Midleton Very Rare Silent Distillery Collection Chapter Six represents the very last drops to be released from the legendary Old Midleton, now forever silent. 50 years in the making and unveiled to celebrate the distillery’s 200th anniversary, this 106 proof whiskey is the last release to have been distilled by Master Distiller Emeritus Max Crockett in the world’s largest pot still. Over the decades, it has been nurtured under the guardianship of three subsequent Master Distillers – Barry Crockett, Brian Nation, and most recently, Kevin O’Gorman.

“Midleton Very Rare Silent Distillery Collection Chapter Six is a whiskey whose excellence is shaped by so many extraordinary factors. From the characteristics of the now incredibly rare single pot still distillate style created back in Old Midleton, to the 50-year maturation process under the care of my predecessors and I, to a one-of-a-kind final marrying, this whiskey has been looked after like no other,” said Midleton Very Rare Master Distiller Kevin O’Gorman. “Max, Barry, Brian, Ger and I, alongside the Midleton Distillery family past and present, have been a team over many decades, protecting and nurturing this liquid to achieve its peak. While there is a sense of sadness as the Old Midleton Distillery and the Silent Distillery Collection reach a close, I know they would all agree that it has been an extraordinary privilege to be part of the creation process.

“As for this exceptional whiskey, I feel an immense pride and excitement in unveiling these last, precious drops,” he adds. “There is a balance of aged oak influence with fresh fruit notes that can be challenging to achieve in ultra-aged whiskeys, which I hope those lucky enough to enjoy it will find a remarkable surprise. I truly believe that we have encapsulated the essence of Old Midleton in this ultimate expression.”

Initially aged in ex-bourbon American oak barrels, the whiskey was later decanted into a bespoke cask crafted by Master Cooper Ger Buckley and his team. This unique barrel was created using wood from the five previous Silent Distillery releases, with Buckley selecting and reassembling staves from each chapter to form a one-of-a-kind cask for the final marrying of this release.

“As a fifth-generation cooper at Midleton Distillery, it has been a great honor to provide a special contribution to the creation of Midleton Very Rare Silent Distillery Collection Chapter Six,” Master Cooper Ger Buckley said. “Crafting a bespoke, one-of-a-kind cask for its final maturation, using wood from the Silent Distillery Collection’s original casks embodies the heritage and craftsmanship that have been passed down through my family’s legacy at the distillery. Working on the cask that would hold this once-in-a-lifetime whiskey, I found myself wondering if my coopering predecessors ever felt such pressure to preserve every last drop!”

Playing a key role in the final chapter of the Midleton Very Rare Silent Distillery is a specially designed decanter, individually mouth-blown and refined by the specialist craftsmen and women of Ireland’s House of Waterford. Each piece, hand-finished, etched, and polished, showcases Waterford’s luxury and craftsmanship. The bottle is housed in a unique wooden cabinet designed by Irish master craftsman John Galvin, who merges precision engineering with contemporary design. To mark the sixth and final release, he has carefully selected and combined six rare woods – each previously featured in the cabinets of the first five Silent Distillery releases – with the sixth being a stunning blue bird’s eye maple. Enhanced with a delicate 18ct gold-plated trim, a hand-cut and embroidered premium leather interior, and finishing touches including oak reclaimed from old Irish whiskey vats.

Midleton Very Rare Silent Distillery Collection that began in 2020, with one chapter released annually. The collection honors the legacy of the Old Midleton Distillery which operated from 1825 to 1975 and was world-renowned for its Irish single pot still whiskey.

Midleton Very Rare Silent Distillery Collection Chapter Six is available at $60,000.

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Irish Distillers, makers of Midleton Very Rare, just launched its 40th Anniversary Ruby Edition with an luxurious event in New York. A blend of single pot still and single grain Irish whiskeys, with an age range spanning four decades and finished in a ruby port cask, it one of the rarest liquids from the Midleton store house.

This launch has been created to combine liquids originally laid down by each of the revered Midleton Master Distillers, Barry Crockett, Brian Nation and Kevin O’Gorman (who was on hand to taste selected media through the liquid). These whiskeys were finally married together and then left to finish in a ruby port cask to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Midleton Very Rare, a milestone often associated with rubies.

In 1984, Crockett set out to craft the most outstanding Irish whiskey ever made with a passion fueled by the rich distilling history of Midleton. Blending together the finest raw ingredients, the most advanced techniques and a dedicated team of craftspeople, he unveiled the very first Midleton Very Rare release. Forty years later, a selection of three exceptional casks from each of the Master Distillers covering the era of Midleton Very Rare were chosen to create the Midleton Very Rare 40th Anniversary Ruby Edition.

Each of these ultra-rare casks, individually filled by each Master Distiller in their respective eras, contained a unique blend of the finest pot still and grain distillates dating back to the early 1980s. Bringing each unique liquid together to create an extraordinary blend, O’Gorman gave the whiskey its final and defining touch by finishing the blend in a ruby port cask for nine months. While maintaining the elegance of the Midleton Very Rare profile, O’Gorman’s twist with the use of a ruby port cask adds a new layer to the style, with bursts of blackcurrant, raspberry and plum.

“As we celebrate four decades since the inaugural launch of Midleton Very Rare, we are excited to create yet another milestone in Midleton Distillery’s extraordinary history with the launch of Midleton Very Rare 40th Anniversary Ruby Edition,” said Midleton Very Rare Master Distiller Kevin O’Gorman. “This exquisite release brings influence from all three Master Distillers and not only helps us to preserve the knowledge of Midleton Distillery’s past Masters but builds on it by evolving the art of distillation and maturation with the addition of the ruby port cask. It has been a privilege to play a part in the creation of this pinnacle of Irish Whiskey and I look forward to continuing to evolve the Midleton Very Rare brand.”

The whiskey is presented in a bespoke crystal decanter that has been hand crafted by Waterford Crystal. The bottle was designed and created at their world-famous factory in Ireland, featuring a four-point crystal to represent the four decades of Midleton Very Rare and is a true masterpiece of craftsmanship. The bottle is then packaged in a ruby case, all encased in an FSC-certified wooden cabinet, making it the perfect piece of memorabilia.

To mark this historic event, Irish Distillers has partnered with the renowned Keanes Jewellers in Cork, to create just one special NFT bottle (see above). Established in 1948, Keanes has become synonymous with Cork and fine jewelers in Ireland. This bottle features hand engraved 18-carat solid gold on both the neck and stopper and thirty-two rubies encrusted within the neck collar. The 32 rubies are unique in that they are identical in both quality and style. This bottle includes an official certificate of authenticity from Keanes Jewellers.

“Rubies signify a 40th anniversary and are considered the gem of passion, something that feels so apt with the passion that shines through from the Master Distillers and all those involved in the creation of Midleton Very Rare,” said Keanes Jewellers Patrick Keane. “As a business local to the distillery, we were ecstatic to be asked to collaborate with Irish Distillers and took huge care to create something worthy of the Midleton Very Rare Ruby Anniversary Edition. It has been an honor to be involved in such a momentous and historic moment for the brand.”

The NFT bottle went live for auction on BlockBar.com on February 28 at with a reserve price of $60,000. The auction ends tomorrow (March 7) 10am E. As part of the sale, a donation will be made to The Forest Genetic Resources Trust, which supports the conservation, improvement, and use of native and naturalized tree species in Irish forestry.

Midleton Very Rare 40th Anniversary Ruby Edition is bottled at 106 proof and is available now for $21,000.

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The 38th edition in the renowned range is the first in the series to be created by Irish Distillers’ new Master Distiller Kevin O’Gorman. Irish Distillers is one of Ireland’s leading suppliers of spirits and wines, and producer of some of the world’s most well-known and successful Irish whiskeys. Led by Jameson, Irish Distillers and its brands such as Midleton Very Rare are driving the global renaissance of Irish whiskey.

The Midleton Very Rare legacy began over four decades ago when the then masters, keen to create exemplary expressions, began setting aside small amounts of exceptionally performing whiskey for a new luxury offering in the world of Irish whiskey. In keeping with tradition, Midleton Very Rare 2021 is a balanced blend of rare and hand-selected single pot still and single grain Irish whiskeys from Midleton’s extensive inventory. It includes whiskey aged between 15 and 36 years and matured in lightly charred ex-bourbon American oak barrels.

Making his first selection as Master Distiller, O’Gorman took several months to explore the finest casks in the Midleton inventory as he sought to put his own mark on this annual limited-edition release. Drawing on his experience in both distillation and maturation, O’Gorman elevated the grain whiskey contribution for the 2021 vintage to create a delicate and elegant whiskey. In order to maintain a luxurious, balanced aroma and taste profile, O’Gorman selected a perfect mix of first fill and second fill casks to enhance the wood contribution while allowing the pot still component to express itself.

“It is an honor to join my predecessors in bringing the Midleton Very Rare collection to life,” says O’Gorman, who is just the third master distiller to oversee this collection. “The process has allowed me to explore our rarest casks to create an exceptional blend that builds on tradition while bringing a new dimension and we’re thrilled to bring this release to our customers in the US.”

Midleton Very Rare is one of the most exclusive and sought-after Irish Whiskies, ranging from its luxurious Silent Distillery releases, including the recently announced Chapter Two, to its annual Vintage Releases. Midleton Very Rare 2021 is now available for $220.

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Irish Distillers has once again joined forces with the Mitchell family to unveil its reimagined Blue Spot Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey, paying homage to the bonding tradition from which it was born. With the most recent existing record of Blue Spot dating back to 1964, the launch signals the end of a 57-year wait for the re-introduction of the expression, reuniting the Spot family for the first time in over half a century.

“This is a historic moment for the Spots brand and a pivotal time to offer new innovations to consumers looking to expand their at-home bars,” says Mwanza Lumumba, Brand Director, High End Irish Whiskeys at Pernod Ricard USA. “Blue Spot’s positioning painted with a different stroke aligns with the need to offer reimagined expressions that exude individuality and tell a richer story within the Irish Whiskey category.”

The story of Spot Irish whiskey range began in the early 1900s when wine and spirits merchants, Mitchell & Son, began maturing whiskey from the local Jameson Distillery in Bow Street in their underground cellars in Dublin City Centre. Blue Spot takes its name from the blue daubs or ‘spots’ of paint that the Mitchells used to mark the barrels to signify that the whiskey in those casks were to be matured for a minimum of seven years.

Building on the foundation of bourbon and sherry casks, the reimagined Blue Spot includes whiskey aged in Madeira casks, inspired by the historical inventory of Mitchell & Son and typical of the Spot style of whiskey. The Midleton masters, in collaboration with the Mitchell family, were influenced by archive documents dating back to 1935 showing Madeira wine casks imported to Ireland which, once emptied, would have been used to mature whiskey.

The team at Irish Distillers’ Midleton Distillery have been sourcing Madeira wine seasoned casks for over 20 years. These casks are carefully handcrafted in a cooperage in the north of Portugal and then sent to the island of Madeira. Once seasoned, the casks are shipped back to Midleton and filled with pot still distillate and left to mature, allowing the Madeira wine influence to impart wonderful notes of stewed apples, hazelnuts and sweet spices. These Madeira casks, along with ex-Bourbon and ex-sherry casks are then hand selected and married together. It is then bottled at cask strength.

“It is with absolute pleasure that we reintroduce Blue Spot and bring a piece of Dublin’s rich whiskey history back to life,” says Kevin O’Gorman, Master Distiller at Irish Distillers. “Over the years I have had the honor of collaborating with the Mitchell family, who for generations have celebrated the influence of fine wines on Irish whiskey, as we have reintroduced expressions to the beloved Spot range. I am incredibly proud to celebrate with Jonathan and Robert Mitchell on this historic day as Blue Spot takes its place alongside Green, Yellow and Red Spot, reuniting the whole family once again.”

Jonathan Mitchell, Managing Director at Mitchell & Son, continues: “It’s been a privilege to shed light on the history of whiskey bonding in Ireland and the role our family had to play in it as we relaunch Blue Spot. The inclusion of whiskey aged in Madeira casks adds flavors that would have been originally introduced into Irish whiskey by the Mitchell family. As the full Spot range comes back to life, we find ourselves bursting with pride for the role our family played in the creation of this treasured range of whiskeys.”

Blue Spot retails for $85 and is now available in select markets nationwide.

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