Global Tippler – Irish Whiskey

I'm gonna throw you a curve ball and talk about an Irish whiskey that is very hard get. My goal with the Global Tippler was to present some interesting whiskeys whether availability was narrow or broad and in the case of this whiskey, it's pretty stinking narrow. My foray into Irish whiskey started out with a very good example discovered in Redbreast 12 year and I found it to be such an interesting whiskey, I only wanted more. The pot still character of many Irish whiskies makes it a very unique pour which really intrigued to me.

Mitchell and Son is a long standing establishment found in Dublin Ireland that got its start in 1805. Mitchell and Son began purchasing whiskey from Jameson around the 1920's that had been aged in Sherry casks for approximately 5 years, the whiskey was then vatted and aged for an additional five years before being sold as a 10 year bonded whiskey. Originally called Pat Whiskey because the label had a picture an Irish gentleman in a green jacket, the name was eventually changed to Green Spot, as it's sold today. Today's offering is a blend of 7 and 8 year old whiskey with 25% of the distillate aged in Sherry Casks. At 80 proof, it's a light drinker but still exhibits lots of flavor. Jim Murray described it as "unquestionably one of the world's great whiskies". Well, I can't say I've had all of the world's great whiskies but his point is well taken; Green Spot is an excellent example of a pure pot still Irish whiskey that deserves a spot on any top shelf.

Color: Light golden hue. Like the color very much

Nose: A mix of odors ranging from light sherry, honey, menthol and maybe pear

Entry: On entry, there's a burst of flavors that makes me believe the nose fibbed to me. The sherry makes its presence known right up front and then subsides to a honeyed, floral quality. Very slight drying around mid palate

Finish: The mid palate transitions to something reminiscent of Concord grape, turning mildly sour, but not in an unpleasant way. The sourness lingers and then diminishes leaving you with a small smile on your lips.

I shy away from giving whiskies numerical ratings so all I'll say is this particular whiskey is up there on my "gotta have" list. If you like Redbreast or pot still whiskies, the Green Spot will……well, hit the spot.

Name: Green Spot Irish Whiskey

Distillery: Jameson – Midleton

Availability: Very limited. About 500 cases per year and can found in Ireland, the UK and Canada. If there are other locations, let me know.

Price: Around $75 US (not including shipping)

Size: 700ml with TE screw cap

American writer Oliver Herford once said "The Irish gave the bagpipes to the Scotts as a joke, but the Scotts haven't seen the joke yet." Next stop, the land of bagpipes, mens skirts and lots of good Scottish whisky.