Jameson owner Irish Distillers has partnered with Canadian winery Quails’ Gate to release a Green Spot whiskey finished in Pinot Noir casks.
The limited edition Green Spot Quails’ Gate is the third instalment in the Irish whiskey’s Wine Geese Series, which celebrates Ireland’s historic contribution to the wine world.
The bottling follows other releases in the line, including Green Spot Château Leoville Barton in 2015 and Green Spot Château Montelena in 2017.
The new whiskey takes inspiration from two Irish households, the Mitchell family and the Stewart family.
Green Spot was originally produced exclusively for the Mitchell family, who began their whiskey bonding business in 1887 in Dublin, transporting empty wine, Sherry and Port casks to the local Jameson Distillery.
Based in British Columbia, Quails’ Gate Winery was founded by the Stewart family in 1908 after Richard Stewart Senior immigrated to Canada from Kildare, Ireland.
Initially matured in American oak and ex-Sherry casks, the liquid was then finished for 16 months in Pinot Noir casks, leading to notes of ripe cherry and juicy raspberries.
The wine’s residual tannins provide a ‘silky sweet texture’ to the palate with notes of dried cranberries that compliment Green Spot’s signature tastes of red apple, sweet pear, vanilla and nutmeg.
Deirdre O’Carroll, blender at Irish Distillers, said: “Maturing Green Spot Irish whiskey in the Pinot Noir casks from Quails’ Gate adds a fascinating and delectable assortment of rich red berries from the red wine seasoning that perfectly balances Green Spot’s orchard fruits and toasted wood finish for a flavoursome, complex expression.”
The 46% ABV whiskey will be released from March 2023 in limited quantities in the US, Canada, Ireland, France, the UK and global travel retail.
It has an RRP of US$80, €72, £56.
In June last year, Irish Distillers released a Spot single pot still whiskey to mark the 135th anniversary of the Mitchell family’s whiskey bonding business.