Distiller Notes
#16 Whisky Advocate Top 20 Whiskies of 2018
Green Spot Montelena has initially been matured in traditional sherry and bourbon casks then finished for 12 months in French oak Zinfandel wine casks from the prestigious Chateau Montelena in Napa Valley, California. The nose is crisp oak combined with the soft sweetness of vanilla, white chocolate, and marshmallow, balanced with signature Green Spot red apples and ripe pears, along with pomegranate, cranberries and maraschino cherries, the contribution of the wine cask. You also get a sweet mouth coating takes on a dry note thanks to the effect of the wine cask. Pot still spices subside with zesty citrus leading to ripe orchard fruit and red berries. A touch of marzipan and toasted oak add to the complexity.
Professional Ratings
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Whisky Advocate
Ireland is alive with innovative whiskeys, such as this union of single pot still whiskey and the berry flavors of Bo Barrett’s French oak zinfandel casks. A final 12 months of aging in these used Calistoga, California wine barrels produces juicy aromas of bramble, red apple, and cherry, with cake mix, almond, and firm spices. This elevates the enjoyment over regular Green Spot with a swath of ripe red apple, damson, zested orange, and lemon enveloping the pot still spices before a distinctive dry, spicy finish.
The result of an historically prohibitive tax placed on malted barley by the English crown, Irish Whiskey is most often produced from a combination of un-malted barley and other grains. Whereas most other Whiskeys are twice distilled, Irish Whiskeys are distilled three times in a column still and must mature in oak barrels for a minimum of three years. These intricate production steps combine to make them lighter, smoother and more approachable than other styles.