Irish Distillers is celebrating the 135th anniversary of the Mitchell family’s whiskey bonding business with the release of Gold Spot Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey. The Mitchell family is one of Ireland’s last remaining wine merchants.
Matured for a minimum of nine years, Gold Spot is made with the brand’s signature method of ex-Bourbon and ex-Sherry casks, and is married together with hand-selected Bordeaux wine casks and port pipes. The new expression marks the first time the brand has used Port casks–sourced from Portugal’s Douro Valley–in one of its releases.
The nose opens with a bouquet of autumnal berries that develop into notes of apple and pear before evolving into rich stone fruits. These are intertwined with layers of wood spices, vanilla and perfumed wine undertones. The palate finds rich pot still spices with vibrant fruits enhanced by the delicate oak tannins and wood spices. While the sweet influences of the charred and toasted oak deliver a character that embellishes the unique mix of wine-seasoned casks. The finish is rich and lasting with the intricate nature of the wine casks and pot still spices lingering.
Mitchell & Son was founded in 1805 and entered into the whiskey bonding business in 1887 when they sent empty wine and fortified wine casks to the Jameson Distillery in Bow Street, Dublin, to be filled with new single pot still spirit for maturation in its underground cellars. Once filled, the fortified wine casks were marked with a ‘spot’ of colored paint to indicate the product’s age.
It has been a privilege and a joy to work with the renowned Mitchell family as they took us on a journey through the rich history of their business, handed down through seven generations,” said Katherine Condon, distiller at Irish Distillers. “Gold Spot truly is a liquid time capsule with the wine-driven casks treading a beautiful balance of tradition and innovation and marking their 135-year history of whiskey bonding in Ireland.”
Jonathan Mitchell, managing director at Mitchell & Son, added: “As the oldest family-run wine and spirits merchant in Ireland, we’re delighted to continue the legacy of the Spot family, and our family’s historic role in Dublin’s whiskey bonding era.
“It has been fascinating to once again collaborate with Katherine Condon and the talented team at Midleton to celebrate the colorful story of our family business, utilizing casks that would have been originally introduced to Irish whiskey in the late 1800s.”
Within the brand’s range, Blue Spot, Green Spot, Yellow Spot and Red Spot, respectively are aged for seven, 10, 12 and 15 years.
Bottled at 51.4% ABV, Gold Spot Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey is available online from the brand’s official website and from Mitchell & Son stores and retailers beginning June 14, priced at €120 ($126 USD) per bottle.
It will be available to buy in Ireland, France, the UK and global travel retail, as well as the US from mid-July.
In March 2020, Pernod Ricard reunited Blue Spot to the Spots Whiskey range and re-introduced the product to the United States.