Premium Irish Whiskey purveyor Midleton Very Rare, has launched the fifth chapter in its Silent Distillery Collection. This extraordinary 49-year-old expression is crafted with some of the last remaining liquid from the Old Midleton Distillery, which was decommissioned after operating from 1825 to 1975.
This limited-edition release is the penultimate launch in the Silent Distillery collection.
Master Distiller Max Crockett originally distilled the liquid in 1973, utilising the world’s largest pot still. Since then it has slumbered under the aegis of all three of the brand’s subsequent Master Distillers.
Aged in American ex-bourbon wood, tasting notes report a medley of stone and citrus fruits, herbal tea and dark chocolate, balanced by the spices of anise and ginger, and sweet undertones of salted caramel and toffee apple.
Master Distiller Max Crockett originally distilled the liquid in 1973, utilising the world’s largest pot still…
The whiskey is presented in a hand blown decanter, etched by the artisans of Waterford Crystal. It’s housed in an accompanying handcrafted tiger brown oak burr cabinet created by Irish designer John Galvin. The cabinet is inlaid with antique white leather, with reclaimed 200-year-old whiskey vat oak and silver detailing.
Master Distiller Kevin O’Gorman says the release “embodies a captivating tale that celebrates the convergence of the finest wood, exceptional whiskey, and indomitable spirit of the master craftsmen who sit at the heart of the Old Midleton Distillery’s legacy. The result is truly remarkable.”
The barrels chosen by O’Gorman were married for a final six months in cask number 52969, an American ex-bourbon barrel which was repaired by Dominic Buckley in the mid Seventies and, as is customary for coopers, marked with the Buckley family’s signature ‘1’ stamp as a mark of quality and to ensure its traceability.
Buckley’s barrel, which endured over 50 years without a single leak, was later inspected and maintained by his son Ger Buckley, the current Master Cooper at Midleton Distillery.
Bottled at 52.4% ABV, this limited release will be available direct and from select outlets, priced at €55,000 ($55,000).
The Whisky Exchange has dropped three new exclusive bottlings to mark the start of 2026, spanning Scotch whisky, American bourbon and Jamaican rum. The limited collection comprises an experimental single-cask Torabhaig from the Isle of Skye, a punchy single-barrel bourbon from Bardstown Bourbon Company, and a sherry-cask-aged Hampden Estate rum that leans fully into the…
Just in time for Burns Night, Orkney-based Highland Park has announced a limited-edition cask strength single malt whisky. The new release, Cask Strength: Heather, is made using 100 per cent Orkney peat-smoked barley, with peat sourced responsibly from Hobbister Moor, just a few miles from the distillery. Given Orkney’s northern latitude, trees struggle to grow,…
January may feel long and grey, but one undoubted bright spot is Burns Night, the annual celebration held on January 25, marking the birthday of Scotland’s national poet, Robert Burns. For whisky lovers, it’s one of the most convivial fixtures of the year: a night where poetry, food and Scotland’s greatest export meet in cheerful,…
The Luxe Review 
Premium Irish Whiskey purveyor Midleton Very Rare, has launched the fifth chapter in its Silent Distillery Collection. This extraordinary 49-year-old expression is crafted with some of the last remaining liquid from the Old Midleton Distillery, which was decommissioned after operating from 1825 to 1975.
As such, it’s Midleton’s oldest whiskey to date.
This limited-edition release is the penultimate launch in the Silent Distillery collection.
Master Distiller Max Crockett originally distilled the liquid in 1973, utilising the world’s largest pot still. Since then it has slumbered under the aegis of all three of the brand’s subsequent Master Distillers.
Aged in American ex-bourbon wood, tasting notes report a medley of stone and citrus fruits, herbal tea and dark chocolate, balanced by the spices of anise and ginger, and sweet undertones of salted caramel and toffee apple.
The whiskey is presented in a hand blown decanter, etched by the artisans of Waterford Crystal. It’s housed in an accompanying handcrafted tiger brown oak burr cabinet created by Irish designer John Galvin. The cabinet is inlaid with antique white leather, with reclaimed 200-year-old whiskey vat oak and silver detailing.
Master Distiller Kevin O’Gorman says the release “embodies a captivating tale that celebrates the convergence of the finest wood, exceptional whiskey, and indomitable spirit of the master craftsmen who sit at the heart of the Old Midleton Distillery’s legacy. The result is truly remarkable.”
The barrels chosen by O’Gorman were married for a final six months in cask number 52969, an American ex-bourbon barrel which was repaired by Dominic Buckley in the mid Seventies and, as is customary for coopers, marked with the Buckley family’s signature ‘1’ stamp as a mark of quality and to ensure its traceability.
Buckley’s barrel, which endured over 50 years without a single leak, was later inspected and maintained by his son Ger Buckley, the current Master Cooper at Midleton Distillery.
Bottled at 52.4% ABV, this limited release will be available direct and from select outlets, priced at €55,000 ($55,000).
The unveiling of Chapter Five follows the recent release of the Midleton Very Rare 40th anniversary Ruby Edition, and its Midleton Very Rare 2024 vintage.
Drink in 2026 with these Jamaican sherried rum, peated whisky, and high-strength bourbon exclusives
The Whisky Exchange has dropped three new exclusive bottlings to mark the start of 2026, spanning Scotch whisky, American bourbon and Jamaican rum. The limited collection comprises an experimental single-cask Torabhaig from the Isle of Skye, a punchy single-barrel bourbon from Bardstown Bourbon Company, and a sherry-cask-aged Hampden Estate rum that leans fully into the…
New Cask Strength Highland Park whisky puts Orkney heather front and centre
Just in time for Burns Night, Orkney-based Highland Park has announced a limited-edition cask strength single malt whisky. The new release, Cask Strength: Heather, is made using 100 per cent Orkney peat-smoked barley, with peat sourced responsibly from Hobbister Moor, just a few miles from the distillery. Given Orkney’s northern latitude, trees struggle to grow,…
Toasting the Bard: Where to eat, drink and celebrate Burns Night 2026
January may feel long and grey, but one undoubted bright spot is Burns Night, the annual celebration held on January 25, marking the birthday of Scotland’s national poet, Robert Burns. For whisky lovers, it’s one of the most convivial fixtures of the year: a night where poetry, food and Scotland’s greatest export meet in cheerful,…
Share this: