Last week I received a surprise package from The Whisky Exchange with 4 samples of their newest releases. Three of those samples were new Port Askaig releases and there was this one.

A single cask Irish Pot Still whiskey from Midleton, bottled exclusively for The Whisky Exchange. What more can a guy want? This stuff is rare!

Midleton 1991 for The Whisky Exchange

The difference between Single Malt and Single Pot Still is that in the Irish version, the wash is made with a part unmalted barley, instead of all malted barley. There probably are more slight differences, but that is the biggest one.

This was originally done because there was a tax on using malted barley in Ireland at some point, and to get out of paying for every pound, they used unmalted barley. As a side effect, it created a uniquely Irish style of whiskey, which has recently begun a massive rise in popularity.

Sniff:
At first I get malt, vanilla and fruit. The malt is green and crisp. There are some leaf herbs like parsley too. Very, very gentle. Slightly spicy with a pinch of pepper, and there’s honey and fruit juice. Some banana, peach and mango.

Sip:
The palate is a bit more spicy, with salt and pepper. Pastry cream with vanilla but less than on the nose. A fair touch of wood too, malt, green malt too. Then there’s tons of fruit. Strawberry, mango and other things. Like a good fruit pie since there is cereal, pastry cream and fruit…

Swallow:
The finish is loooong with heaps of fruit again. Pastry, pastry cream, strawberries, sugar and syrup but also oak.

If you’re not a fan of fruity whiskies, leave this be. If you happen to like old Lochsides and such, this is the stuff of legends. I absolutely love it and it doesn’t happen this often I get images with what I’m tasting or smelling, but in this case it’s definetly so!

I might even stretch this out further. This is the best Irish whiskey I’ve had so far. And I have tried Powers John’s Lane and Midleton Barry Crocket Legacy which are the other premium releases from Midleton at the moment.

The only drawback this whiskey has, is that Midleton charges a sizeable premium for bottling a single cask with a private label. That is reflected in the price.

Midleton 1991-2012, 20 years old, OB for The Whisky Exchange, 54.1%, £ 235

Official sample provided by The Whisky Exchange.