Irish Distillers Launches Midleton Very Rare Forêt de Tronçais
Irish Distillers has announced the launch of Midleton Very Rare Forêt de Tronçais, an Irish whiskey created in collaboration between the teams at Irish Distillers and Taransaud cooperage in France
Midleton Very Rare Forêt de Tronçais is named after the Forêt de Tronçais forest, established in the 1600s to sustainably supply oak for shipbuilding and which continues to follow a regular forestry cycle that allows for natural regeneration and preservation of its ecosystem.
To create Midleton Very Rare Forêt de Tronçais, Master Distiller Kevin O’Gorman and his team from Midleton Distillery embarked on a cask procurement trip to France. Exploring the Tronçais forest, they discovered the rare and sought-after T5 oak cask, renowned for its fine grain and delicate flavors. A bespoke batch of Midleton single grain and single pot still whiskeys matured over decades spanning the 1980s-2000s in American bourbon barrels were selected and filled into T5 casks sourced from Taransaud cooperage. After three years, the whiskies were blended together and bottled at 48% ABV.
Official tasting notes for Midleton Very Rare Forêt de Tronçais follow:
Nose: Oak enriched perfumed aromas with delectable fruit notes of poached pears, caramelised apples, and orange zest. Additional notes of honeycomb and toasted hazelnut continue to evolve in tandem with the building aroma of freshly roasted coffee beans. The woodland spices are brought to the fore by the elegant and measured influence of the extra fine-grained French oak, adding nuanced characteristics that enhance the pot still spices and floral grain whiskeys in this complex and aged blend.
Taste: Herbal at first, with notes of fresh peppermint and sage, weaving amongst the succulent orchard fruits and zesty orange. The oak’s subtle tannins complement the chocolate-dipped honeycomb and sweet vanilla, adding to the luscious, silken texture synonymous with Midleton’s pot still and grain whiskeys. Elevated wood spices continue to evolve adding further complexity to this intricate whiskey.
Finish: Exquisitely long finish where the fruits and spices are enveloped by the enchanting nature of the toasted wood, showcasing a harmonious balance between Irish whiskey and French oak.
Midleton Very Rare Forêt de Tronçais is presented in an exclusively designed bottle and cabinet with handcrafted intricate details. The bottle color is inspired by the Midleton duck egg blue color which features on the orchid in the Midleton logo. The cabinet, created by Manufacture Jacquemin, a third-generation traditional woodcrafts business based in the Jura Mountains in Eastern France, is made from fine oak from the Tronçais forest and features laser-cut illustrations that pay homage to the French woodland and its role in this whiskey’s story.
Midleton Very Rare Forêt de Tronçais will be released in yearly editions. The first edition will be available in select markets including China, France, Hong Kong, Ireland, Northern Ireland, UK, USA, Global Travel Retail, and online beginning October 13th at a recommended retail price of €5,000/$5,000/£4,400.
Source: Irish Distillers.