Recently I got a very kind invitation to attend the launch of a new Midleton Very Rare Singel Cask for Searsons on Baggot Street tonight in Dublin. Alas I cannot go due to work commitments but I have the press release and info to share! Selected from the Cask Circle in Midleton it becomes one of the oldest Single Cask MVR’s to hit the market in recent years. Some of the nerdy details that we love include being placed into bond on the 4th of July 1990 in Cask 46121, which then lay asleep in Warehouse MA2 Bay 030 for 28 years until this year when it was awoken and bottled at 50.6%. There are 168 bottles and there maybe a possibility that up 120 will be released for general purchase. Searsons have indicated that the eye watering price may increase depending on demand.
The guest list for tonight is wide and varied but my pall Whiskey Talk is there so if you want some live photos and commentary, check out his Twitter here!
I hope to update everyone with some of my own tasting notes ASAP but until then, have a read below!
Press Release March 2019
CHARLIE CHAWKE AND SEARSONS WELCOMES A SINGLE CASK OF MIDLETON VERY RARE
One of Ireland’s most prominent publicans and owner of nine of Dublin’s finest pubs, Charlie Chawke, has recently purchased a Single Cask of Midleton Very Rare. Hand selected especially for Charlie Chawke by Irish Distillers in Midleton Distillery, this exclusive Single Cask is only available in Searsons on Baggot Street, Dublin 4, and online in the coming weeks.
An historic Dublin pub forever known as a meeting point for business networking and match days, Searsons has a dedicated whiskey bar boasting an extensive range, including an impressive collection of Midleton Very Rare. Charlie Chawke has been an avid collector of Midleton Very Rare and his collection, which takes pride of place in Searsons on Baggot Street, includes every vintage since 1984. The most significant addition to his collection is this specially selected Single Cask; a 28 year old whiskey matured in a first fill bourbon barrel, which was distilled in 1990 in the Midleton Distillery in Co. Cork.
A native of Adare in Limerick, Charlie Chawke has been a publican for over 50 years, and now owns Searsons, The Dropping Well, The Goat Grill and The Bank on Dawson Street, amongst others, which are run and managed by Charlie and his five children. Searsons pays full homage to Midleton Irish Whiskey with this newest Single Cask, as it unveiled three Pot Stills, named after Charlie’s daughters, Lisa, Ali and Jenny, at the launch.
Just two Master Distillers have had the privilege of preserving the legacy of the world’s most sought-after Irish Whiskey. Created in 1984 by Master Distiller, Emeritus Barry Crockett, Midleton Very Rare is the ultimate expression of his art and expertise. Once a year, Master Distiller, Brian Nation, honours Barry’s vision by handpicking the finest and rarest whiskeys available and carefully blends them to create each annual vintage of Midleton Very Rare. Only a select number of casks are deemed of sufficient excellence and rarity to bear the Midleton Very Rare name, making this the pinnacle of Irish whiskey.
Hand selected especially for Charlie Chawke by Midleton Distillery, this exclusive Single Cask will be available in Searsons on Baggot Street, Dublin 4, and available online in the coming weeks, priced at €4,000.
Tasting Notes by Master Distiller, Brian Nation
Nose: rich toasted wood with a bold nutty character at the forefront, while delicate hints of citrus zest develop overtime, giving balance to the mild pot still spices that remain constant in the background.
Taste: rich in fruit notes with sweet pears developing into more exotic fruits of peach, apricot and mango. Delicate sweet vanilla works in tandem with the pot still spices and subtle tannins adding a sense of balance and structure.
Finish: rich and lingering with the fruit constantly building overtime while the pot still spices fade, letting the toasted oak linger until the very end.
That's Dram Good 