Red Spot 15 Year Old Irish Whiskey Review

By Emma Briones

Rating: B

Red Spot 15 Year Old Single Pot Still
(Credit: Emma Briones)

When a whiskey becomes a cult dram, it is because it has that extra something special. But Red Spot was, until recently, something more than that; it was whiskey that disappeared in the ’60s, unknown to modern enthusiasts except as a vintage item, and one that left a mark for many.

Red Spot is the big brother of the Mitchell & Son’s Spot whiskeys. The Mitchell family used to buy spirit distilled in the nearby Bow Street distillery (Jameson), and they matured the spirit in wine barrels at their own warehouse. To identify those barrels, they like to use paint spots. Depending on the color of the spot, they would wait more or less time to bottle the content. And so, 4 whiskies were born: Green Spot, Yellow Spot, Red Spot and Blue Spot.

Until recently, we could only enjoy Green and Yellow Spot, but Red Spot just came back in a grand style. And to do so, the Mitchell family has worked closely with the craftsman at Irish Distillers.

It was the beginning of the 2000s, when Mitchell & Sons imported Sicilian marsala wine barrels. In 2004, those barrels were filled with a single pot still that had been matured for five years in bourbon barrels. This specially aged whiskey was then blended with whiskey matured in bourbon and Oloroso Sherry butts.

And now, Red Spot is back. An Irish Single Pot Still 15 year old whiskey that has been bottled at 46% volume, without chill filtration.

The Whiskey
On the glass, Red Spot is golden. The nose is quite complex. It starts with soft spiced aromas, followed by a vanilla and caramel fragrance. There are also some dried fruits that blend with baked apple notes. The spiced notes are persistent, highlighting cinnamon, nutmeg and white pepper notes.

On the palate, Red Spot is a silky whiskey that slowly develops its complexity. It starts with some caramel and creme brulée notes, but the wine influence slowly kicks in. You can taste it on its fruitier side. There are some dry notes of raisins, sultanas and dry peach, accompanied by a touch of frosty orange and baked apple.

Slowly, some spicy noted come to the front. Cinnamon, nutmeg, white pepper, clove… Towards the end, a little touch of cereal and toasted almond, with a marzipan nuance.

The end is lengthy and spicy. Little by little, the sweet fruitier notes give way to a dry oak touch.

If you were to taste all the current Spot whiskies, you would find something different in each of them. Green Spot is mellow, while Yellow Spot is more fruity and tropical. Red Spot is a smooth and warm whisky, perfect for a cold night. It is also quite balanced, so you can taste the winey side without hiding the other nuances. Based on this recreation, it is not hard to understand why Red Spot was a cult whiskey.

The price
Red Spot is officially available in Ireland, USA, United Kingdom, France and Travel Retail. It is retailed at €115.