Yellow Spot 12 Years Old
What they say
The Yellow Spot, name was derived from the Mitchell’s practice of marking their maturing casks of whiskey with a mark or daub of coloured paint to determine the age potential of the whiskey. Blue Spot was a 8 year old, Green Spot a 10yr and Yellow Spot a 12year old, Red Spot a 15.
In time, all but Green Spot disappeared, with Yellow Spot last being seen on whiskey shelves in the early 1960’s.
What I say
From Mitchell & Son’s ‘Spot’ range. Hailing from Midleton distillery under Jameson’s labels, these have gradually been reintroduced. This edition was reborn in 2012 after a 45 year absence when Yellow (and Green) spot were the last ‘bonded’ Irish Whiskey’s available. Mitchell & Son’s were a Dublin wine merchants who would source new make spirit and mature and bottle it themselves. This new Yellow Spot edition is matured in a mixture of casks including Bourbon, Sherry and Malaga (a fortified wine akin to sherry).
- ABV 46%
- Age 12 Years Old
- Bottler Official
- Bottling Yellow Spot
- Cask Bourbon, Sherry & Malaga cask
- Category Single pot still Irish whiskey
- Cost £70
- Origin Midleton Distillery
- Outturn undisclosed
- Region Ireland
- Released n/a
- Vintage undeclared
My tasting notes
- Appearance Amber gold (10/20), quick, medium tears and long, fine legs.
- Nose Fruity, stone fruits, peach, apricot, yellow plum, white grape, malted milk biscuits, dried fruit; raisin, honeydew melon and vanilla.
- Taste Medium-full bodied, grassy, zesty, oak wood spices, estery banana sweetness, white pepper, woody herbs, green apple, grape, melon, peach, honey, vanilla, later some peppermint and clove.
- Finish Medium-long, herbal and sweet with clove, peppermint, marzipan and pinapple.
- Overall Very much Pot still style, woody and spice driven familiar from unmalted barley. Plenty of yellow/stone fruits present in here despite the unusual cask combination used, I’d have expected something a little darker and drier like fruitcake, instead it is peached and cream.
Score 84/100
Available from Master of Malt and The Whisky Exchange
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Categories: Mitchell and Son