It’s been almost 40 years since the first Midleton Very Rare hit shelves, and with each passing vintage the whiskey only seems to get better. The Midleton Very Rare 2023 comes from Master Distiller Kevin O’Gorman who, after months of exploration, crafted a balanced blend of rare and hand-selected single pot still and single grain Irish whiskeys.
Matured in lightly charred ex-bourbon American oak barrels, the Midleton Very Rare 2023 Vintage Release delivers decadent flavors and a tantalizing aroma. The nose opens with an intricate medley of fruits, including nectarines, ripe melon, green apple, and apricot. A solid foundation of pot still spices, showcasing notes of freshly peeled ginger and crushed peppercorns, work in tandem with the aged grain’s perfumed notes of dried flowers and delectable golden syrup. The oak continues to reveal itself, adding notes of vanilla, combined with a honeycomb sweetness and freshly roasted coffee beans.
The palate is luscious at first with succulent fruits and a distinctive creaminess along with a herbal quality akin to camomile tea. The pot still spices add depth and intrigue as they weave amongst the floral grain qualities found lingering throughout. The charred oak’s influence continues to build over time creating additional complexity as the wood-derived spices complement the ever-present fruits of candied orange and dried apricot. The finish finds fruits and pot still spices building to a crescendo before giving way, leaving the final say to the oak tannins and antique grain whiskey.
The new secondary Midleton pack takes inspiration from the original cardboard box created for our first vintage in 1984. This original box ran from the inaugural year until 1990. They were hard cardboard boxes lined with a golden fabric, and each bottle was 750ml topped by an old-style screw cap. In 1990 the bottle was changed to the new European regulation size of 700ml, while oak boxes replaced the original cardboard cases. A metallic plate decorating the front of the box replaced the old, printed title on the cardboard boxes from the 1980’s.
2017 saw a new double-doored wooden box introduced, and a new bespoke bottle with the inclusion of the Midleton pen nib. Added to this, a new label adorned the bottle inspired by the original from 1984. 2023 completes the circle with the return of a more sustainable offering.
Bottled at 40% ABV, Midleton Very Rare 2023 features a price tag of €210, £200, $250. For more information, head over to the brand’s official website.