Midleton Very Rare 2021 Vintage has arrived. This year’s release of the iconic Irish Whiskey is the first by new Master Distiller Kevin O’Gorman, following the departure of former Master Distiller Brian Nation after the 2020 Vintage.
For his highly anticipated debut, O’Gorman chose to use a higher selection of grain Whiskeys which extends the spectrum of flavors and aromas to include baked orchard fruits, lime zest and kiwi perfectly rounded off with mild pot still spices and soft waves of vanilla from the exceptional bourbon casks.
The nose opens with a delicate floral perfume closely followed by roasted coffee beans, salted caramel and honeycomb coming to the fore. Hints of nectarines that linger in the background evolve over time along with freshly grated ginger and nutmeg spice. The American oak provides structure throughout, ranging in depth from fresh woodland notes to aged charred oak. The palate delivers baked orchard fruits with a touch of lime zest and kiwi. Mild pot still spices continue to build along with soft waves of vanilla, sweet coffee liqueur and cocoa powder. The texture initially round and full, gains additional wood spices with a delicate touch of clove oil and nutmeg adding a mild heat, giving balance to the sweetness. The finish lingers with the pot still spices and soft fruits eventually fading, allowing the oak to have the final say, highlighting the many years of maturation.
O’Gorman is just the third Master Distiller in the history of Midleton Very Rare. Barry Crockett created the iconic expression in 1984 and later Brian Nation took the helm, completing his tenure in 2020.
Midleton Very Rare 2021 is priced at €180 ($217 USD). Bottles can be purchased via the distillery’s official website. Only one bottle can be purchased per customer.
For his final vintage, Brian Nation selected a higher pot still inclusion than in some of his previous vintages, while also increasing the use of refill barrels among his choice of casks.
