Midleton Very Rare Sets the Benchmark for Collectible Irish Whiskey

The blended Irish Whiskey has a rich history of collectibility with a series of vintages and ongoing series’.

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The Midleton Very Rare Silent Distillery Collection debuted in 2020 with the oldest single malt Irish whiskey ever released at the time. The second release is even older: a 46 year old single pot still whiskey distilled at the Old Midleton Distillery under master distiller Max Crockett in 1973. The Silent Distillery Collection is changing outmoded perceptions about what Irish whiskey can represent. “It’s wonderful to take our seat at the table with other distilleries around the world,” says master distiller Kevin O’Gorman. “Back in the early 70s, Old Midleton was a very different distillery,” he adds, noting the major upgrades in technology at the new Midleton Distillery. “The huge pot still was powered by coal, it had different distillation rates, and there was a worm tub rather than a condenser. The principle of distillation and attention to detail were the same, but they are two different eras, which results in a completely different taste profile.” This closed-distillery single pot still whiskey has robust aromatic oils on the nose, with rich fruit, vanilla, and toffee, and tastes true to the traditional heavier, oily pot still style.

Collecting Midleton Very Rare

Attaining the complete set of Midleton Very Rare releases is one of the toughest challenges for Irish whiskey collectors. While this annual series of blended Irish whiskey began in 1984, the release volumes vary from year to year, making some vintages very difficult to acquire. Such is the level of interest that new auction records are frequently broken before too long. Here are the Midleton Very Rare vintages that have set record hammer prices for their respective decade of release.

Release Decade	Highest Hammer Price	Bottling	Auction House	Sale Date
1980s	$36,286	Midleton Very Rare 1988	Irish Whiskey Auctions	March 21, 2021
1990s	$3,584	Midleton Very Rare 1991	Irish Whiskey Auctions	Nov. 30, 2020
2000s	$7,282	Midleton Very Rare 2009	Irish Whiskey Auctions	Feb. 21, 2021
2010s	$1,790	Midleton Very Rare 2014	Irish Whiskey Auctions	March 21, 2021
2020s	$1,318	Midleton Very Rare 2020	Whisky Auctioneer	Jan. 11, 2021

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Irish Whiskeys Of Great Age Showcase Excellence in Maturation

Carefully managed stocks are leading to highly aged Irish whiskies that can rival scotch and Japanese whiskies with their balance and beauty.

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Irish whiskey is starting to challenge the assumption that ultra-aged whisky is the preserve of Scotland and Japan. The decimation of the Irish whiskey industry in the mid-20th century left very few operational distilleries and precious little stock. Extraordinarily old casks are therefore rare, but the rising importance of Irish whiskeys of great age—at least 25 years and older—is still among the more interesting manifestations of Ireland’s whiskey renaissance.

Bushmills has the largest stock of aged single malt whiskey in Ireland. In 2020, it launched The Rare Casks, an annual series sold exclusively in the U.S. The first release was Bushmills 28 year old, which received 16 years of secondary maturation in a cognac cask after its traditional Bushmills aging in bourbon and sherry casks. Bushmills built up stock in the 1990s and was actively experimenting with non-traditional cask types when this cognac cask was filled, without any definitive plan for using it. But this Rare Cask Release No. 1 holds a special place for Bushmills master blender Helen Mulholland: Back in 1992, she performed the laboratory analysis on the batch of malted barley that was used for this expression. “I have watched it every single year as it got better and better,” she says.

Mulholland remains convinced that triple-distilled spirits work well with extended maturation, because age and cask influences build layers of flavor. “Triple distilled probably works much better than double distilled because it’s able to take that length of maturation without becoming over-woody or over-flavored,” she says. “The house flavor of Bushmills is sweet and fruity, and because it has that smoothness and subtlety, it’s easy to enhance without letting the cask overpower it.”

Bushmills master blender Helen Mulholland believes triple distillation works best with extended maturation because it allows the age and cask influence to build layers of flavor.

While the Bushmills initial maturation is in bourbon and sherry casks that produce vanilla, honey, and dried fruit flavors, those notes can be enhanced by finishing in later years, enabling the whiskey to fully integrate with other flavors. “You still want Bushmills to be there, and it has to be one liquid,” says Mulholland. Such complexity cannot be rushed, as the cognac cask slowly adds layers of sweetness and caramel flavors. “You stop seeing the cognac as they become entwined, more gentle, more settled, and more rounded,” she adds. Rare Casks Release No. 2 was 29 years old and finished in Pedro Ximénez casks.

If you’ve never tried an older Irish whiskey, what should you expect? “There is an explosion of flavor, and a refined grace from the fruit and the wood,” says Chasko, who has overseen numerous ultra-aged Teeling single malt releases in the company’s Vintage Reserve Collection. “Sometimes, you would swear they didn’t have any alcohol in them at all, it’s so well-balanced; it is like drinking nectar.” The custodians of such liquid history have a great responsibility, and the task is only possible with a strategy of active cask management. At Midleton, maturing grain and single pot still whiskeys are moved into well-seasoned refill casks so the wood doesn’t overpower the whiskey.

While still a minor player compared to Scotch and Japanese whiskies, the secondary market for collectible Irish whiskey has been soaring, with Irish Whiskey Auctions, Celtic Whiskey Auctions, and Whisky Auctioneer among the best places to check for rarities. Often the most competitive bidding is reserved for vintages of Midleton Very Rare, but now there’s a new addition to hunt down each spring: Midleton Very Rare 2021 is the first vintage to carry the signature of Kevin O’Gorman, who was named master distiller in 2020 following the departure of his predecessor, Brian Nation. O’Gorman has put his own stamp on this release, choosing whiskeys between 15 and 36 years old, aiming to deliver a particularly elegant vintage by boosting the contributions of grain whiskey and first-fill bourbon casks to enhance the floral notes. The addition of single pot still whiskey from 1984 was of particular interest to O’Gorman, as it marks the year Midleton Very Rare was first released—and forges a link to Barry Crockett, Midleton’s master distiller emeritus and the series creator.

Irish Whiskeys Of Great Age To Try

Midleton Very Rare Silent Distillery Chapter 2 1973
97 points, 53.6%, $45,000
Chocolate orange, pot still spice, milk chocolate, sesame seeds, shortbread with buttercream, and gingersnap.

Teeling Vintage Reserve Collection 24 year old
96 points, 46%, $500
Crème brûlée, vanilla pod, fruit syrups, sticky jam tarts, orange flan, brown sugar, spice, and hints of smoke.

Bushmills 28 year old The Rare Casks Cognac Cask (Release No. 1)
95 points, 46.7%, $500
Apricot, pineapple, lemon zest, thick-cut marmalade, orange, grapefruit, lime, peppercorn, and clove.

Midleton Very Rare Vintage 2021
94 points, 40%, $208
Rich caramel, dry spices, apple strudel, vanilla fudge, seasoned oak, banana, toasted coconut bananas in custard, and caramelized sugar.

Redbreast 27 year old
93 points, 54.6%, $500
Orange peel, pine cone, vanilla, walnut, raspberry, cherry, plums, and active spices of pepper and chiles.

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Inventive Cask Finishing Is Reshaping Irish Whiskey

Irish whiskey allows for a wide range of cask types with curious distillers experimenting with different finishes to surprising results.

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Ireland’s distillers are world leaders in whiskey finishing, with names like Teeling, West Cork, Glendalough, The Irishman, Tullamore D.E.W., Tyrconnell, The Whistler, and Jameson frequently expanding our horizons. Irish whiskey’s technical rules allow for a broad approach to finishing—which can come from either an alternative wood such as virgin Irish oak, or a cask previously seasoned by another spirit, like port, rum, or even tequila.

But finishing with alternative wood types is far from an easy path. After finding initial success with a French chestnut finish in its Method & Madness range, Midleton moved to French wild cherry, acacia, and most recently mulberry wood. But the trial and error of these experiments can be arduous. “The cherrywood tested our persistence, composure, and patience,” notes O’Gorman. French wild cherry, Prunus avium, is an open, porous wood in the same subgenus as sakura, Prunus serrulata, the increasingly popular finishing cask used in Japan. “Cherry was a very difficult one to work with, and mulberry is going along similar lines,” says Midleton master blender Billy Leighton. “With cherry, we had the casks made; it was very pronounced and different—my first descriptor was hedge clippings,” he says. “It had a green note, but also had a wood-sappy character as well.”

O’Gorman was on the verge of abandoning the trial when a suggestion was made that seemed to work. “It was a flush of the cask with whiskey, and then we filled it again,” says Leighton. Seasoning the cask with whiskey extracted some overpowering flavors that had been dominating the profile in the trial samples, and after months of work, this proved to be the right approach. It also became a valuable lesson when an order of mulberry casks arrived that were smaller in size, at 50 to 80 liters. The casks were filled with Midleton’s medium-style single pot still whiskey (they make light, medium, and heavy styles), aged between 5 and 6 years. “Maybe it was because of the size of the casks, but the wood influence just happened overnight,” says Leighton. “We’ve been very careful about what we put into the cask, how long it stays there, and when we do a re-casking to try and tone down those distinctive, heavier characteristics. These casks are almost like new wood—a little sappy in character, but maybe a touch smoky as well.” Thus far, he’s excited by the sweet, caramelized toffee apple flavors that have been developing.

Another finish favored by Ireland’s distillers has been beer-cask finishing. Ireland is world renowned for its craft beers and stouts, and brewers’ experiments with whiskey casks led to the Jameson Caskmates range. Caskmates was first conceived in 2013, when brewer Shane Long of Cork’s Franciscan Well Brewery borrowed barrels from Midleton Distillery to produce an Irish whiskey-finished beer. When the barrels were returned to Midleton, the maturation team had the idea of filling them with Jameson Original. “It was a big surprise,” says O’Gorman. “The first beer style we used was a rich malty stout, and the whiskey developed additional chocolate, toffee, and coffee notes that were really intriguing.” The eventual result was the Jameson Caskmates Stout Edition. The citrus, hoppy, floral notes of Jameson Caskmates IPA Edition followed in 2017, and today the range encompasses a broad array of limited editions linked to local craft brewers.

The Caskmates team at Midleton now acquires beer and stout from Eight Degrees Brewing in Mitchelstown, County Cork. Seasoning the casks with beer is a risky process, because beer’s lower alcohol strength raises the risk of microbial spoilage. The beer must be fresh: extreme care is taken to move the casks quickly and never leave them empty, while ensuring their bungs are secure, without any spillage around the bungholes. After two to three months, the beer is emptied out and the casks are filled with Jameson Original for a similar length of time.

Jameson has participated in more than a dozen collaborations with U.S. brewers, starting with KelSo Beer in Brooklyn and then Bale Breaker in Yakima, Washington, Revolution Brewing in Chicago, Angel City Brewery in Los Angeles, and Captain Lawrence Brewing Co. in Westchester County, New York. Additional projects are in the pipeline with U.S. craft brewers, as well as brewers in Norway, Canada, and South Korea. Given their limited nature and their appeal to craft beer fans and Jameson collectors, some of these $30 bottlings have fetched close to $1,000 each on Ireland’s secondary market.

Innovatively Finished Irish Whiskeys To Try

Midleton Dair Ghaelach Knockrath Forest
94 points, 56.5%, $320
Lemon, vanilla, meringue in creamy custard, and spices with glimpses of chocolate, coffee, and singed oak.

Glendalough 7 year old Black Pitts Porter Barrel-Finished
92 points, 46%, $50
Dark chocolate cookies, cocoa powder dark fruits, honey, roasted peppery spices, and praline.

Method & Madness Chestnut Cask-Finished
92 points, 46%, $90
Orange peel, sandalwood, granola, toast with honey, toasted cedar, spruce, spice, pecans, almond cream, and lemon.

The Whistler Imperial Stout Cask-Finished
91 points, 43%, $40
Chocolate orange, milky coffee, cocoa powder, pepper, ginger spice, black cherry, peppercorn, and dark fruits.

Jameson Caskmates IPA Edition
90 points, 40%, $37
Crisp grains, green apple, coconut macaroons, spices, stewed fruits, chocolate, peppery spice, and cooked apple.

Tullamore D.E.W. Cider Cask Finish
89 points, 40%, $40/liter
Toasted waffle and sweet cider, sugared golden apple slices, white pepper, caramel, vanilla, pepper, and clove.

West Cork IPA Cask Matured
88 points, 40%, $33
Warm bread, honey sweetness, citrus peel, lime zest, pepper, ginger, dark berries, fig, and spices.

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Single Pot Still Remains Ireland’s Signature Whiskey Style

A once forgotten style, single pot still whiskey is making a major comeback as Ireland’s upstart distillers embrace tradition.

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Single pot still Irish whiskey was a breakthrough winner in Whisky Advocate’s Top 20 whiskies of 2020, with three expressions—from Kilbeggan, Drumshanbo, and Teeling—making the list. This is a style anchored to Ireland, and has yet to be widely imitated in other nations. Brace yourself for a cascade of fresh single pot still whiskeys from the many new distilleries that have fired up their stills across Ireland in recent years.

Although 95% of Irish whiskeys are blends, single pot still is seen by many as Ireland’s path to becoming the choice of whiskey lovers around the world. At Midleton Distillery in County Cork, distiller Katherine Condon describes single pot still’s character for those yet to discover its delights. “They’re spicy, robust, and full-bodied, with a great element of depth and complexity and a wonderful creamy mouthfeel,” she says. The spiciness is a distillate character credited to the unmalted barley, while triple distillation is used to skillfully shape the spirit’s character. And while the malted and unmalted barley comprise the lion’s share of the mashbill, up to 5% other grains can be included.

Green Spot is an excellent starting point if you’re new to single pot still. It’s a whiskey matured in bourbon barrels and seasoned oloroso sherry casks for at least 7 to 10 years, delivering a robust, full-bodied spiciness backed by flavors of green apple, clove, raisins, and toasted oak. Discovering Green Spot leads you to Mitchell & Sons, the Dublin-based wine and spirits merchant that entered the whiskey bonding business in 1887—at the height of the Victorian-era whiskey boom—when Irish single pot still was all the rage. Empty wine barrels from Mitchell’s wine importing business were sent across town to John Jameson’s Bow Street Distillery to be filled with whiskey, and then shipped back to mature in the Mitchell cellars. Mitchell & Son devised a simple system of labeling their casks with a daub of paint to identify the age of the whiskey inside: blue for 7 year old, green for 10, yellow for 12, and red for 15 year old. But Ireland’s bonded whiskey business died out in the 20th century, leading to the extinction of many great bonded whiskeys. Green Spot hung on at Mitchell & Sons long enough to be revived in collaboration with Irish Distillers. Then Yellow Spot was reintroduced in 2012, followed by Red Spot in 2018. The recently reintroduced Blue Spot, which vanished from shelves more than 50 years ago, completes the range’s comeback.

A man and woman operate a piece of whiskey making equipment

Midleton’s master distiller Kevin O’Gorman and distiller Katherine Condon. Condon describes single pot still whiskey as spicy, robust, and full-bodied.

With no known bottles of Blue Spot in existence, the Midleton team scrutinized old documents to extract historical information. They learned that Mitchell & Son imported madeira during Blue Spot’s heyday, the whiskey was aged for 7 years, and was bottled at higher strength. “We put together those three pieces of the puzzle to reimagine Blue Spot,” says Condon. Modern Blue Spot combines whiskey matured in bourbon, sherry, and madeira casks. The age statement reflects only the youngest whiskeys in the bottle, but Blue Spot also includes older whiskey drawn from casks that were sourced by Midleton master distiller Kevin O’Gorman on his travels to the island of Madeira in 2000.

Irish Distillers’ other noteworthy single pot still whiskeys include Redbreast and Powers, and thanks to years of planning, all of them carry significant age statements. Newer distillers with 3 to 5 year old single pot still whiskeys to bottle have turned to some interesting experiments with the mashbill. Some have been flexing the ratio of unmalted to malted barley in their recipes; Teeling picked a 50:50 ratio, while Kilbeggan and Drumshanbo have added oats. Kilbeggan’s Small Batch Rye, though not labeled as a single pot still whiskey, includes 30% rye with its unmalted and malted barley. And though its liquid is still maturing, Blackwater Distillery in West Waterford has tapped into some intriguing historical recipes for its mashbill, using wheat, rye, and oats.

Midleton’s recipe is a 60:40 ratio of unmalted to malted barley, but Condon has stepped outside the single pot still box with a 60:40 oat to malt mashbill. Condon says the oat project was a bit worrisome at first. “We were concerned about having porridge all over the brewhouse floor,” she says. “But it worked out. It’s definitely a lighter-style distillate compared to our malted and unmalted mashbills and it needs more time [to mature] than we initially thought, but it has a lovely mouthfeel and a confectionery sweetness, like cotton candy.”

Single pot still whiskey appears to have a bright future, with the potential to drive Irish whiskey to new heights. The vision among Ireland’s distillers is that single pot still will one day have a presence on the global whisky stage that’s similar to that of single malt scotch.

Single Pot Still Irish Whiskeys To Try

Kilbeggan Single Pot Still
93 points, 43%, $45
Melon, candied peel, nutmeg, cinnamon, honeysuckle, orange, apricot, vanilla, roasted hazelnut, and fizzing pot still spices.

Drumshanbo Single Pot Still
92 points, 43%, $63
Creamy sweetness, caramel, brioche, satsuma, dried apricot, pear, apple, lime, plum, toasted coconut, and pot still spiciness.

Blue Spot 7 year old Single Pot Still
91 points, 58.7%, $80
Baked apple, spiced nuts, toffee, cool mint, tangy citrus, dried cherry, walnut, baked lemon, and peppery spices.

Teeling Single Pot Still
91 points, 46%, $75
Cinnamon cereal, melon, white grape, apple, pear, nutmeg, pepper, ground almond, stone fruit, and caramel.

Glendalough Single Pot Still
90 points, 43%, $55
Shortbread, ground almond, finely ground pepper, caramel, dried apple, clove, mild spices, and bakery treats.

The Busker Single Pot Still
88 points, 44.3%, $30
Red apples, almonds, strawberry tart, grilled muffins, biscuits, spice, vanilla, toasted granola, plum, and blackberry.

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The Great Irish Whiskey Revival Pairs Innovation and Tradition

Through historic mashbills, creative finishes, the use of peat, and advanced age statements, Irish Whiskey is as exciting as ever.

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The Irish whiskey restoration is in full swing. Over the last decade, the number of operational distilleries in Ireland has increased from 4 to nearly 40, and Irish whiskey’s soaring sales have made it the biggest growth story in the world. Following the collapse of Ireland’s economy in 2008, craft distilleries began sprouting up all over the island—occupied in abandoned spaces that formerly housed bakeries, sawmills, woolen mills, breweries, jam factories, and even a church. Within a decade, Dublin was reborn as the most vibrant whiskey city in the world, and Ireland’s distilleries hosted a million visitors in 2019 as whiskey lovers took notice.

During Irish whiskey’s lowest years of the 1960s and 1970s, blended expressions provided a straightforward route for rebuilding, and Irish blends, championed by Jameson, Bushmills, and Tullamore D.E.W., remain the driving force today. But now Ireland’s distillers are cultivating a far greater depth and diversity of styles, bringing Irish whiskey to a turning point in its long history. Here are four points in the whiskey space where Ireland’s distillers are looking to reach the next level of greatness—and they’re only a taste of what’s happening across the Emerald Isle.

Single Pot Still Whiskey

Learn More About Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey

Innovative Finishing

Learn More About Cask Finished Irish Whiskey

Peated Irish Whiskeys

Traditionally, peat was anathema to Irish whiskey, representing Scotland—even though Ireland possesses deep peat reserves. And through the ages, the Irish have had a close relationship with the land, cutting and lifting turf to burn. “If you go back far enough in Irish history, everything was peated—you and I would have been peated, as there would have been an open fire in the middle of the room and no chimney,” notes Alex Chasko, master distiller at Teeling Distillery in Dublin.

Learn More About Peated Irish Whiskey

Whiskey of Great Age

Learn More About Irish Whiskey of Great Age

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How to Taste Maritime Notes in Whisky

Sometimes, seaside flavors can appear within your whisky glass, offering up notes of rock pools, vanilla ice cream, beach barbecue, smoked shellfish, and more.

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The sensory pleasures of the seaside can sometimes be found in your whisky glass, remarkably enough. The lip-smacking combination of sea spray, rock pools, vanilla ice cream, beach barbecue, and smoked shellfish all come together in the best peated whiskies, creating a delightful maritime journey in a dram. Saltiness imbues these whiskies’ peat smoke notes on the nose, and deliver a briny character to the spicy smoke on the finish. Maritime tasting notes like tarry boat rope, wooden fish boxes, and lobster pots on a boat’s deck all invoke the pull of the sea.

Smoky Islay whiskies are of course the world’s signature peated expressions, but unpeated whiskies finished in Islay casks can also accomplish this goal. Those smoke flavors come from the hardy compounds that envelop the malted barley when peat’s lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose constituents are put to the flame. The flavor possibilities vary, depending on the history and location of the peat bog, the depth and moisture of the cut peat, the judgment of the maltster presiding over the kiln, the aptitude of the distiller making the cuts, and the wisdom and experience of the blender. All that work with peat creates some of the most refined flavor characteristics present in any whisky.

Furthermore, some distillers, like those at Old Pulteney and Bruichladdich, believe that storing their casks in warehouses close to the ocean augments the final flavor of their whiskies—the saltiness in the air imbues a maritime quality in the maturing spirits. Conversely, Talisker, Lagavulin, Oban, and Caol Ila mature their whiskies in warehouses located in central Scotland, yet still produce lip-smacking coastal scotches.

The best peated whiskies strike a balance between the medicinal end of the phenolic spectrum—characterized by carbolic soap and antiseptics, the syringols with their spicy peat smoke and creamy vanilla sweetness, and the guaiacols with their aromas of wood-smoke and crispy bacon rind. Grab one of the whiskies from our picks, and you’ll never be far from the beach.

Indulge your palate with these maritime whiskies:

Experience the force of a gale warning in Talisker Storm, with notes of salty surf spray, sweet red berries, & peppery peat

Savor the taste of tides in Laphroaig 10 Year Old, abundant with flavors of seaweed, Band-Aids, bladderwrack, & vanilla caramel

Submerge your palate in Bunnahabhain Toiteach A Dhà, with notes of salt water, brine, pipe tobacco, & smoked fish

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Irish Whiskey Makers Are Finding New Ways to Embrace Peat

Adventurous distillers are discovering ways to integrate peat smoke into the typically fruity and light style of Irish Whiskey.

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More recently, a handful of peated Irish expressions have emerged—against a range of challenges. First, all the peated malt must be imported, as Ireland’s commercial maltsters won’t touch the stuff due to limited demand. Second, so many of Ireland’s whiskeys are triple distilled, which can refine the heavier phenol influences—responsible for much of the peat-smoke character—out of the spirit entirely. The challenge is made even more difficult for peating single pot still Irish whiskey, because unmalted barley is naturally unpeated, which further diminishes the peatiness of the mashbill.

Teeling Blackpitts, released in 2020, became Ireland’s first triple-distilled peated single malt in at least 40 years, and landed at the No. 3 spot in our 2021 Top 20 list. Chasko would have loved to use Irish peat and Irish malt, but had to source the peated malt from Scotland. He used malt peated to 55 phenol parts per million (ppm)—the measure of peatiness in the malted barley—which is the same level used for Islay’s Ardbeg 10 year old. “Because triple distilling brings the phenols down, we start at 55 ppm to get the muted light peatiness in Blackpitts,” says Chasko. If Irish whiskeys were made from lightly peated malt at 20 to 30 ppm, Chasko argues, there would be little discernible peat character left after triple distillation.

Blackpitts is the first peated expression in the Teeling lineup which also includes a single malt, single grain, single pot still, and blended whiskey.

Chasko did contemplate double distillation for Teeling Blackpitts, to retain more peat characteristics, but chose to stick with triple distillation. Ultimately, he found that the third distillation delivered floral fruitiness and grilled pineapple flavors as the esters and aldehydes become concentrated in the spirit—something that would not have occurred with double distillation. He also tried the spirit in a variety of casks: sauternes, cognac, port, and sherry. “The cognac casks were hit and miss,” Chasko says explaining that despite some early promise, the casks had a fickle nature, with peat aromas remaining strong in some and disappearing in others. Ultimately, he opted for a 2:1 ratio of bourbon and sauternes casks. “The sauternes [influence] has that minerality and sweetness you find in Blackpitts, and picks up the vanilla and wood notes from the bourbon casks, while still allowing the peat to come through,” Chasko explains.

Prior to joining Teeling, Chasko worked at Cooley Distillery, which was founded by John Teeling and sold to Beam Suntory in 2011. While at Cooley, Chasko made Connemara, a peated double-distilled single malt. There are crucial differences between Connemara and Blackpitts in terms of ppm levels and number of distillation runs (though they do have similar phenol levels), but Chasko says the perception of flavors is totally different. Blackpitts has more smoky, barbecued, and grilled-fruit flavors than Connemara, which is fruity with peppery spice, in Chasko’s opinion.

Ireland’s peated whiskey universe is expanding with the addition of Hinch Peated and The Legendary Dark Silkie, both of which use peated whiskey sourced from Ireland’s Great Northern Distillery. There are also plenty of peated Irish whiskeys on the way from new producers like Dunville’s, Rademon Estate, Nephin, Killowen, and others. In the future, Chasko hopes to see regional flavor differences explored between Ireland’s peat-rich areas. He is optimistic that there is plenty of room for everyone.

Peated Irish Whiskeys To Try

Teeling Blackpitts
93 points, 46%, $75
Red apple, clove, bonfire smoke, panna cotta, and sweet floral notes, plus tangy marmalade and peppery spice and brown sugar.

The Legendary Dark Silkie
92 points, 46%, $44
Peppery barbecued meats, stewed apple, currants, conference pear, raisin turnover, brown sugar, dried strawberries and pepper.

Hinch Peated Single Malt
89 points, 43%, $50
Rich chocolate brownie, earthy peat, honey, juicy citrus, sherbet, vanilla, ice cream wafers, and clementine.

Connemara 12 year old
88 points, 40%, $75
Fresh cream, lemon lozenges, sherbet, tangy tropical fruit, and well-balanced smoke.

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Go Inside Scotland’s Silent Season [Infographic]

Distilleries schedule a certain amount of time each year to clean and upgrade their equipment, using this period to improve operations.

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Distilleries cannot run year round. Prior to World War II, distilling’s silent season started in late May and could last as long as last three or four months. Before scientific advancements and technology revolutionized farming in the post-war years, whisky making was tied more to the agricultural calendar than it is now. Barley prices would climb as summer approached, when supplies ran low from the last harvest, and the remnants of the previous year’s peat became too dry and affected the smokiness of the malt. Germination was also harder to control in the warm, airy floor maltings, which impacted fermentation, and spells of hot weather taxed the reliability of the plentiful water supplies needed for cooling, cleaning, and condensing the vapor into spirit after distillation. Instead of making whisky, distillery workers would disperse to farms to gather the harvest and head to the bogs to cut fresh slabs of peat to stack in the fields.

The modern silent season requires a shutdown of production for just three to four weeks each year to enable vital inspections, maintenance, and repairs. In addition to keeping the distillery in good working order, this is when new equipment is installed, replacing well-worn machinery after decades of service. Don’t postpone a distillery visit just because it’s silent season: From inspecting the floor of a mash tun to peering deep inside a copper pot still, you may get closer to the action than ever before.

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Where Will the Next Great Single Malt Come From?

Scotland holds the crown but these countries and regions are producing great single malt whisky that’s worth keeping an eye on.

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Scotland may have put single malt on the map, but in the past few years, more and more countries are embracing the style, curious to see how different climates and techniques can impact flavor. As a result, whisky drinkers have even more ground to cover when exploring and educating themselves. Here, we survey the global single malt landscape to determine where the next great single malt is most likely to arrive from.

The Front Runners

These regions are leading the way, already showing the ability to compete on the world single malt stage.

Nordic
There are numerous Nordic distilleries making intriguing whiskies with innovative techniques: Eimverk in Iceland using sheep dung for drying malt, the meticulous recipes at High Coast in Sweden, the underground maturation of Mackmyra’s casks in a mine, the intricate spirit cuts at Spirit of Hven, and the floor malting of local barley at Stauning in Denmark. This is a region bursting with inventive ideas and a commitment to making great-tasting whiskies, which could earn Nordic whiskies a world-class reputation if the right importers can connect them to the people that want to drink them.

Try these:
High Coast Dálvve Spanish Oak—93 points, 48%, $59
Mackmyra—91 points, 46.1%, $100/liter
Teerenpeli Kaski—90 points, 43%, $130

Western Europe
France already has a significant number of distilleries, and there is a developing scene of Alpine whiskies from Germany, Italy, Austria, and Switzerland. Many of these distilleries are small, make a variety of other spirits, and favor an eclectic range of wine casks for maturing and finishing whiskies. It is not a region that has attracted large amounts of multinational investment in whisky distilling capacity from the major drinks companies, but the industry is growing steadily and the assortment of whiskies exported increases every year. Coupling the leading distillers with importers to project a national image about the quality of these whiskies could go a long way to help these countries scale up exports to reach a wider audience.

Try these:
Armorik Double Maturation—93 points, 46%, $64
Eifel Peated (2019 Release)—93 points, 46%, $75
G. Rozelieures Rare Collection—92 points, 40%, $45

Fighting Chance

Superb individual single malts are a great start and, with more momentum and cohesion, any of these could become notable single malt regions.

Asia
Kavalan is Asia’s leading whisky distillery outside of Japan, but this Taiwanese producer has been searching for a new master distiller after the departure of Ian Chang this past March. In August 2019, Pernod Ricard—owner of Jameson, Glenlivet, and other whiskies—broke ground on Emeishan Distillery in Sichuan, China. This $150 million malt whisky distillery and visitor center are due to open within a year. Scottish companies are currently manufacturing equipment for another new distillery in Inner Mongolia. With an active interest in collecting and a vibrant live auction scene in Hong Kong, this part of the world has a bright future in single malt whisky ahead of it.

Try these:
Kavalan Solist Amontillado Cask—94 points, 56.3%, $599
Kavalan Vinho Barrique—92 points, 57.1%, $258
Kavalan Sherry Cask—91 points, 57.1%, $225

Canada
Canada has the barley quality and whisky-making expertise to become a much bigger player on the single malt world stage. With distilleries including Glenora, Yukon Spirits, Shelter Point, and many others making high-quality whiskies, the key will be developing the stocks and the international distribution to make its single malts go global.

Try this:
Stalk & Barrel—87 points, 46%, $40

England and Wales
The parts of Great Britain not subject to the Scotch Whisky Regulations or Irish Whiskey Technical File still have access to barley, maltsters, international distribution networks, and distilling expertise that have combined to deliver some impressive whiskies. English whisky from St. George’s (called The English Whisky Co. in the U.S.) is being joined by newcomers Adnams, The Lakes, Cotswolds, Spirit of Yorkshire, and Bimber, while in Wales, Penderyn has a good head start over Dà Mhìle and Aber Falls. Collectively, there is enough ambition here to produce a lot more great whisky from Great Britain.

Try these:
Penderyn Sherrywood—92 points, 46%, $80
Adnams—91 points, 40%, $70
Cotswolds 2014 Odyssey Barley—91 points, 46%, $60

India
Amrut, Paul John, and Rampur have helped establish India as a country capable of producing high-quality whiskies for the international market. Its releases often demonstrate a high degree of innovation and excel at delivering what the curious whisky drinker desires: something different. Indian single malts are no longer a novelty, so to take the industry to the next level more distilleries are necessary to establish Indian whisky as a mainstream choice.

Try these:
Rampur Double Cask—93 points, 45%, $90
Amrut Peated—90 points, 46%, $70
Paul John Brilliance—88 points, 46%, $60

Ireland
Ireland may be one of the most exciting whiskey nations, but it’s better known for its ubiquitous blends and pot still whiskeys. However, the Irish Whiskey Association’s Technical File and its Knowledge Still program ensure quality standards are met across Irish styles, including single malt. Today, many of the new distilleries offer Irish single malts that are sourced from other distillers; these will be replaced by their own whiskeys. Bushmills is well-known for its age-statement single malts, and Waterford, Nephin, Dingle, and others are planning to expand the world of Irish single malt whiskey.

Try these:
Bushmills 21 year old—96 points, 40%, $250
Tyrconnell 16 year old Oloroso & Moscatel Cask-Finished—92 points, 46%, $100
Dingle (Batch 4)—91 points, 46.5%, $100

Japan
Japan looks destined to be a country of distilleries with individual greatness, rather than a nation known for great whisky. Much of the interest in Japanese whisky began with collectors hoarding bottles from closed distilleries, some high-scoring whiskies, and a fascination with mizunara oak, but the subsequent years were marred by a shortage of well-aged whisky stocks. A lack of transparency and regulation resulted in whiskies that ranged from pretty good to unimpressive and overpriced, while many that are enjoyable may not owe their pedigree to Japan at all. Unless Japanese whisky gets its act together, the next generation of whisky lovers will likely be moving on.

Try these:
Yamazaki 12 year old—93 points, 43%, $125
Matsui The Peated—92 points, 48%, $100
Yoichi—92 points, 46%, $80

United States
With distilleries such as FEW, Westland, and Balcones, the U.S. is producing some fascinating single malts. And while the strictures of American single malt remain voluntary, some distillers are aiming to enact regulations that balance Scotland’s established definition with room for creativity. However, as one of the most diverse spirits-producing nations on the planet, America’s single malt faces competition at home from bourbon and rye, making it seem unlikely that it will become a defining spirit of the nation.

Try these:
Balcones Single Rum Cask-Finished (Batch R20-1)—92 points, 62%, $80
Virginia Distillery Co. Courage & Conviction—91 points, 46%, $75
Westland Peat Week (2019 Release)—91 points, 50%, $100

Long Shots

Single malts from unlikely spots offer glimmers of greatness, and with the world changing quickly, we can’t totally count out these contenders.

Africa
If you’ve tried any African whiskies, chances are they were made in South Africa at either the James Sedgewick or Drayman’s distilleries. It will take longer than 20 years for Africa to become a powerhouse of distilling, and the continent may not necessarily go down the single malt route. There’s news of a distillery opening in Ethiopia, and with more whiskies from South Africa being distributed internationally, this is still a territory that could surprise us.

Try this:
Drayman’s Highveld 5 year old French Oak Reserve—89 points, 43%, $100

Oceania
As a whisky isle, Tasmania may be the Islay of the Southern Hemisphere, but the prospects of Australia and New Zealand becoming the next great single malt nation seem low. Australian distilleries like Lark, Sullivan’s Cove, Bakery Hill, Old Hobart, and Hellyers Road make wonderful whiskies, but the volume exported to European and U.S. markets is insignificant and what arrives is often considerably overpriced. Starward Distillery currently shows the greatest ambition to build a global following, while many of the other distilleries seem content to concentrate on supplying markets in Southeast Asia and closer to home.

Try these:
Starward Nova—88 points, 41%, $55
Sullivan’s Cove Double Cask—87 points, 45%, $300
Hellyers Road Original—86 points, 40%, $70

The post Where Will the Next Great Single Malt Come From? appeared first on Whisky Advocate.

Across the Globe, Single Malt Is Taking on a Whole New Life

Inspired by scotch, global whisky producers are creating single malts that are unique representations of their climate and culture.

The post Across the Globe, Single Malt Is Taking on a Whole New Life appeared first on Whisky Advocate.

Indisputably, scotch is the world’s most popular style of whisky, with single malt regarded as the epitome of this fine spirit, cherished for its unparalleled quality. While I make my home in Scotland and have a passion for her whiskies, my role as Whisky Advocate’s world whisky reviewer presents me with a steady stream of fascinating whiskies from India, Taiwan, Mexico, Israel, Australia, and beyond!

Just 20 years ago, it would have been considered laughable that anyone could challenge Scotland’s dominance of single malt—but Japan gave scotch lovers reason to pause. Today, I’m in awe of the proliferation of whisky from around the world, and the vast range of countries that stand proudly behind high-quality products.

A global community of distillers is transporting single malt whisky to new places, literally. By adding their own creativity and local techniques, resulting in exciting flavors and geographical styles, the single malt world is changing quickly. Because I sample and evaluate whisky blind, not knowing the identity of what I am tasting, I can tell you that Japan is not the last nation that will surprise us by joining the big leagues of single malt.

In another 20 years, it just might be France, Sweden, or Germany that rivals Scotland for single malt popularity. So if you’re weary of looking in the rearview mirror at the single malt whiskies you may have missed, it’s time to look to the horizon and consider the great things to come.

Building a Whisky Nation

“There was no Welsh whisky around when we started; there was no reputation,” admits Stephen Davies, the chief executive of Penderyn Distillery in Wales. Penderyn began distilling in 2000, and it now exports 30% of its whiskies, with France and the U.S. being its fastest growing markets. Davies identifies two key factors that helped Penderyn get to this point: being distinctive and knowing what it stands for. “We have two copper pot stills, the Penderyn Faraday stills, which give us a light-style single malt whisky which is uniquely Penderyn, and up until recently was uniquely Welsh.” You won’t find stills like them making single malt in Scotland, which instinctively makes me inquisitive to retaste some of their whiskies. Penderyn Sherrywood has impressive layers of succulent fruits, baking spices, and coffee notes, while the Penderyn Portwood combines moreish flavors of chocolate, dates, and forest honey.

Penderyn Distillery in Wales makes its single malt on two copper pot stills which create a lighter style spirit.

Penderyn is focused on becoming better known in the U.S. by telling its story. “We’re not scotch, we’re not familiar, and even the country of Wales is not familiar to many people in the States,” expresses Davies. After meeting a guest at a tasting in New York who mistakenly believed that Wales was an island located off the coast of Scotland, Davies now carries a map at all times. This ancient Celtic country may boast more castles per square mile than anywhere else, but Davies finds that modern whisky drinkers relate equally well to Welsh stars such as Gareth Bale, the country’s top international soccer player, and actors like Matthew Rhys, Anthony Hopkins, Michael Sheen, and Catherine Zeta-Jones.

“As a country, volume is never going to be the big thing; it’s got to be about quality and being world class,” Davies says. He attempted to draft Welsh whisky regulations three or four years ago, but since Penderyn was the country’s only distillery, the Welsh government struck consideration. Now, with the number of Welsh distilleries increasing, he’s considering pursuing regulations again. “I want to build in quality standards to make sure that we don’t fall foul of the inconsistencies seen in other countries,” Davies says. In 2019, Penderyn revealed plans to build a second distillery and visitor center in Llandudno to attract whisky lovers from north Wales. Aber Falls Distillery in Abergwyngregyn, owned by the multinational Halewood International, is close by. “As a relatively young industry, we have the opportunity to be more innovative than our friends in Scotland or Ireland, but within certain parameters. As a country, why on earth couldn’t we sustain half a dozen really good distilleries when there are so many in Scotland?”

Single malt scotch’s identifiers are indicative of origin, and region and distillery names are frequently used as shorthand for the flavor encapsulated within; we have an understanding of what we mean when we talk about a scotch from Speyside or Islay. It may be unrealistic to expect relatively new whisky nations like Wales to conform to anything that could be generalized as a national style, but while pigeonholing by geographical flavor is appealing, there is no advantage in everything tasting the same.

Where Will the Next Great Single Malt Come From?

The Scotch Whisky Regulations protect what we know and understand about scotch and deserve considerable credit for protecting the stature and quality of the nation’s single malt. Some nations, like India and Japan, are succeeding by paying attention to overseas regulations rather than working within a uniform set of standards to please the home market. India’s Amrut capitalized on making and exporting single malt whisky, while the country’s producers of molasses-based “whisky” were prevented from legally selling their product as whisky in Europe and the U.S. Although not single malt, Japanese rice whisky found an appreciative market in the U.S. while not being legally recognized as whisky in Europe. However, it’s worth noting that some countries have few relatively large distilleries making single malt, and a lack of regulations can leave the whole industry vulnerable. As the number of distilleries grows, it increases the chances that a bad actor might appear and undermine the movement. When boundaries become blurred, it can affect the perception of its quality: Someone always spoils the party. Ireland appears to be leading the way with the Irish Whiskey Association and the Irish Whiskey Technical File, even if the country’s most unique selling point is single pot still Irish whiskey rather than single malt. Other nations would do well to emulate their approach.

Vive La France

Already a great whisky-drinking nation, France has excellent prospects as a whisky-producer too. Locally grown barley, skilled coopers, oak forests, a varied climate, an abundance of wine casks, and traditions of brandy distillation form the foundation for making whisky. “I certainly hope we get momentum behind French whisky, like we saw with Japanese whisky,” says David Roussier, general manager of Warenghem Distillery, the producer of Armorik single malt. “We don’t have as much history as Japanese whisky, but I think with more French whiskies on the market, people will hear about them, which should help to build the category.” The Federation of French Whisky is still in its infancy and its first objective is to ensure that French whisky is mashed, fermented, distilled, and matured in France. “Our country is famous for spirits, we have access to distribution networks, and everything appears to be lining up for French whisky,” says Roussier. “Armorik, being the pioneer, should both lead the way and benefit from it.”

The fresh, fruity appeal of Armorik Double Maturation is easy to fall in love with, as is Yeun Elez Jobic, Warenghem’s peated whisky, which has lemon sponge cake, honeyed apple, and aromatic smoke. Warenghem Distillery has doubled capacity, enabling it to lay down stock for age-statement releases and limited editions. “Recently, we opened the first dedicated whisky visitor center in France to show people how we produce our whisky,” says Roussier proudly. “I really think the Scots did a lot to show people what they were doing and how, and that helped them to build strong relationships with people. It’s now time for us to do the same and promote the authenticity of Bretagne [Brittany] and its whiskies. I’m convinced France has everything to become a great whisky nation, but we are not there yet and we have to remain humble and patient. Whisky takes time, and France won’t become a whisky nation just by opening 50 distilleries in five years, but if 50 distilleries are able to live through the next 10 to 20 years, then who knows?”

Single malt ages at Warenghem Distillery.

Distillers can make the most amazing tasting whisky in the world, but that alone is not enough if no one beyond a 20-mile radius of the distillery can buy it. To build a great whisky nation takes a well-regulated industry actively promoting the distinctiveness of its country’s whisky to an international audience. Here’s where the flashes of brilliant innovation shine through: burning peat in a shipping container to flavor the malt at Mackmyra in Sweden, then storing it underground in a mine rather than a dunnage warehouse, or building a “spectrum” cask from four or five different woods at Amrut to create a unique and flavorsome finish. As pioneering distilleries cultivate an audience thirsty for more, then new distillers will be encouraged to start up and put their own spin on their nation’s style of whisky until the volume of exports helps that country reach a tipping point.

Bringing It Home

“In 20 years’ time, my goal is that the whisky section in a liquor store will look like the wine department, with selections broken out by geography,” says Fred Barnet, founder of Georgia-based Anthem Imports. According to Barnet, Anthem represents the largest portfolio of European and world whiskies available in the U.S. Beyond scotch, bourbon, and Japanese whisky, Barnet’s vision would see whisky lovers walking straight for the German, Nordic, or South African whisky section. “People have no problem buying a wine or beer from another country, so I want to break down those barriers for whisky.”

Having recognized the quality and spectrum of world whiskies, Barnet realized that very few were being imported into the U.S., so he set up his business to change that. Barnet scours the world to discover niche whiskies that deserve greater attention, particularly distilleries started by families or friends working together, using locally grown grain. If you are persuaded that the source of the barley used for single malt instills the whisky with terroir, then small producers are the best place to test out the theory. His curiosity is normally roused by the details that set it apart; for example, the water from an ancient glacier used at Teerenpeli Distillery in Finland, where the casks experience a wide range of temperatures through freezing winters and warm summers, entombed inside shipping containers. That’s not a style of warehouse you would readily find in Scotland. “I’m trying to bring people something new and radical, and it’s crazy because trying to build and promote a category at the same time is like building an airplane while also trying to fly it,” says Barnet.

Eifel Whisky from Germany has been one of his greatest discoveries to date. Its single malt is a delicious combination of stewed fruits, ground ginger, and chocolate mints, while the 2019 release of its peated single malt really impressed me with its flavors of barbecued meat, dried fig, and gingerbread. Distillery owner Stephan Mohr supplies Anthem Imports with 6,000 bottles a year, but otherwise the whisky is only available in the vicinity of the distillery. The whiskies are wonderfully dark, with attractive labels depicting paintings of the local landscape. The distillery uses a copper patent still and copper pot still, but the secret is in the wood. Mohr loves to experiment and has access to fantastic sherry, German pinot noir, and bordeaux casks. Experimentation for scotch whisky producers is costly and more risky, especially at scale. Production of Eifel Whisky is, and will remain, finite. So when Barnet gets his hands on 1,200 bottles of Eifel peated single malt or a batch of Eifel German rye, enlightened whisky buyers are advised to act quickly.

Barnet counts himself among those whisky drinkers who prefer to live on the edge. “Every time I see a whisky from a non-traditional whisky country, I buy it out of respect for the category,” says Barnet. “Americans are tough. I think there are certain things we don’t do: We don’t buy things we can’t pronounce and we don’t like to try new things.” Barnet believes he’s tasted more Austrian whiskies than anyone else in the U.S. “I read recently that there are 250 whisky distilleries in Germany and 50 in Austria,” he reports. That’s more than twice as many whisky producers as there are in Scotland. “Once someone tries Eifel and realizes how good and approachable it is, it makes them more likely to try a whisky from elsewhere, whether it’s Wales, France, or South Africa,” adds Barnet. “Once they find something they enjoy, they realize that it doesn’t have to come from Scotland, Kentucky, or Ireland.”

Kavalan Distillery in Taiwan embraced their warm subtropical climate, which means that reaching advanced age statements of 18 or 25 years just isn’t feasible.

Climate change may also favor certain new whisky-producing regions and disadvantage others. Water scarcity, less biodiversity, and more extreme weather events are predicted this century due to climate change. Distilleries use gallons of water for every bottle of whisky produced, requiring an abundance of cool water to run their condensers. While some people might welcome warmer, drier weather in Scotland, climate change may undermine the ability to successfully mature high-quality scotch over multiple decades. Kavalan Distillery in Taiwan operates in a subtropical climate where it’s not possible to produce whiskies with 12, 18, or 25 year age statements, as its whiskies reach peak maturation at a much younger age. Just as the wine growers of southern England hope to inherit the climate in France formerly enjoyed by Champagne, Burgundy, and the Loire Valley, perhaps distillers in Nordic countries are scotch whisky’s heir apparent from a climate perspective. Warehouse workers at High Coast Distillery in Sweden have always had to chip away the ice frozen around their casks during midwinter, but this may not be the case in a decade or more. Neither is this climate boon restricted to European distillers, as Japanese distillers may begin to favor Hokkaido over Honshu, or new distillers may find more favorable conditions for the same reason by building in northern Canadian territories and Chinese provinces, or the colder areas of Russia. The parts of the world that can capitalize and thrive in this atmosphere of change will be well placed to make the whisky world their own.

Independent-minded importers, distributors, and liquor store owners are another key part of helping more people discover these great new whiskies. The whisky world needs adventurous types like Barnet to seek out new discoveries, leaders such as Davies looking beyond his company to take a nationwide perspective, and the cautious optimism of Roussier assembling the necessary elements to enable his nation’s whisky to grab the world’s attention. Hundreds more like them stand around the globe, taking bold risks, enjoying life, and making the best whisky they can each and every day. As whisky lovers looking for the next great single malt, we should take our inspiration from them and support their endeavors by being more courageous with what we put in our glass.

The post Across the Globe, Single Malt Is Taking on a Whole New Life appeared first on Whisky Advocate.