Midleton Very Rare celebrates four decades of Irish whiskey making with its exclusive Ruby Edition

In 2024, Midleton Very Rare celebrates four decades of exceptional whiskey-making. The elite Irish brand (whose Midleton Very Rare Forêt de Tronçais we explored last year) has marked the occasion with the launch of Midleton Very Rare 40th Anniversary Ruby Edition. This very special spirit has been inspired and crafted by all three of the revered Midleton master distillers – Barry Crockett, Brian Nation and Kevin O’Gorman – and combines liquids originally laid down by each of them.

The story began in 1984, when Barry Crockett set forth on a mission to create the most outstanding Irish whiskey ever made. Drawing on Midleton’s rich heritage, combined with increasingly advanced techniques and the expertise of the distillery’s craftspeople, he presented the very first Midleton Very Rare release. His passionate pursuit of excellence yielded magnificent results; Midleton Very Rare has been a resounding success worldwide and stands at the peak of luxury Irish whiskey. As Crockett puts it: ‘the exacting professionalism behind the brand has paid off’.

Midleton Very Rare 40th Anniversary Ruby Edition

Forty years after Crockett’s bold initiative, three superb casks (individually filled by each master in their respective eras) were carefully selected to create the Ruby Edition – an exquisite blend of single pot still and single grain Irish whiskeys with an age range spanning four decades. O’Gorman gave the whiskey its final and defining touch by finishing the blend in a ruby port cask for nine months, resulting in a particularly rare nose, taste and finish.

The Ruby Edition maintains the elegance and finesse of the classic Midleton Very Rare profile, with its floral undertones, notes of orchard fruits and citrus and a hint of sweet vanilla, and O’Gorman’s inspired use of a ruby port cask has added a unique new layer to the signature style, with rich bursts of blackcurrant, raspberry and plum.

O’Gorman says: ‘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. 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 by Waterford Crystal featuring a four-point crystal that represents the four decades of Midleton Very Rare. It is encased in a luxurious, hand-crafted, ruby red leather and wood cabinet befitting a rare and precious item. Indeed, Midleton has gone even further in honouring the anniversary with the creation of a ‘one of one’ (ie, only one exists) NFT bottle adorned with rubies. The brand collaborated with Keanes Jewellers in Cork, to craft a spectacular decanter that features hand-engraved 18ct solid gold on both the neck and the stopper, and 32 rubies encrusted within the neck collar. Patrick Keane, third generation of the Keane family, commented: ‘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 honour to be involved in such a momentous and historic moment for the brand.’

Midleton Very Rare 40th Anniversary Ruby Edition is bottled at 53.1% ABV with a RRP of €20,000.midletonveryrare.com