Green Spot Chateau Montelena

Irish Whiskey from the Midleton Distillery

Green Spot Chateau Montelena is a Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey, initially matured in ex-bourbon and sherry casks, and finished for 12 months in French oak Zinfandel Wine casks from the Chateau Montelena in Napa Valley, California.

Green Spot was originally produced exclusively for the Mitchell family who commenced trading in Dublin in 1805 as purveyors of confectionary, wines and fortified wines. In 1887, this entrepreneurial family expanded into the whiskey bonding business whereby they sent empty wine, sherry and port casks via horse and cart to the local Jameson Distillery which were then filled and returned to the Mitchell's cellar warehouse. There the whiskeys matured for many years under bond until they were ready to be bottled and sold.

Green Spot has no age statement, but contains 7 to 10 year old single pot still whiskeys. This spicy, oily whiskey has grown in popularity, despite small quantities being bottled each year. The name derives from the old practice of marking barrels with a colour which represented a particular age.

This is the second release of the Wine Geese series where the Midleton distillery and Mitchell and Sons collaborate with wineries that have an Irish connection. In this case, the Irish connection is with Jim Barrett who bought and resurrected Chateau Montelena in 1972. He was the son of an Irish man named John Barrett who emigrated from Waterford to Los Angeles. Montelena's 1973 Chardonnay won top prize at the 1976 Judgment of Paris tasting. This put California on the map as a wine-making region. Jim passed away in 2013, and his son, Bo Barrett, is now running the winery.

Green Spot Chateau Montelena is bottled at 46% ABV.