Green Spot Château Léoville Barton Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey 750ml

ThomasBarton left Ireland in the 18thcentury, one of the "Wine Geese" — theemigrants who departed Ireland acrossthe 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries andfound their way into the world ofwinemaking abroad. In 1725, he foundeda wine merchant company that eventuallybecame Château Léoville Barton, one ofBordeaux's most respectedgrand cru classé estates, still ownedand overseen today by his directdescendants, Anthony and Lilian Barton.Three centuries later, Mitchell & Son —the Dublin wine merchant founded in theearly 1800s, the very company behindthe original Green Spot — looked atthat history and saw an opportunity toofitting to pass up: an Irish whiskeyfinished in the casks of a Bordeauxchâteau built by an Irishman.

Theresult, Green Spot Château LéovilleBarton, is the world's first single potstill Irish whiskey finished in genuineBordeaux wine casks. The whiskey beginsits life exactly as standard Green Spotdoes — matured in a combination ofex-bourbon and ex-Oloroso sherry casksfor seven to ten years, built onMidleton's classic single pot stillmashbill of malted and unmalted barley,a style whose origins trace back to an18th-century tax on malted grain thatIrish distillers cleverly circumventedby blending in unmalted barley instead.But then, rather than bottling as-is,the whiskey is transferred into actualex-Château Léoville Barton wine casks —the very French oak barriques in whichthe estate's own celebrated Bordeauxaged — for an additional twelve totwenty-four months.

The distillery'sown tasting note captures thetransformation precisely: "thecontribution of the French oak drivesthe initial aroma, adding some crispwoodland notes to the spicy Single PotStill character. The wine seasoningbrings a delicate touch of floralperfume and a hint of ripe berries suchas raspberries and strawberries, theseare in addition to the orchard fruitstypical of Green Spot." Selfbuilt'sWhisky Analysis meta-critic databaseplaces it at 8.82 out of 10 acrossseven reviews — ahead of the standardGreen Spot itself, and among the morehighly regarded winey cask finishes inthe entire Irish whiskey category.Bottled at 46% ABV — six points abovethe standard release — non-chillfiltered and uncoloured. Two families.Two centuries of Irish enterpriseabroad and at home. One whiskey thatcould only exist because of both.

Origins & Craftsmanship

Mitchell & Son was established in Dublin in theearly 1800s, originally as a bakery,before diversifying first into a coffee shoppopular with Dublin's establishment andlater into wine merchandising — thebusiness that remains family-run andindependent to this day. As winemerchants, Mitchell & Son imported awide range of European wines —Burgundy, Bordeaux, Sherry, Port, andMalaga — all transported in oak casks.Faced with the question of what to dowith empty barrels once their contentshad been consumed, the firm recognizedtheir potential for whiskey maturation,and in 1887 took empty casks toJameson's Bow Street Distillery inDublin to be filled with new-makespirit. Casks were marked with coloredpaint corresponding to their intendedmaturation period — blue for 7 years,green for 10, yellow for 12, red for 15— giving rise to the "Spot" whiskeyrange that survives today, withproduction having since moved entirelyto the Midleton Distillery in CountyCork.

Green Spot itself is now avatting of 7-to-10-year-old single potstill whiskies, matured in acombination of 75% ex-bourbon and 25%ex-Oloroso sherry casks. ChâteauLéoville Barton represents part ofGreen Spot's "Wine Geese" series — acollection celebrating the historicwaves of Irish emigrants who left inthe 16th through 18th centuries andbecame prominent winemakers abroad.Château Léoville Barton itself is agrand cru classé Bordeaux estatefounded in 1725 by Thomas Barton, anIrish Wine Goose, and remains under thedirect stewardship of his descendants Anthony and Lilian Bartontoday. For this collaboration, standardGreen Spot — already matured in itstraditional sherry and bourbon caskcombination — is transferred intogenuine ex-Château Léoville BartonFrench oak barriques, the actual caskspreviously used to age the estate's ownBordeaux, for an additional twelve totwenty-four months of secondarymaturation. Bottled at 46% ABV,uncoloured and non-chill filtered,distilled and matured entirely atMidleton in County Cork.

Critics Reviews

World's Best Single Pot Still Whiskey — World Whiskies Awards

"Bold and complex aromas are rich with spice, dried fruit, and balanced oakiness. Buttery in texture and flavor, nectarine, vanilla bean, and softly cooked grains are well integrated. The smooth spirit finishes with a touch of long lasting baking spice." 98 Points 2020 ultimate Spirits Challenge

Mitchell & Son / Green Spot official tasting notes:
"Nose: It is thecontribution of the French oak whichdrives the initial aroma adding somecrisp woodland notes to the spicySingle Pot Still character. The wineseasoning brings a delicate touch offloral perfume and a hint of ripeberries such as raspberries andstrawberries, these are in addition tothe orchard fruits typical of GreenSpot. Taste: The familiar mouth coatingeffect is a very satisfying balance ofoak and spices. Some vanilla sweetnessworks in harmony with the dry wineinfluence, while the fresh orchardfruits and French oak combineeffortlessly with barley grains tocomplete the complexity. Finish: Therich French oak character is slow tofade leaving the wine and spices ofFrance and Ireland with the last word."

Tasting Profile

Nose
A coppery amber hue —definitely some red cask influencenoticeable, the ex-Bordeaux barriques'most immediately visible contribution.French oak drives the initial aroma,adding crisp woodland notes to thespicy Single Pot Still character thatdefines every Green Spot expression.Raspberries and strawberries arriveimmediately and vividly — the wineseasoning's most direct and mostspecifically Bordeaux-derived aromaticsignature. A delicate floral perfumethreads throughout. Orchard fruits —the archetypal Green Spot signature —remain present beneath the wine caskinfluence.

Palate
Very creamy,with a luscious fruit medley leadingthe way — a slight sourness reminiscentof sour cherry, alongside lemony citrusand a touch of orange. The familiarGreen Spot mouth-coating effectdelivers a very satisfying balance ofoak and spices. Vanilla sweetness worksin harmony with the dry wine influence,while fresh orchard fruits and Frenchoak combine effortlessly with barleygrains to complete the complexity. Redberries, liquorice, slight spice, andoats round out a palate that Road toDram called noticeably influenced bythe finish at every turn.

Finish
Medium-long, noticeably tannic — a finetannin, drying rather than bitter. Therich French oak character is slow tofade, leaving the wine and spices ofFrance and Ireland with the last word.Baking spice, red fruit, and vanillapersist, with an aftertaste genuinelyreminiscent of red wine — a lasting,layered close that several reviewersspecifically noted as more complex andlonger-lasting than most Irish whiskeyin the category.

Quick Overview

Food Pairings

• Dark chocolateand red-berry desserts
• Roast duck orgame — the wine cask tannin pairingnaturally with richer meats
• Agedcheddar and hard cheeses
• Charcuterieboards