Midleton Rare / 2024

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 40% | Chill filtration: Yes | Colouring: No

Special Features:

Midleton Very Rare 2024 celebrates 40 years of the series launched in 1984. Master Distiller Kevin O’Gorman composed this edition from Single Pot Still and Single Grain whiskeys aged between 12 and 33 years. Its defining feature is the balance between the two spirit styles and the American oak casks, rather than a single age statement. The edition was released on 28 February 2024 and bottled at 40%.

For this vintage, O’Gorman slightly increased the proportion of grain whiskey compared with the previous year’s edition, combining it with light, medium and heavy pot still styles. He also increased the share of first-fill oak barrels that had previously held American whiskey, complemented by a smaller quantity of refill barrels with the same previous contents. The higher grain proportion contributes floral notes, rose water and herbs, while the cask selection adds vanilla, toasted oak and sweetness. This gives the familiar style of the series a character specific to this vintage.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: Rich vanilla, floral notes and herbs lead on the nose. Ripe apple and sweet pear gradually develop. Warming cinnamon and clove notes, along with freshly cut hay, mingle with toffee and heather honey; American oak complements the pot still spice.
• Palate: The whiskey initially feels silky and sumptuous on the palate. Peach and nectarine combine with crème brûlée, toffee apple and chocolate-coated honey caramel. Delicate floral grain notes and full-bodied pot still spice complement the influence of charred oak.
• Finish: The finish is long-lasting. Fruit and American oak linger gently to the end.

Distillery/Bottler:

Midleton Distillery produces the Single Pot Still and Single Grain components; Irish Distillers is responsible for the Midleton Very Rare brand and its official bottlings. Barry Crockett established the series in 1984. Successive Master Distillers each set aside small quantities of particularly successful whiskeys for future annual editions. Kevin O’Gorman continues this work with a selection and composition tailored to each vintage.

For the 2024 edition, O’Gorman and his team selected whiskeys from Warehouse A2. This traditional stone warehouse dates from the 1860s and is used to mature specially selected stocks. The distinctive character of this edition comes from the selection of mature whiskeys and the way they are composed.

Facts: