Green Spot Château Montelena Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey (700ml)
Volume: 700mlABV: 46%Age: No Age StatementCountry: Ireland
The Whisky
Green Spot Château Montelena Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey represents a brilliant trans-Atlantic collaboration, standing as the second release in the revered Wine Cask Series. This expression celebrates a rich historical link between Ireland and California: Château Montelena in the Napa Valley was purchased in the 1970s by Irish-American Jim Barrett, whose family hailed from Waterford. The structural blueprint relies on Midleton’s traditional triple-distilled single pot still whiskey—a blend of malted and unmalted raw barley aged for 7 to 10 years inside a mix of first-fill and refill American oak ex-bourbon barrels alongside European ex-Oloroso sherry casks. The liquid is then transferred to hand-selected French oak casks previously holding rich California Zinfandel red wine from Château Montelena for a vital 12 month finishing period. Bottled non-chill filtered at an elevated strength of 46% ABV, this framework seamlessly weaves bright red berry sweetness and dry wine tannins into the waxy pot still distillate.
Our Tasting Notes
On the eye, the liquid presents a warm, radiant amber-gold with distinct coppery pink undertones, displaying beautiful visual weight with uniform, slow-drifting legs that coat the glass cleanly. The nose opens with a highly fragrant, sweet, and inviting bouquet packed with crisp red apples, ripe pears, soft vanilla fudge, and marshmallows. As the spirit breathes, the French oak Zinfandel wood uncurls, revealing a secondary layer of maraschino cherry, pomegranate, cranberry, and a touch of sweet marzipan. On the palate, the 46% bottling strength delivers a remarkably silky, mouth-coating, and texturally rich entry that takes on a pleasantly dry edge. Upfront flavours of tart red berries, dark cherry, and lemon icing lead an expressive entry, before transitioning smoothly into a spicier mid-palate showing toasted oak, cracked black pepper, ground nutmeg, and a subtle wine-like grape acidity. The finish is of grand length, exceptionally clean, and satisfyingly drying, leaving behind a persistent trail of plain pot still spices, marzipan, dry oak tannins, and a final, mouth watering hint of dark fruit skin.
The Production Team
The wood orchestration, trans-Atlantic cask logistics, and final vatting assembly for this release were led by the elite production panel at Midleton Distillery, operating under the joint direction of Master Distiller Kevin O’Gorman and Master Blender Billy Leighton. Managing a red wine cask finish requires extreme precision. Because French oak Zinfandel staves can rapidly inject heavy, bitter tannins or overpower a whiskey with dry acidity, the team systematically sampled the finishing rows in County Cork to catch the exact month where the pomegranate, cranberry, and maraschino cherry notes harmonized perfectly with the sweet vanilla and orchard fruit core of the pot still spirit.
The Global Review & Score
The Whisky Company Rating: 8.6/10
This specialized Zinfandel finished single pot still Irish whiskey has earned enthusiastic commentary across major international critical circles, celebrated as a triumph of cask finishing:
Whisky Advocate & Critical Panels: Awarded the expression an aggregate benchmark score of 86 out of 100. Reviewers routinely praise the integration of the French oak, noting that the 12 month Zinfandel finish adds an intriguing layer of dark fruit and dry tannins without swamping the delicate apple and pear orchard heart of the Midleton distillate.
Irish Whiskey Magazine Panel: Evaluators highlighted the dram’s structural depth, writing that the nose is outstanding with treacle and crème brûlée notes, while the palate delivers a fizzy, prickly heat packed with zesty citrus, light raspberry, and a long pot still spice back end.
The Verdict: While absolute malt purists who strictly prefer unadulterated bourbon-cask maturation or those who seek heavy Islay peat smoke might find the sweet red-wine influence a bit forward on the palate, the universal consensus is that Château Montelena is a masterfully blended, complex, and highly engaging daily luxury.
