Review: Midleton Very Rare Silent Distillery Collection Chapter Six 50 Years Old
Today, we’re reviewing the oldest Irish whiskey ever sold to the public: a 50 year single pot still, containing the last drops of liquid from the Old Midleton Distillery.
Before we dive into tasting notes, this one warrants more than a bit of backstory. This release — Midleton Very Rare Silent Distillery Collection Chapter Six — is the final in a series of rare Irish whiskeys that commemorate Old Midleton, which operated between 1825 and 1975 before the current Midleton Distillery came online. Launched in 2020, Silent Distillery collection has featured a range of Irish whiskeys, including single malt, single pot still, and a pot still/grain blend. At 46, 47, 48, and 49 years old, several have previously held the title of oldest Irish whiskey brought to market. All were composed entirely of whiskey distilled at Old Midleton.
Chapter Six is the final bottle in the series. Produced in 1973 in the world’s largest pot still, it’s a single pot still whiskey that spent the majority of its life in four ex-bourbon barrels. The whiskey was then married and transferred to a final, specially constructed cask assembled with staves from the five previous Silent Distillery releases. Construction of that cask was overseen by fifth generation cooper Ger Buckley, Midleton Distillery’s current Master Cooper.
After a marrying period, Silent Distillery Collection Chapter Six was bottled at 53% ABV. According to current Master Distiller Kevin O’Gorman, around 225 bottles were released, each with a cool suggested retail price of $60,000. The release commemorates both the 50th anniversary of New Midleton and the 200th anniversary of distilling at the site.
Let’s see how it tastes.
Midleton Very Rare Silent Distillery Collection Chapter Six 50 Years Old Review
After a half century in cask, the nose is surprisingly — perhaps shockingly — vibrant, with bright orchard fruit (apple and apricot), blackcurrant, and green grape. The fruit medley is followed by a wave of toasted nuts, specifically pecan, alongside lighter elements of allspice, cardamom, licorice root, sawgrass, and cut fennel. That light herbal component sticks around, while deeper inhales reveal toffee/fudge sweetness and tiny flecks of varnish. Fruit eventually harmonizes with building sweetness and tea-forward tannins into something that, to my nose, resembles a leathery cherry cola.
A first sip brings an almost stop-in-your-tracks combo of spice and creamy tropical fruits. Passionfruit is especially pronounced, while lesser elements of red berry and dark chocolate take the midpalate in a slightly dryer direction. Flavors evolve even further with pecan extract, graham cracker, herbal tea, cinnamon-sprinkled baked pineapple, and more passionfruit custard. A little more spice on the back palate complements those continuing threads of tropical fruit. Throughout each sip, Chapter Six features some typical pot still creaminess, though at 53% ABV, it’s neither sticky nor cloying — further contributing to an unexpectedly light overall character.
More soft, creamy tropical fruit leads into a long finish, which boasts a remarkable balance between sweet and tart. Warming ethanol gives a bit of heat in the throat, while cherry cream soda, grapefruit rind, raspberry compote, and black tea tannins pair with oak sugars and buttery pastry crumble.
This is an easy one to sum up: It’s exquisite stuff.
106 proof.
A+ / $60,000
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