Irish Distillers launches €55,000 Midleton Distillery whiskey

Irish Distillers has released the oldest ever whiskey produced by the old Midleton Distillery as part of its Silent Distillery Collection, priced at €55,000 a bottle.

Midleton Very Rare Silent Distillery Collection Chapter Five is a single pot still whiskey which marks the fifth chapter of Irish Distillers’ Silent Distillery Collection.

The 49-year-old whiskey is Midleton’s oldest whiskey to date, and comes from the old Midleton Distillery, which was decommissioned after operating from 1825 to 1975.

Midleton Very Rare was created by Master Distiller Max Crockett, and is the penultimate launch in the Silent Distillery collection.

Crockett originally distilled the liquid in 1973 utilising the world’s largest pot still. The liquid has since been left to rest and has been under the guardianship of all three of the brand’s subsequent Master Distillers.

The whiskey has been aged in an American ex-bourbon barrel chosen by Kevin O’Gorman, where the liquid married for a final 6 months in cask number 52969.

Midleton Very Rare is being sold as a limited-edition release, priced at €55,000.

Bottled at 52.4% ABV, the whiskey is available in Ireland, Northern Ireland, USA, France, UK, Germany, The Netherlands, Czech Republic, Belgium, Austria, Australia, China, Hong Kong, Persian Gulf, Singapore, Global Travel Retail and Irish Distillers’ Brand Homes, at a RRP of €55,000 / US$55,000.

Irish Distillers has been owned by Pernod Ricard since 1988, and boasts a wine and spirits portfolio led by Irish whisky brand Jameson. Its brands are exported to 130+ markets around the world.

In January, the company announced it had sold Eight Degrees Brewing, based in Cork, back to its original founders. Read more on that story here.