish Distillers introduced plans to open a second Midleton distillery linked to the present Midleton facility.
Associated information
Previous Dominick releases single cask wheat whiskey
Westward Whiskey information for chapter
Maker’s Mark unveils first non-Bourbon whiskey
