Method and Madness Turn To Japanese Woods For Latest Creations

Irish Distillers, maker of some of the world’s best-known and most successful Irish whiskeys, has unveiled an exclusive collection of Single Pot Still whiskeys, each finished in rare Japanese casks as the Masters and Apprentices behind Method and Madness continue to combine tradition with innovation for a world class taste experience.

The limited-edition series features three showstopping Single Pot Still whiskeys including a 33-Year-Old finished in Japanese Mizunara oak for three years, and two other perfectly balanced expressions, finished respectively, in Japanese Chestnut and Japanese Cedarwood casks for over 13 months.

Sitting at the head of the collection, the 33-Year-Old Mizunara is the oldest Irish whiskey to be finished in the sought-after Japanese oak sourced from the Hokkaido region in Northern Japan, where the temperate rainforest creates the ideal growing conditions for the oak used for barrel production. The relatively low wood density and medium charring of the cask impart elevated flavors of nutmeg and vanilla to the single pot still distillate originally laid down for maturation in ex-bourbon barrels in 1988. The whiskey was then refilled into this exceptional Mizunara cask for a further three years, resulting in a perfect harmony of spicy pot still and perfumed oak.  Bottled at 52.8% ABV, just 252 bottles of Method and Madness Single Pot Still Mizunara Oak Cask will be available globally at an RRP of €3,000 (700ml).

While the Mizunara Cask represents the generations of tradition and craftsmanship in which whiskey making and Japanese culture are steeped, the two younger expressions highlight the innovation and experimentation for which the distillery is renowned. Each of the single pot still distillates were first matured in bourbon and sherry barrels before a finishing period in Japanese Cedarwood Casks (ABV 48%) – a world first for the Irish whiskey category – and Japanese Chestnut Casks (ABV 48%), marking a new first for the industry. These are priced at €95 (700ml).

The Japanese Cedarwood expression is characterised by notes of eucalyptus and fresh botanicals, imparted by the exquisite cedar barrels traditionally favored for Sake maturation.  The cedar logs are sourced from the Kyushu region in southern Japan, where the warm wet conditions create a particularly fragrant and porous wood giving the whiskey its unique flavor profile of herbal tea, caraway seeds and clove spice alongside a delicate fruit finish.

Finbarr Curran, Wood Planning and Maturation Team Lead, said, “This truly exceptional trilogy represents not only our ambition and far-reaching partnerships with some of the world’s best cooperages, but three individual triumphs in skill and innovation – the ethos which continues to drive the Method and Madness collection. It’s with great pride that we share this with the world.”

The Method and Madness Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey Japanese Mizunara Oak Cask is available now from specialist retailers in Ireland, France, UK, USA and global travel retail. Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey Finished in Japanese Cedarwood Casks and  Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey Finished in Japanese Chestnut Casks will follow in late March. The whiskeys will be available exclusively via the Whisky Exchange in the UK and distributed by Castle Brands in the USA from September 2022.