Midleton Very Rare Releases Irish Whiskey Finished in Chestnut Casks

(Photo: Midleton)

Midleton Very Rare has unveiled a new Irish whiskey finished in casks made entirely from Irish sweet chestnut, marking what the brand describes as the world’s first whiskey finished in casks made from the wood.

Midleton Very Rare Irish Chestnut Edition is the first release in the brand’s new Rare Wood Collection. Just 800 case equivalents will be released globally beginning Thursday, with a suggested retail price of €440 ($490).

Bottled at natural cask strength of 56.1% ABV, the whiskey was made using a blend of Midleton Single Pot Still whiskeys that were initially matured in first-fill and refill bourbon barrels before spending another five years in bespoke Irish sweet chestnut casks.

The chestnut wood came from six trees harvested in 2017 at Cappoquin Estate in County Waterford. The estate has been home to the Keane family since 1735 and sits overlooking the Blackwater Valley.

The project took nearly a decade to complete, including seasoning the timber, turning it into casks in Spain and returning the finished casks to Ireland for maturation.

According to Midleton, the use of sweet chestnut presented a challenge because the wood is more porous than traditional oak. That increased interaction between the whiskey and the cask while also leading to greater maturation losses.

Midleton Master Distiller Kevin O’Gorman said the project was an effort to explore how a wood other than traditional oak could affect Irish whiskey.

“When we filled these casks, we couldn’t know exactly how Irish sweet chestnut would influence the whiskey, but what we discovered was something genuinely distinctive, a richness, texture and complexity unlike anything we’d experienced before,” O’Gorman said in a news release.

A Whiskey Made With Irish Wood

The Irish Chestnut Edition is part of Midleton Very Rare’s broader effort to explore the influence of wood on whiskey.

The project began with the selection of six sweet chestnut trees from the managed woodlands at Cappoquin Estate. After the trees were harvested, the timber underwent natural seasoning before being crafted into casks using traditional cooperage techniques in Spain.

The casks were then shipped back to Ireland, where Midleton filled them with a specially selected marriage of light, medium and heavy-style Single Pot Still whiskeys.

The whiskey remained in the chestnut casks for five years, giving the wood significant time to influence the spirit.

Midleton describes the resulting profile with notes of honey-drizzled red apple, caramelized orange peel, melted chocolate and toffee fudge, along with woodland spices and nutty flavors.

The release also gives Midleton Very Rare a new way to connect its whiskey to its place of origin. Rather than sourcing only the spirit from Ireland, the project incorporates Irish-grown wood from a single estate into the maturation process.

Sir Charles Keane of Cappoquin Estate said the project reflects the estate’s long-term approach to managing its woodlands.

“For generations, our family has cared for these woodlands with the responsibility of passing them on in good health to those who follow,” Keane said.