Midleton Very Rare launches 2025 Vintage

Midleton Very Rare, the pinnacle of Irish Whiskey, have proudly unveiled Midleton Very Rare 2025, an extraordinary blend of the finest single pot still and single grain Irish whiskeys, spanning four decades. This year’s vintage is a testament to both tradition and innovation, expertly crafted to pay homage to Midleton Distillery’s 200th anniversary.

Drawing on his extensive expertise in distillation and maturation, Master Distiller Kevin O’Gorman led an exceptional team in creating Midleton Very Rare 2025. Their journey began with the careful selection of rare single pot still and single grain whiskeys from Midleton’s prestigious A2 Warehouse, an historic stone warehouse dating back to the 1860's, where the best performing whiskeys are set aside to mature.

In their pursuit of perfection, and for the first time in the collection’s history, the team identified six exquisite distillate styles, each representing generations of artisans who have shaped the Midleton Very Rare legacy.

Masterfully blended, these distillates unite to create a whiskey of remarkable depth and complexity. This milestone release stands as testament to Midleton Very Rare unwavering craftsmanship, visionary spirit and commitment to pushing the boundaries of Irish whiskey excellence, an ethos that has stood at the core of the distillery since its very inception. Midleton Distillery was founded in 1825

Unique to the 2025 vintage, O’Gorman hand selected three styles of grain whiskey for inclusion. Alongside Midleton’s signature grain whiskey, he included a 22-Year-Old select batch special grain whiskey, crafted from a mash bill of barley and malted barley, which was blended with an equally rare 21 Year-Old grain whiskey. Both matured in refill ex- American whiskey oak barrels, allowing the luscious sweetness and rich butterscotch notes of the distillate to shine through.

Midleton Very Rare 2025 also features an increased pot still contribution, adding an intricate layer of complexity with deep spice and stone fruit notes, beautifully complementing the notes of sweet toffee, butterscotch, gentle floral and cut grass nuances of the grain whiskey. After meticulous blending, the team created three initial prototypes. Following a series of delicate refinements, enhancing the contribution of pot still whiskey aged in first fill barrels brought the final expression into perfect harmony. The result is an exquisitely complex whiskey with a well-balanced finish, one that stays true to the Midleton Very Rare profile while introducing a subtle yet defining twist for this year’s vintage.

Celebrating the launch of Midleton Very Rare 2025, Kevin 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.”

Housed in a beautifully crafted, fully recyclable gift box, the Midleton Very Rare 2025 bottle is adorned with elegant details, including an illustration of Midleton Distillery, its iconic pot stills, and a commemorative stamp marking the distillery’s historic 200th anniversary.

MVR 2025 Vintage tasting notes

Nose: Opens with sweet waves of caramelised apple, toffee fudge and vanilla notes, while the subtle herbal and floral notes of freshly picked garden mint and lavender slowly build over time, complementing the woodland spices of cinnamon and nutmeg thanks to the rich influence of the American oak. The pot still spices, and sweet grain character of this intricate whiskey come together, creating structure and complexity while complementing the notes of fruits and oak.

Taste: Textured flavours of sweet honeycomb with soft fruits and delicate herbal undertones. Notes of white pepper with a mild hint of chilli oil work in tandem with the nuanced taste of citrus and orchard fruits while the sweet nature of this intriguing whiskey continues to build with decadent flavours of treacle, toffee, vanilla, and sugar glazed fruits.

Finish: Rich and lasting. The fruits begin to softly fade, leaving the oak and pot still spices with the final word.

Midleton Very Rare 2025 was bottled at 40% ABV and will be available from 15th April, initially in Ireland, the USA, Northern Ireland, Great Britain, Australia, Irish and global travel retail and Irish Distillers’ brand homes at the RRP of €240, $350, £220, and in additional markets later in 2025.

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