Have you ever had a caviar stuffed baked potato? Me either. That is until we recently joined Midleton Very Rare to celebrate its 40th Anniversary at New York’s The Nines.
Irish Distillers, makers of Midleton Very Rare, just launched its 40th Anniversary Ruby Edition with an luxurious event in New York. A blend of single pot still and single grain Irish whiskeys, with an age range spanning four decades and finished in a ruby port cask, it one of the rarest liquids from the Midleton store house.
This launch has been created to combine liquids originally laid down by each of the revered Midleton Master Distillers, Barry Crockett, Brian Nation and Kevin O’Gorman (who was on hand to taste selected media through the liquid). These whiskeys were finally married together and then left to finish in a ruby port cask to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Midleton Very Rare, a milestone often associated with rubies.
In 1984, Crockett set out to craft the most outstanding Irish whiskey ever made with a passion fueled by the rich distilling history of Midleton. Blending together the finest raw ingredients, the most advanced techniques and a dedicated team of craftspeople, he unveiled the very first Midleton Very Rare release. Forty years later, a selection of three exceptional casks from each of the Master Distillers covering the era of Midleton Very Rare were chosen to create the Midleton Very Rare 40th Anniversary Ruby Edition.
Each of these ultra-rare casks, individually filled by each Master Distiller in their respective eras, contained a unique blend of the finest pot still and grain distillates dating back to the early 1980s. Bringing each unique liquid together to create an extraordinary blend, O’Gorman gave the whiskey its final and defining touch by finishing the blend in a ruby port cask for nine months. While maintaining the elegance of the Midleton Very Rare profile, O’Gorman’s twist with the use of a ruby port cask adds a new layer to the style, with bursts of blackcurrant, raspberry and plum.
“As we celebrate four decades since the inaugural launch of Midleton Very Rare, we are excited to create yet another milestone in Midleton Distillery’s extraordinary history with the launch of Midleton Very Rare 40th Anniversary Ruby Edition,” said Midleton Very Rare Master Distiller Kevin O’Gorman. “This exquisite release brings influence from all three Master Distillers and not only helps us to preserve the knowledge of Midleton Distillery’s past Masters but builds on it by evolving the art of distillation and maturation with the addition of the ruby port cask. It has been a privilege to play a part in the creation of this pinnacle of Irish Whiskey and I look forward to continuing to evolve the Midleton Very Rare brand.”
The whiskey is presented in a bespoke crystal decanter that has been hand crafted by Waterford Crystal. The bottle was designed and created at their world-famous factory in Ireland, featuring a four-point crystal to represent the four decades of Midleton Very Rare and is a true masterpiece of craftsmanship. The bottle is then packaged in a ruby case, all encased in an FSC-certified wooden cabinet, making it the perfect piece of memorabilia.
To mark this historic event, Irish Distillers has partnered with the renowned Keanes Jewellers in Cork, to create just one special NFT bottle (see above). Established in 1948, Keanes has become synonymous with Cork and fine jewelers in Ireland. This bottle features hand engraved 18-carat solid gold on both the neck and stopper and thirty-two rubies encrusted within the neck collar. The 32 rubies are unique in that they are identical in both quality and style. This bottle includes an official certificate of authenticity from Keanes Jewellers.
“Rubies signify a 40th anniversary and are considered the gem of passion, something that feels so apt with the passion that shines through from the Master Distillers and all those involved in the creation of Midleton Very Rare,” said Keanes Jewellers Patrick Keane. “As a business local to the distillery, we were ecstatic to be asked to collaborate with Irish Distillers and took huge care to create something worthy of the Midleton Very Rare Ruby Anniversary Edition. It has been an honor to be involved in such a momentous and historic moment for the brand.”
The NFT bottle went live for auction on BlockBar.com on February 28 at with a reserve price of $60,000. The auction ends tomorrow (March 7) 10am E. As part of the sale, a donation will be made to The Forest Genetic Resources Trust, which supports the conservation, improvement, and use of native and naturalized tree species in Irish forestry.
Midleton Very Rare 40th Anniversary Ruby Edition is bottled at 106 proof and is available now for $21,000.
