To celebrate 40 years of distilling mastery, Midleton Very Rare has just announced its 40th Anniversary Ruby Edition, retailing at €20,000 ($21,690).
This opulent release pays homage to the iconic Irish whiskey, crafted by the combined expertise of three esteemed Midleton Master Distillers: Brian Nation, Kevin O’Gorman, and Barry Crockett – the latter of whom was responsible for launching the luxury brand in 1984.
The limited-edition blend, aged over four decades and finished in a ruby port cask, is a rare symphony of flavors which capture the essence of each Master Distiller’s era and taste.
O’Gorman, reflecting on the creation, stated, “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.”
Opening with a rich burst of berry fruits, the Ruby Edition is incredibly complex. Seasoned oak imparts vanilla, cinnamon and honeycomb from nose to palate, with soft tannins and succulent, spiced fruits leading to a luxuriously long finish.
A true collector’s item, the whiskey is presented in a bespoke crystal decanter handcrafted by Waterford Crystal–known the world over as the pinnacle of luxury crystal.
But they haven’t stopped there. Irish Distillers has also partnered with Keanes Jewellers, nearby in Cork, to create an exclusive NFT bottle featuring hand-engraved 18-carat gold and thirty-two rubies.
The NFT, which goes live on BlockBar.com today, has a reserve price of $60,000 and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to The Forest Genetic Resources Trust, aligning with Midleton Very Rare’s commitment to environmental conservation.