Green Spot Review
In-Depth Review
Another product line in the Midleton portfolio, the Spot range is created in partnership with Mitchell & Sons – an Irish wine distributor that started giving the Jameson distillery empty wine casks in the late 1800s to age single pot still whiskey. Mitchell & Sons would then take these filled barrels and age them in their own cellars before they were sold through their small Dublin provisions shop. As the barrels were aging, Mitchell & Sons would stamp each barrel with various colors to mark the age of the whiskey inside. This practice would continue and eventually gave rise to Midleton’s Spot range (after their merger with Jameson) which consists of Green Spot, Yellow Spot, Red Spot, and the latest addition of Blue Spot – a cask strength version that was launched last year.
Green Spot represents the entry level offering in the Spot range, and is a 100% pure Irish pot still whiskey that features no age statement. Midleton uses a blend of used bourbon and sherry barrels to create Green Spot, with special expressions using Leoville Barton and Chateau Montelena red wine casks in the blend.
Age: NAS but assumed 7-10 years
ABV: 40%
Cask: Ex-Bourbon and ex-Sherry
MSRP: $50
Distillery Name: Midleton
Review Date: 4/12/21
Color: Bright Gold
Nose: Putting your nose up to the glass, you immediately you realize this is not just Midleton’s attempt at an older version of Jameson. This nose is complex, deep, rich, and full of intrigue. It starts with light straw and honey but quickly gets drowned out by big, juicy orchard fruits, strawberry taffy, watermelon, cherry, roasted nuts, tea, sherry and chocolate. It’s like stepping into your favorite childhood confectionary shop. I could nose this for hours and still find new things, but with every whiff my mouth begins watering – so onto the sipping!
Palate: Are we still sure this is only 80-proof? How can you pack so much deliciousness into this ABV? Lemon cake, crumbly cookie, summer melons, and peaches and cream. The ex-bourbon and sherry cask influence has led to some very explosive competing flavors. Some light cereal notes appear – but not in a bad way as they tend to cut through some of the sweet notes and create a more complex experience. Rich, deep and chewy, the mouthfeel is excellent for an 80-proof whiskey and punches significantly above its weight. As we move into the finish there is a flash of floral and spice with freshly cut green apples.
Finish: Short to medium finish with more herbs and wood spice than on the palate. The big robust fruit notes settle down in favor of the toasted oak and malt.
Final Thoughts: I am going to come right out and say it - Green Spot is fabulous. The nose is superb, and the palate is great. I would happily make it through half a bottle of this without getting bored. Green Spot is buttery, smooth and approachable, with its only blemish being that it doesn’t pack more of a punch. On the finish specifically, the lack of ABV does lead to a shorter than expected finish for a whiskey with so much going on. But overall, Green Spot is a fantastic mix of complex flavors and approachable body, leading me to believe that this is the best Irish whiskey under $50.
