Distillery: Midleton Distillery under the guidance of Mitchell & Sons (Ireland)
Proof: 92
Age: Blend of 7 & 10 Year Old Whiskey
Mashbill: 100% Barley (both malted and unmalted)
BACKGROUND: A single pot still, triple distilled Irish whiskey from MIdleton Distillery and Mitchell & Sons in Ireland. Single pot still whiskey indicates use of both malted and unmalted barley in the mash bill, which provides a unique “spiciness” indicative of this unusual style. Not many Irish Whiskeys are single pot still whiskeys, but, one other brand on US shelves is Red Breast. Green Spot was originally a 10 year old age stated Irish Whiskey. It got its name since Midelton Distillery used to denote their 10 year barrels with a green spot and hence the name Green Spot. Since, Midleton has removed the 10 year age statement and have declared Green Spot a blend of 7 to 10 year old whiskey. This particular Green Spot is their wine finished release that was finished in Bordeaux Wine Casks and bottled at 12 proof points higher than the regular Green Spot. Along with Green Spot and their wine finished releases, Mitchell & Sons also produce Blue Spot (7 year old) at Cask Strength, Yellow Spot (12 years old finished in bourbon barrels), and Red Spot (15 years old finished in some unique barrels)
NOSE: The nose is soft and floral with scents of lavender, vanilla, ripe berries, sharp citrus like tangerine or grape fruit, and butterscotch. It is very delicate and soft with a nice crispness to it. The nose is significantly better than the nose on regular Green Spot. The 12 additional proof points makes a huge difference. (23/25)
PALATE: The whiskey has a delicacy to it that gives it a velvety and somewhat watery feel. Smooth barley, vanilla, oak, and honey notes immediately stand out. Behind those are notes of crisp berries and a sharp copper taste. Overall, this is a smooth and sweet whisky with some unique crisp and sharp berry notes to it that I would attribute to the wine finish. The flavor profile is dynamic and different from that of the regular Green Spot. (35/40)
FINISH: The finish is long and enduring with notes of fresh oak, pine, and vanilla. There are also some hints at fresh fruit that are very enjoyable. (21/25)
VALUE: With an $80 SRP this is a little expensive for Irish Whisky but when accounting for the cost of the exquisite wine casks and the higher proof it justifies the $30 price difference compared to the regular Green Spot. (7/10)
Overall: 86/100
FINAL THOUGHTS: Green Spot Bordeaux finished Irish whisky is an absolute treat from across the pond. Spot whisky has an incredibly suite of whisky and this one is another great one. This is a very flavorful whisky with sweet, sharp, and smooth notes. We recommend this to anyone who enjoys sweet and approachable whisky, especially if you are a fan of spot whisky.
Similar & Slightly Better Whiskey: Tullibardine 225 Sauternes Cask Finish
Similar & Equal Whiskey: Green Spot Chateau Montelena
Similar & Slightly Worse Whiskey: Woodford Reserve Master’s Collection – Sonoma-Cutrer Finish
Tell us what you think and give us some feedback!
Scoring Legend:
96-100: The perfect dram, juice of the gods
90-95: Near perfect, truly incredible whiskey
85-89: Amazing whiskey, will always try to keep a backup bottle of this
80-84: Very good, some minor flaws here or there
75-79: Good, quite enjoyable to drink, Will try and keep a bottle on the shelf
70-74: Solid, wouldn’t go out of my way to get this
60-69: Decent, would offer this up to non whiskey drinkers
50-59: Not my cup of tea
Below 50: Give away
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