Midleton Very Rare launches 2026 edition
Irish Distillers has unveiled the Midleton Very Rare 2026 Vintage release, which blends the distillery’s finest single pot still and single grain Irish whiskeys.
The release marks the 43rd whiskey in the series and the sixth from Kevin O’Gorman since he took up the master distiller role at Midleton Distillery in June 2020.
The annual releases are produced from casks in the distillery’s warehouses that date to the 1860s. Each master distiller sets aside small amounts of ‘exceptionally performing’ whiskeys, intended to showcase the very best of Midleton.
For the 2026 edition, O’Gorman and team chose three single pot still and two single grain whiskeys.
One element is a single grain whiskey with a barley and malted barley mash bill that featured in last year’s Vintage release. The style is said to provide an enhanced butterscotch and toffee aroma.
There’s been a ‘subtle increase’ in Midleton’s signature grain whiskey from last year’s edition, bringing floral notes like rose petal and geranium to the profile. Older grain whiskeys matured in ex-Bourbon barrels have been included for layers of crème brûlée and milk chocolate.
Additionally, ‘very careful’ adjustments have been made to the single pot still elements, with O’Gorman increasing the amount of lighter pot still whiskeys for delicate notes of citrus, lemon zest and orange peel.
The increase in the traditional pot still style is described as adding a ‘luscious sweetness and rich mouthfeel’ to the final liquid.
O’Gorman said: “Each year, we hope to share a Midleton Very Rare Vintage that heroes the years of craftsmanship gone before while creating something rare, new and enticing for people to discover.
“As the sixth Vintage Release under my guardianship, I wanted to explore the bounds of what is possible from our array of exceptional liquids, while remaining true to the unique style for which Midleton Very Rare has become known.
“The final liquid offers a great depth of complexity, showcasing both the elegant, floral and herbal notes of grain whiskeys with the spicier, stone fruit notes from our single pot still whiskeys for a unique blend that is layered, elegant and distinctly Midleton.”
Midleton Very Rare 2026 is housed in a recyclable secondary box made entirely from paper. It is bottled at 40% ABV and priced at €240 (US$240/£220).
It is now available in Ireland, Northern Ireland, Great Britain, Australia, global travel retail and Irish Distillers’ brand homes.
A wider rollout will follow in additional European and US markets from April.
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