A review of Mitchell and Sons first foray into the limited edition cask finish series, with the red wine finished Green spot single pot still whiskey.

Recently I brought you a piece on the release of the new Green Spot to hit our shelves this year. Many had anticipated a Red or Blue spot release with the huge popularity of the brand but nobody expected a red wine finished Green Spot! Now after an early tasting series with IDL at the Aviators Whiskey Society’s monthly meeting I can bring you all the details of this hugely awaited release!

When Mitchell and Sons began they were wine merchants initially, it was several generations before they began purchasing whiskey for their bonded warehouses. In this time as wine merchants their suppliers were supposedly the Barton family from Bordeaux. Thomas Barton, originally from Fermanagh, left Ireland and bought a winery in 1722. The family have continued on the land and producing wine ever since. It was this family that supplied Mitchell and Sons with wine and when IDL approached Mitchell and sons to produce another whiskey from their famous line it was an instant decision that the Barton family would be the one’s they worked alongside.

The whiskey is matured in the Green Spot style ex-bourbon and ex-oloroso sherry casks and then finished in Barton wine casks for between 12 and 24 months. The original Green Spot is one of the few 40% ABV whiskeys from the IDL range or any other range in Ireland that is non-chill filtered and without any added colourings. This holds the same characteristics but at an impressive 46% ABV.

For the tasting it was impressed upon us that this whiskey is not one to ad water to. Usually you would be told to enjoy your whiskey in whatever way you see fit but in this case the water actually seems to completely separate the oils in the whiskey giving it the beautiful flavours, instead of opening the bouquet.

Colour: Rose Gold, almost coppery.

Nose: Woodland notes (characteristic from the French oak casks), fruity sweetness (strong presence of raspberries and strawberries), lovely vanilla sweetness complementing the fruit.

Palate: magnificently balanced whiskey, spiciness from the wood, sweet berries, vanilla and a hint of barley.

Finish: lasts forever, big influence again from the French oak casks, spiciness and sweetness remain.

Score: 93/100

RRP: €69.99

This one is going to be one of my favourites in the “bang for your buck” category. Sitting literally smack bang in the middle of the Green/Yellow Spot price range, its affordable. Sitting right at the top of the flavour profiles of either Green/Yellow Spot its 100% worth it. This is a whiskey that I am going to buy one for now and one for later.

The entire production run was only 4,000 bottles. It is being distributed to 5 markets, Ireland, US, UK, Germany and of course France. Ireland will receive 1,500 bottles from that 4,000 in total. 500 will reside in the airport duty free. With the remaining 1,000 bottles in the general population in Ireland I foresee this being snapped up really fast so don’t wait around on this one!

TL;DR: Get this one, its not going to wait around!

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