Even if you’re just a casual fan of Irish whiskey, your collective experiences at the bar have undoubtedly been influenced by Midleton. Names like Jameson, Redbreast, Powers, and Paddy all begin their lives right here at this legendary distillery just outside of Cork. The folks inside have been crafting the celebrated spirit for nearly 200 years. And yet in all that time, they’ve never brought to bottle something quite so long in the tooth as what they’re releasing now.
Midleton Very Rare Silent Distillery Collection Chapter Five is a 49-year-old bottling, set to retail for $55,000. The 104.8-proof single pot still expression delivers a steady procession through marzipan to earthy, herbal spice and antique chestnut. In other words, it's more than just old—it’s exquisite.
And once it’s gone, it ain’t ever coming back. The juice at its base was distilled in 1973, shortly before the old Midleton distillery shuttered operations to make way for a separate set of stills, which carry the torch to this day. But the whiskey made at the former facility is distinct from that which is conjured up at the new Midleton distillery. Stock from the former is also rapidly running out. In fact, Midleton warns us that this is the penultimate iteration from this special series, drawing from that silent distillery.
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It was initially crafted by former master distiller Max Crockett back in 1973 and laid into ex-bourbon barrels. The current man in the position is Kevin O’Gorman, and he took steady care, transferring it from its original cooperage into a special marrying cask (also from the mid-‘70s). Silky texture comes from the age, and candied apple from the steady maturation. But the earthy, almost umami-like undertones in its finish are mostly owed to the pot still technique. It’s a uniquely Irish way of making whiskey, combining malted and unmalted barley in the mash.
“[The new release] embodies a captivating tale that celebrates the convergence of the finest wood, exceptional whiskey, and indomitable spirit of the master craftsmen who sit at the heart of the old Midleton distillery’s legacy,” O’Gorman says. “I eagerly invite whiskey enthusiasts to indulge in this exceptional liquid and discover the captivating history that accompanies the expression as they savor every sip.”
Of course, the majority of those who get their hands on the bottle probably won’t be opening it any time soon. Anything this rare and historic is bound to be pushed toward the “collectible” side of the backbar. At least they’ll have something pretty to look at. The beveled crystal decanter was handblown—and hand-polished—by the artisans at Waterford. It comes packaged in an oak burr cabinet conceived by noted Irish designer John Galvin. To line its interior, he sourced 200-year-old oak from a former whiskey vat.
The $55,000 whiskey set is available now in select high-end retailers in the U.S., Europe, and Asia, along with global travel retail. Even if you don’t get to taste it yourself, it’s a roaring display of just how vigorous ultra-luxe whiskey from the Emerald Isle has become (a report predicts that Irish whiskey will overtake Scotch in U.S. sales by the year 2030)—and of how Midleton continues to influence an entire industry.
Related: The 23 Best Irish Whiskeys to Drink Anytime
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