Third release in Ireland’s oldest and rarest whiskey collection reaffirms Irish whiskey’s position in the world of ultra-rare luxury spirits

April 2022 – Midleton Very Rare has unveiled the Third Chapter in the Silent Distillery collection, Ireland’s oldest and rarest whiskey collection.

Midleton Very Rare, renowned as the Pinnacle of Irish Whiskey, is produced in Midleton Distillery, Co. Cork, Ireland and the Silent Distillery Collection includes six releases. Beginning in 2020 the distillery began to release one chapter annually over 6 years which will culminate in 2025, the 200th anniversary of the foundation of the legendary Old Midleton Distillery which operated from 1825-1975. This collection, ranging in age from 45 to 50 years old, represents the very last drops of this inimitable spirit before the distillery went silent forever.

Chapter Three is an exceptional 47-year-old whiskey born from the marriage of two separate whiskeys matured in an ex-sherry butt and an ex-bourbon barrel. The two whiskeys date back to 1973 and were blended before bottling to give the whiskey an extraordinary flavour. The release of Chapter Three, which marks the halfway point of the collection, pays homage to history and craftsmanship, a journey of age and time inspired by the element of fire, as the pot still worked its magic through the fires which burned beneath it.

The inspiration behind the element of fire, goes back to 1854 when the largest pot still in the world was assembled and installed by local craftsmen at the Old Midleton Distillery and managed by the skilled hands of ‘fire men’ whose job it was to control the temperature of the stills which could heat more than 30,000 gallons of liquid in a single day. The roar of the fires has been silenced but the still remains in the grounds of the old distillery. It is this trailblazing story which serves as an inspiration for the third release from Midleton Very Rare Silent Distillery.

With just 97 bottles of this extraordinarily rare Irish whiskey produced, Midleton Very Rare Silent Distillery Collection Chapter Three is incomparable in terms of age and history and presents as a true connoisseur’s dream. Created and matured under the guardianship of four celebrated Master Distillers, the whiskey has been enhanced through each changing of hands, with each Master taking great care to protect the legacy of the precious liquid.

Kevin O’Gorman is only the fourth person in 75 years to hold the title of Master Distiller at Midleton Distillery. Kevin follows in the footsteps of previous Master Distillers including Max Crockett, the forefather of modern Irish whiskey; his son Barry, the creator of Midleton Very Rare and Brian Nation. Commenting on the unique history and complexity of Midleton Very Rare Silent Distillery Collection Chapter Three, O’Gorman explains: