Blue Spot Single Pot Still Whiskey
When Irish Distillers and Dublin’s Mitchell & Sons collaborated on the revival of this historic Dublin whiskey, they united Irish whiskey fans everywhere. It had been 56 years since a cork was put in production of this single pot still whiskey and bringing it back after all that time encouraged a thirst of national importance.
Fans queued in person and online to get a taste of what was then the latest Spot family member to return, and bottles were rationed wherever whiskey was poured.
What makes Blue Spot Special?
Blue Spot is a seven-year-old Irish single pot still whiskey that’s bottled at cask strength of 58.9% ABV (117.8 proof). It’s triple-distilled and matured in three cask types: Ex-bourbon, Spanish sherry butts and Portuguese Madeira wine casks.
Each of these cask types has layered its own intense flavours on this truly complex pour, resulting in a single pot still that more than stands the test of time of its absence.
What separates Blue Spot from the rest of the Spot range?
Blue Spot is a richly textured whiskey that’s famously produced in smaller volumes than the rest of the Spot family, making it even harder to track down than its siblings. While ex-bourbon and Spanish sherry casks are common to many of the Spot releases, the use of Madeira brings an entirely new personality to the range.
Madeira is a fortified wine from the Portuguese island of Madeira, where it’s been made for hundreds of years. It can be sweet or dry and imparts a wonderful dark colour, coffee-caramel flavours and an acidic note to the Blue Spot, which blends perfectly with the heavy sweetness of the sherry and bourbon casks.
What are the tasting notes of Blue Spot?
On the Nose
On the nose, you’ll find lots of tropical fruit notes of pineapple, kiwi, banana and lime zest enrobed in baked pastry notes.
Taste
On the palate, you can expect lots more fruits, a little clove and plenty of sweet spices, cinnamon, black pepper and spice alongside vanilla, apples and toasted wood.
Finish
Blue Spot has a long finish with lots of oak, spice and vanilla present.
Texture and colour
This is a rich and viscous whiskey with a syrupy texture that has a dark gold colour with flashes of red. It coats the throat and has a heavy mouthfeel.
Recommended food pairings for Blue Spot
Blue Spot’s cask strength ABV makes it a great for foil for aged cheese and rich meats. A pecorino and salami plate will bring out the hazelnuts of the madeira and sherry casks and also match the burnt sugars of the bourbon barrel.
Similar bottles to Blue Spot
If you like Blue Spot then you might want to try another Madeira finished release such as Bushmills 21. Also matured in ex-bourbon and sherry, this fine single malt received a two-year finish in Madeira and its much longer maturation overall gives it a smooth and decadent taste experience.
Another Madeira finish is the Tyrconnell Madeira Single Malt. Although not as old as the Bushmills bottling at 10-years-old, it is also bottled at 46% and has its own silky smooth personality.
How to drink Blue Spot:
Blue Spot is a muscular, decadent whiskey with lots of personality and texture. Its high cask strength bottling demands a drop of water, which should open the aroma and widen the flavour profile of this important sipping whiskey. A single piece of ice will soften the edges of the pot still spice and bring a glass by the fire entirely to life.
Blue Spot FAQ’s
Q: Is Blue Spot a single malt?
Blue Spot is not a single malt – it is a single pot still which is an Irish whiskey style that is indigenous to Ireland. Made from a mash bill of malted and unmalted barley it’s triple distilled and bottled at 58.9%.
Q: What cask is used to make Blue Spot?
Blue Spot is matured in three cask types: An ex-bourbon American oak, a Spanish sherry European butt and a Portuguese Madeira wine cask. It’s a fantastic combination that captures the very best of these three maturation methods.
Q: Where is Blue Spot made?
Blue Spot is originally one of the most famous Dublin whiskies where it was made by Mitchell & Sons until the late 1960s. Today it’s made by Irish Distillers at their Midleton Distillery in Co Cork in the south-east of Ireland.
Q: What does Triple Distillation mean?
Triple distillation is the process by which the spirit that is matured to become whiskey is distilled in three copper pot stills. While it is not mandatory for Irish whiskey to be distilled three times, it is the most common distillation method in the country. In Scotlan,d it is more common to distil only twice. In Ireland, it is believed that the third distillation creates a smoother, more rounded flavour profile, reducing harsh edges and throat burn.
Q: Is Blue Spot cask strength?
Yes, Blue Spot is a cask-strength whiskey, bottled at 58.9%. This higher strength brings enhanced flavours to the palate and finish, but also requires a drop of water to unlock the very heart of the pour.
