Midleton Very Rare 2018

Reader Beware; whiskey review starts at paragraph two. The following is a golfing blueprint of southwestern Ireland for the benefit of my friend and whisky guru, who might someday make this trip. Where the odds of dying in a plane crash are 1 in 11 million, I can assure you they drop to 1 in 11 when driving the back roads of southern Ireland. A friend should keep these figures in mind when calculating his odds of venue survival. After spending 3 nights in Ennis and golfing 3 courses (Dromoland Castle, Lahinch, & Trump’s Doonbeg) we moved on to the lively village of Tralee, county town of County Kerry. From here we would cover another 5 links courses in 5 days (Ballybunnion’s Old Course & Cashen Course, Dooks GC, Dingle GC, and Tralee GC). The most impressive tracks from these groupings were the 2 courses of Ballybunnion with several others not far behind. The trip culminated with another move to the spirited town of Killarney. From this location we tackled the most picturesque leg of our journey with rounds at Waterville Golf Links on the Ring of Kerry and Old Head Golf Links of Kinsale. The course at Old Head was sculpted only 20 years ago on its cliffy headland that stretches 2 miles into the Atlantic, but it also hosts ruins dating back many centuries. A golfing nirvana, this was the highlight of the trip. Our tasting of Midleton Very Rare took place at the Pikeman Bar in Tralee‘s Grand Hotel. Unfortunately, this venerable setting wasn’t sufficient enough in raising the grade of this 2018 vintage. First released in 1984, this was the 35th iteration of a blend consisting of single pot still and single grain whiskies aged in ex-bourbon casks for 12 to 28 years. Each year the vintage can vary with 2019 an ex-bourbon aged from 13 to 34 years. A well-known critic has rated 32 of these releases with an average rating of only 84.6. Of this lot, he graded 8 in the lowly 70’s and only 6 in the lofty 90’s, with 95 being the highest grade. All of the offerings have been delivered at a consistent 40% ABV, and the critic’s meager reporting has done little to induce Midleton to up the ante. A pleasant and subtle nose brought hints of sweet vanilla, oak and spices, but lacked the ethanol punch capable of coining a description higher than “adequate.” Incredibly smooth on the palate, this was the whiskey’s signature attribute, but not uncommon amongst Irish blends and single pot stills. Drinkability is certainly a noble quality, but for 22 Euro a proper measure pour (35.5ml), we were expecting something more. On the palate, add pepper and citrus to the above formula and there you have it. An excellent whiskey; this one barely rings the bell at 4 stars.

A well-balanced Irish Whiskey blend, hand-selected annually by Master Distiller Brian Nation from a limited number of premium, lightly charred ex-Bourbon & Sherry casks aged between 12 and 25 years for the Midleton Distillery in Ireland; only 50 casks are produced. It presents an aromatic beginning with hints of spice, oak, peach, grain, poached pear, coffee bean, lemon, mint leaf & yellow plum; a rich & creamy palate adds notes of barley, caramel, banana fritters, charred oak, citrus oils & floral butterscotch; culminating in a long & complex finish with notes of dark honeyed cereals, cedar, green apple & pepper. April 2020 / September 2022

Whiskey Live Dublin 2018 This 2018 bottling is a fine tasting whiskey. I must state that. Someone is an attractive and talented woman. I must state that. However, when your companions include [person's name] (Redbreast 21), [person's name] (Dair Ghaelach), and especially [person's name] (Barry Crockett Legacy), you must be prepared for scrutiny in comparison.

Trying this spirit was worth the $160 cost. Each taste brought forth: vanilla, caramel. It struck me as more of a liquid sweet treat than a true whisky. Even though the conclusion was brief, I was eager to have another sip.

The finest spirit I have had. Silky, silky, silky. Vanilla flavors are right at the front from the beginning. The finish is flawless. I usually prefer a lower alcohol content, so the 80 proof suits me perfectly. I will certainly keep this stocked for as long as feasible.

Barley sweetness, hints of bourbon and sherry but mostly barley. I can detect the Irish character but it's so faint I think I'm imagining it. I need more experience with Irish to be sure.