Irish Distillers Launches Midleton Very Rare Forêt de Tronçais Edition 2
Irish Distillers has announced the launch of Midleton Very Rare Forêt de Tronçais Edition 2, the second limited edition 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. To create Edition 2, 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 four years, the whiskies were blended together and bottled at 48% ABV.
Official tasting notes for Midleton Very Rare Forêt de Tronçais Edition 2 follow:
Nose: Opens with sweet-scented aromas of vanilla and sugar cane, complemented by crisp and zesty notes of orange and sweet pear. Enhanced by the French oak, this wonderfully complex whiskey carries an array of spices, with cinnamon and nutmeg to the fore accompanied by the subtle undertones of candied ginger, heather honey, and white chocolate tasting notes. The oak influence continues to build with intriguing antique wood notes, creating an exceptionally balanced whiskey.
Taste: Succulent texture with stone fruits and vanilla cream in abundance, all the while the pot still spices slowly build in tandem with the delicate herbal notes and soft floral nuances. Gentle tannins linger in the background enhancing the flavour of sweet fruits while hints of clove spice and cinnamon showcase the oak’s measured influence from the many years of ageing.
Finish: Satisfyingly long with the pot still spices the first to fade, allowing the oak and stone fruits to gently linger until the very end.
Midleton Very Rare Forêt de Tronçais Edition 2 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. The interior design of the cabinet has evolved, moving from the tree branch motifs used for the first edition to a more subtle representation of the actual wood grain.
Midleton Very Rare Forêt de Tronçais Edition 2 will be available globally in select markets, including Ireland, Northern Ireland, the UK, Czech Republic, Benelux, Germany, Singapore, Global Travel Retail, and online, beginning this month at a recommended retail price of €5,000 / £4,388.
Source: Irish Distillers.