Midleton Distillery/Irish Distillers have just announced the launch of the fifth chapter of their Dair Ghaelach collection, Dair Ghaelach Kilranelagh Wood. The team behind Midleton Very Rare, state that they “take immense pride in our position as the pinnacle of Irish whiskey and marrying this with the pinnacle of Irish strength and nature, the Irish oak, is always an exciting and special project for us. This year, we have worked with the family who have owned and cared for Kilranelagh Estate for many years has allowed us to commence a remarkably interesting project on an Irish Oak seed orchard, furthering our work on oak sustainability. “
According to Master Distiller, Kevin O’ Gorman, “In the Dair Ghaelach series, we’re always looking to discover the finest Irish oak amidst Ireland’s natural beauty, and the Kilranelagh Estate stands as a testament to this quest. With the initial aging in American oak bourbon barrels already allowing the single pot still to develop a wonderfully complex flavour, it was crucial that we carefully managed the final maturation to ensure the flavours imparted by the Kilranelagh Irish oak worked in harmony with those already present to elevate the expression. The whiskey has been bottled at its cask strengths, ranging from 56.8% to 57.5% ABV, allowing the unique influence from each tree to reach its pinnacle.”
According to Irish Distillers, the resulting whiskey is an elegant drop, with each sip embodying the rich and spicy character of single pot still Irish whiskey, harmoniously fused with the refreshing essence of Ireland’s native oak from the Kilranelagh Estate.
The land of Kilranelagh Estate is now not only the namesake of the fifth chapter of the Midleton Very Rare Dair Ghaelach collection, but home to Irish Distillers’ Oak Seed Orchard Project—an investment in the future of Irish coopering oak, which will curate the next generation of Irish oak forests. While the current Irish Distillers team will not reap the benefits of the oak in its full form in their lifetime, this project in partnership with the Forest Genetic Research Trust, will allow them to sustainably replenish Irish oak across the country so they can bring our land back to its former beauty. According to Kevin O’Gorman “This project is in its initial phases, and the team and I cannot wait to share more as it develops, but for now, we are excited to share an example of the great Irish oak grown on this land with our Midleton Very Rare Dair Ghaelach Kilranelagh Wood release.
“With every release of our Midleton Very Rare Dair Ghaelach collection, I am so honoured to share a story of legacy, luxury and craftsmanship—a story which extends beyond our team in Midleton Very Rare and through different pockets of the country thanks to the families and landowners who care for the Irish oak for generations and investigate the best ways to sustainably fell their Irish oak when the time comes and to replenish them, so the next generation can enjoy their beauty for centuries to come.”
The Official Irish Distillers’ Tasting Notes:
Nose
Forest notes of fresh pine accompanied by floral honey and ground pepper at first, while sweet and tropical fruits can be detected amongst the herbal green tea and freshly mown hay. The use of the native Irish oak lends itself to creating distinctive aromas of smoked almonds with sweet vanilla and cinnamon that are complimented by the pot still savoury spices.
Palate
Robust and lively at first with notes of dried chilli flakes and red bell peppers which quickly soften, allowing notes of candied orange and crisp red apple to shine through. The oak continues to deliver sweet vanilla and cinnamon spice throughout, while the pot still spices add a hearty and full-bodied nature to this complex and intricate whiskey.
Finish
Wonderfully long finish which sees the pot still spices and oak linger, almost effortlessly, for an age.
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