Midleton Very Rare Barry Crockett Legacy Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey (700ml)

“This is mastery of American oak! ” – whiskyadvocate.com

If you’re seriously into Irish, this should be near the top of your list of five whiskeys to try before you die. It’s essentially the pot still component of the Midleton Very Rare blend. First released in 2011, second generation Master Distiller Barry Crockett did the initial cask selections which were 15 to 25 years old, generally first fill bourbon plus a smaller portion of virgin oak. Going by the reviews, we’d expect that formula has been more-or-less retained in this beautifully presented tribute to Crockett. A limited release of around 2,500 bottles per year, since its inception, this has consistently received some of the highest praise in the Irish category. Supply is always erratic. Don’t miss it this time around. Bottled without chill filtration.

Other reviews… Though of the many samples of Pot Still I looked at with Barry Walsh, I don’t remember any coming from bourbon that had this degree of fruitiness. Murray method style of tasting essential here to maximise sweetness, as the sugars are key to this easily underrated Irish. 96.5 points – Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2022

…This is mastery of American oak! Polished wood, cinnamon cereals, dry spices of pepper, allspice, and paprika, and a riot of mostly overripe fruit: custard apple, mango, brown banana, baked apricot dessert, and fresh fig. Caramel, date slices, treacle, and cracker bread flavors are bathed in feisty pot still spices and fleeting green apple, before a lush, rich sweetness of banoffee pie, vanilla, and cinnamon descends. The finish is seemingly eternal. 95 points

Reviewed by:Jonny McCormick 2018 – whiskyadvocate.com