PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
Midleton Very Rare has been the annual vintage release from Ireland’s Midleton Distillery since 1984, and the 2026 edition is the 43rd, and the sixth created by Master Distiller Kevin O’Gorman. Each year, every Midleton master distiller sets aside small amounts of “exceptionally performing” whiskeys, and O’Gorman’s journey for 2026 began in the distillery’s historic warehouses, some of them dating to the 1860s. As he puts it: “Each year, we hope to share a Midleton Very Rare Vintage that heroes the years of craftsmanship gone before whilst creating something rare, new and enticing for people to discover. As the sixth Vintage Release under my guardianship, I wanted to explore the bounds of what is possible from our array of exceptional liquids.”
The 2026 blend draws on ten parcels of whiskey, with components aged between 14 and 36 years. It combines the distillery’s three single pot still styles with two single grain whiskeys, with a higher proportion of traditional and light pot still whiskey, and spotlights a parcel of 15- to 16-year-old traditional pot still matured in first-fill bourbon barrels. The grain whiskeys include Midleton’s signature grain, in increased proportion, along with a small-batch grain made from malted and unmalted barley, aged for more than two decades, which adds a characteristic butterscotch note. The oldest component is a 36-year-old grain whiskey matured in a second-fill bourbon cask. As Whisky Advocate notes, Midleton Very Rare is aged exclusively in American oak bourbon barrels, in a combination of first-, second-, and third-fill casks. Master distiller O’Gorman says, “We don’t use any new oak, fortified wine, or wine casks. It’s all about the American oak barrels.” The 2026 release comes in a new recyclable secondary box made entirely from paper, replacing the magnets used in earlier packaging.
Whisky Advocate’s Jonny McCormick scored it 93 Points. His notes: “The nose opens with abundant sweetness and fruitiness, as caramel, vanilla, butterscotch, and toasted oak meet sliced kiwi, tangy citrus zest, fragrant grain, apricot, florals, and light spices. On the palate, creamy butterscotch, vanilla frosting, and green melon glide into cinnamon powder, ginger root, and mocha. A sumptuous mouth-coating finish of vanilla and gentle spices evokes vintage 2015, delivering a sweeter, creamier experience than recent years.” Release notes describe a nose that is “fresh and fruity, opening with orange peel and lemon zest,” with Midleton’s traditional “crème brûlée and toffee” woven with floral notes, and a finish where “pot still spices fade, leaving a lingering infusion of fruits and oak.” Release volumes are never disclosed, but O’Gorman says the 2026 release is in line with 2025. For collectors, it’s the newest entry in a series that has defined blended Irish whiskey at its highest level.
Midleton Very Rare 2026 Vintage Release is produced by Irish Distillers at Midleton Distillery in County Cork, Ireland, under Master Distiller Kevin O’Gorman. It is a blend of three single pot still styles and two single grain whiskeys from ten parcels, aged between 14 and 36 years, matured exclusively in first-, second-, and third-fill American oak bourbon barrels. Bottled at 40% ABV / 80 proof, 700ml, in a limited annual release, in a recyclable paper box.
Jonny McCormick, Whisky Advocate — 93 Points (March 2026):
“The nose opens with abundant sweetness and fruitiness, as caramel, vanilla, butterscotch, and toasted oak meet sliced kiwi, tangy citrus zest, fragrant grain, apricot, florals, and light spices. On the palate, creamy butterscotch, vanilla frosting, and green melon glide into cinnamon powder, ginger root, and mocha. A sumptuous mouth-coating finish of vanilla and gentle spices evokes vintage 2015, delivering a sweeter, creamier experience than recent years.”
Midleton (release notes):
“On the nose, the 2026 Vintage is fresh and fruity, opening with orange peel and lemon zest, but traditional Midleton notes of crème brûlée and toffee are there too, intertwined with whiskey’s floral influence... Finish: Pot still spices fade, leaving a lingering infusion of fruits and oak, showcasing Midleton’s harmonious whiskey blend.”
Nose
Caramel, vanilla, butterscotch, and toasted oak meet sliced kiwi, citrus zest, apricot, florals, and light spice, with crème brûlée and toffee.
Palate
Creamy butterscotch, vanilla frosting, and green melon, moving into cinnamon, ginger root, and mocha.
Finish
Long and mouth-coating, with vanilla and gentle spice, and lingering fruit and oak.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Style | Blended Irish Whiskey — Single Pot Still & Single Grain, Vintage Release |
| ABV / Proof | 40% ABV / 80 Proof |
| Components | 3 single pot still styles, 2 single grain styles; 10 parcels; 14 to 36 years old |
| Oldest Component | 36-year-old grain whiskey, second-fill bourbon cask |
| Maturation | American oak bourbon barrels only (first-, second-, and third-fill) |
| Distillery | Midleton Distillery — County Cork, Ireland |
| Master Distiller | Kevin O’Gorman (6th vintage) |
| Series | Midleton Very Rare — 43rd annual release |
| Critics | Whisky Advocate 93 |
| Style / Identity | A sweet, creamy, fruit-and-spice-forward vintage with decades-old grain and pot still |
| Aromas & Flavors | Caramel, vanilla, butterscotch, kiwi, citrus zest, apricot, cinnamon, ginger |
| Bottle Size | 700ml |
Enjoy neat, with a few drops of water to open the fruit and floral notes.
Bottle Size: All bottles are 750ML/700ML unless otherwise noted.
21 and Over: Adult Signature Required
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