Midleton Very Rare launches 2025 edition
Irish Distillers-owned Midleton Very Rare has unveiled its annual vintage, which this year commemorates the distillery’s bicentenary.
Midleton Very Rare is a blend of Irish single pot still and single grain whiskies made in County Cork.
Described as a ‘testament to both tradition and innovation’, the 2025 vintage pays homage to Midleton’s 200-year legacy. The Old Midleton Distillery operated from 1825 to 1975, when production moved to the new distillery on the same site.
Master distiller Kevin O’Gorman and his team crafted the 2025 release, selecting liquid from the distillery’s historic A2 warehouse, which was built in the 1860s.
For the first time in the collection’s history, the team identified six distinct distillate styles for the vintage.
The 2025 vintage includes three grain whiskeys: Midleton’s signature grain whiskey; a 22-year-old grain whiskey made with barley and malted barley; and a 21-year-old grain whiskey. The two age-statement whiskeys were matured in refill ex-American whiskey oak barrels.
The new release also features pot still whiskey aged in first-fill barrels.
The whiskey displays aromas of caramelised apple, toffee fudge, vanilla, herbal and floral notes of garden mint and lavender, cinnamon, and nutmeg. The palate offers additional notes of honeycomb, white pepper with a hint of chilli oil, citrus, orchard fruits, and sugar-glazed fruits.
O’Gorman said: “As we celebrate 200 years of whiskey-making excellence at Midleton Distillery, it is a true honour to craft a vintage that commemorates this remarkable legacy. Midleton Very Rare 2025 is a whiskey of depth and balance, meticulously composed from six distinct distillate styles, each representing generations of mastery, innovation, and dedication that have become synonymous with Midleton Very Rare.
“This milestone release not only pays tribute to the past but also looks to the future. As we honour this historic occasion, my team and I remain committed to laying down more extraordinary whiskeys that will continue to shape and inspire the Midleton Very Rare legacy for the next 200 years and beyond.”
The 2025 vintage, featuring a commemorative stamp marking the distillery’s 200th anniversary, is offered at 40% ABV.
With an RRP of £220 (US$350/€240), the release is now available in select markets in Ireland, the US, Northern Ireland, Great Britain, Australia, global travel retail, and directly from the producer. Additional markets will follow later this year.
Last week, Irish Distillers unveiled a 50-year-old whiskey as the sixth and final chapter of the Midleton Very Rare Silent Distillery Collection.
In March, the Pernod Ricard subsidiary announced a temporary production halt at the Midleton Distillery from April until summer.
In 2022, Irish Distillers announced plans to open a second Midleton distillery connected to the current Midleton facility.
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