“The Spots” Single Pot Still Whiskeys Turn Gold Next Month
Irish Distillers, makers of some of the world’s most enjoyed whiskeys, together with the Mitchell family are marking 135 years of whiskey bonding among the Mitchell family, one of Ireland’s last remaining wine merchants, by crafting a celebratory vibrant Spot release, Gold Spot Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey.
This limited-edition expression pays tribute to the colourful history of the Mitchell’s whiskey bonding business which commenced in 1887 when the bonders sent empty wine and fortified wine casks to the local Jameson Distillery, in Bow Street, to be filled with new single pot still spirit for maturation in its underground cellars. Once filled, the fortified wine casks would be marked with a daub or ‘spot’ of colored paint, to determine the age potential with Blue Spot, Green Spot, Yellow Spot and Red Spot, respectively indicating the 7, 10, 12 and 15 years of the celebrated expression within the Spot range.
The color gold symbolizes quality, prestige, specialness and celebration and so the Mitchells chose this color to signify their enduring relationship with whiskey bonding over seven generations and 135 years. This special release commemorates the past and nods to the future of whiskey innovation by embodying the unmistakable qualities of single pot still Irish whiskey.
Matured for a minimum of nine years, the expression builds on the foundation of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks, typical of the Spot whiskey style, and is married together with a unique proportion of hand selected Bordeaux wine casks and port pipes. The inclusion of port casks – sourced from Irish Distillers’ long-established partners in Portugal’s Douro Valley– is a first for a modern iteration of Spot whiskey.
Working in collaboration with the Mitchells, the team at Midleton Distillery was inspired by archive documents dating back to the late 1800s showing significant quantities of port casks imported into Ireland which, once emptied, would have been used to mature whiskey. The combination of the four different cask types imparts exceptional flavors of vibrant fruits enhanced by delicate oak tannins and wood spices, with the port wine-driven cask inclusion adding an additional layer of complexity and character, alongside a taste of history.
Katherine Condon, Distiller at Irish Distillers, comments: “It has been a privilege and a joy to work with the renowned Mitchell family as they took us on a journey through the rich history of their business, handed down through seven generations.
“Gold Spot truly is a liquid time capsule with the wine-driven casks treading a beautiful balance of tradition and innovation and marking their 135-year history of whiskey bonding in Ireland. We cherish these opportunities to collaborate with the Mitchell family and look forward to welcoming even more whiskey fans to taste a piece of whiskey history within the Spot family.”
Jonathan Mitchell, Managing Director at Mitchell & Son, adds: “As the oldest family run wine and spirits merchants in Ireland, we’re delighted to continue the legacy of the Spot family, and our family’s historic role in Dublin’s whiskey bonding era.
“It has been fascinating to once again collaborate with Katherine Condon and the talented team at Midleton to celebrate the colorful story of our family business, utilizing casks that would have been originally introduced to Irish whiskey in the late 1800s. We’re excited to see what the future holds for this wonderful family of whiskeys.”
Unveiled at Whiskey Live Dublin, the non-chill filtered release is bottled at 51.4% ABV or 102.8 Proof – a reference to historical methods of measuring alcohol content as noted in the Mitchell’s archive. The whiskey will be available online from www.spotwhiskey.com from 12pm Irish Time and at Whiskey Live Dublin on the 10th of June and from Mitchell & Son stores and all established retailers from Tuesday, 14th of June at the RRP of €120. It will be available to buy in Ireland, France, the UK and Global Travel Retail, and the USA from mid-July.