For this year’s St. Patrick’s Day post, I’m looking at something that, despite the usual celebrations, isn’t green. In fact it’s yellow – the older sibling to green, on this occasion.
Following the recent years’ rise and success of the legendary Green Spot whisky, the Mitchell & Son company logbooks were scoured to resurrect the recipe for its contractors at Irish Distiller’s Midleton distillery to recreate. Dublin’s preeminent “fine wines & spirits” purveyors found records of the profile notes and constituent ingredients to their Yellow Spot, dating back to its previous cancellation in the 1950s. The resultant “new” Yellow Spot single pot still Irish whiskey was relaunched in 2012.
The name itself comes from the yellow seal or spot that the Mitchell & Sons merchants used to paint onto each of the casks to denote their age within the bonded warehouse.
The bottling comprises three separately matured pot still whiskies which have each been fully matured for 12+ years in their respective bourbon barrel, Sherry cask, and Malaga wine casks. The requisite proportions of each triple distilled whiskey are then melded together and presented to us here at 46% ABV.
Nose
A complex and inviting plume of influences rise out of the glass: cut grass, tropical fruits, and drying oak casks. Quite the spicy notes at the back with cinnamon, clove, and black pepper.
Taste
Toffee apples. Dried apricots. Runny honey on crumpets. Custard filled danish pastries. After the sweet and fruity influences, the cracked black pepper and clove spices really take hold and tingle the tastebuds along with the firey alcohol heat.
Finish
A sweet and tangy finale with complementary fruity, oaky, and peppery influences.
Verdict
A very satisfying whiskey. This seems to build on the classic Irish pot still foundations and adds layers of sweetness and spice that I wasn’t quite expecting. It’s hard to not just compare this to the Green Spot whiskey – particularly as it’s a staple of the house that gets replaced each time it’s finished – so I’ll save that for a standalone article sometime.
What seems to make this stand out is the tropical fruit flavours that work well alongside the classic vanilla and apple flavours you’d get from a pot still. Luckily I was able to pick that up before reading the blurb, as that’s certainly what the marketing attest to with its rare usage of Malaga cask maturation. I think it needs that too as the strong oak cask and cracked black pepper finish could actually take it overly spicy.
I was already a fan of Mitchell & Son’s Green Spot, and I have been keen to get a bottle of the next shade in their selection for some time. Recent years has seen the reintroduction of their Red Spot 15yo (2018), Blue Spot 7yo (2020), and their celebratory Gold Spot 9yo (2022). Each have arrived with fairly hefty price tags but very favourable reviews, so that collector monkey on your back is begging for a scratch. I guess that Scotland has its labels, and Ireland now has its spots.
As for this Yellow Spot, I was able to nab one in the Black Friday sales for around £60, and have since seen the price tag head skyward and, at the time of writing, it sits north of £80. Maybe I’ll eke this one out a little longer than I would it’s verdant brethren. I’ll definitely sip, savour, and enjoy it when I do.
M
Dram Disclosure: I bought this bottle out of my own pocket. No promo or agenda. Just an honest, independent, and fair review of the whiskey. Please drink responsibly. Please drink wisely.
whisky unplugged 
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