IN A major moment for Irish whiskey, Midleton Distillery has launched the final expression from its storied Silent Distillery Collection: Chapter Six. Representing the culmination of half a century of craftsmanship and care, this release is not only the rarest but also the most poignant, toasting the 200th anniversary of the Old Midleton Distillery.
Midleton Very Rare Silent Distillery Collection Chapter Six
Distilled in a facility that stopped its operations in 1975, Chapter Six honours the legacy of the Old Midleton Distillery, once a powerhouse of single-pot still whiskey from 1825 to 1975. Now, five decades later, the very last drops from this site have been passed down to Master Distiller Kevin O’Gorman and revealed to whiskey aficionados.
“Midleton Very Rare Silent Distillery Collection Chapter Six is a whiskey whose excellence is shaped by so many extraordinary factors,” says O’Gorman. “From the characteristics of the now incredibly rare single pot still distillate style created back in Old Midleton, to the 50-year maturation process under the care of my predecessors and I, to a one-of-a-kind final marrying, this whiskey has been looked after like no other.”
Master Distiller Kevin O’Gorman
This final expression incorporates the expertise of four generations of Master Distillers, starting with Max Crockett, who is considered the forefather of Irish whiskey. Crockett originally distilled the whiskey in what was once the world’s largest pot still, and referred to as the “seventh wonder of the whiskey world.”
His successors Barry Crockett, Brian Nation, and now Kevin O’Gorman have each played their own role in shaping this final release. O’Gorman adds, “Max, Barry, Brian, Ger and I, alongside the Midleton Distillery family past and present, have been a team over many decades, protecting and nurturing this liquid to achieve its peak. While there is a sense of sadness as the Old Midleton Distillery and the Silent Distillery Collection reach a close, I know they would all agree that it has been an extraordinary privilege to be part of the creation process.”
Midleton’s Master Cooper Ger Buckley. Photograph: Cathal Noonan
After decades in American oak ex-bourbon barrels, the whiskey evolved into a bespoke cask created by Midleton’s Master Cooper Ger Buckley; a fifth-generation cooper, Buckley drew on his heritage and used staves from casks of the previous five Silent Distillery chapters to assemble this final vessel.
“Crafting a bespoke, one-of-a-kind cask for its final maturation, using wood from the Silent Distillery Collection’s original casks embodies the heritage and craftsmanship that have been passed down through my family’s legacy at the distillery,” Buckley shares. “Working on the cask that would hold this once-in-a-lifetime whiskey, I found myself wondering if my coopering predecessors ever felt such pressure to preserve every last drop!”
The result is a vibrant whiskey with lively fruit character layered over notes of dried tobacco and antique oak; this whiskey may have been tucked away for 50 years but it’s certainly ready to make its appearance. On the taste and ageing, O’Gorman says, “There is a balance of aged oak influence with fresh fruit notes that can be challenging to achieve in ultra-aged whiskey,” and it’s this balance that captures the distillery’s legacy.
Midleton Very Rare Silent Distillery Collection Chapter Six
To match the contents, the whiskey is housed within a House of Waterford’s decanter, another renowned Irish brand, and sits within a custom wooden cabinet crafted by John Galvin. Brought up just a stone’s throw from the distillery, Galvin designed the piece using six rare woods – each one referencing a chapter in the collection – topped off with details such as a hand-cut leather interior, 18ct gold-plated accents, and reclaimed oak from historic Irish whiskey vats in the very centre, for another nod to Midleton’s heritage.
This final chapter in the Silent Distillery Collection isn’t just for collectors, it’s a nod to generations of craft and a lasting tribute to a distillery that’s helped shape the whiskey world.
by Felicity Carter
The Midleton Very Rare Silent Distillery Collection Chapter Six is bottled at 53% ABV and is available for purchase for £55,000 on midletondistillerycollection.com.