For the third release in its Midleton Very Rare Silent Distillery collection, Irish Distillers has launched a 47-year-old Single Pot Still Irish whisky. The blend is decanted into hand-blown crystal carafes.
Irish Distillers (Pernod Ricard) has unveiled Chapter Three of its Midleton Very Rare Silent Distillery collection, a 47-year blend of two whiskys, resulting in what the brand says is the oldest-ever collection of Irish whisky. The distillery began to release one expression annually, beginning in 2020 and culminating in 2025 to coincide with the 200th anniversary of the Old Midleton Distillery. The distillery closed its doors in 1975, meaning that Chapter Three contains the very last of this blend.
Midleton Very Rare Silent Distillery Collection Chapter Three is housed in individually numbered bespoke mouth-blown decanters (Waterford Crystal). Each of the tall crystal carafes is hand-sculpted into its final shape, etched, and partially polished with a satin finish effect.
The carafe's neck is decorated with a wrap-around copper label embossed with the brand logo. A bespoke crystal stopper, also from Waterford Crystal, is inlaid with a copper medallion reminiscent of the Old Midelton Distillery’s copper pot still.
Irish designer John Galvin dreamed up the bespoke cabinet that houses the decanter. The markings and the wood grain on the cabinet’s exterior aim to recall the flames that once blazed underneath the pot still.
Each cabinet is crafted in burr elm wood and features embellishments made of sterling silver, oak reclaimed from Irish whisky vats and leather. “One of this project's biggest challenges was in getting the custom hand-inlaid silver work to meet up perfectly when the doors close. A silver halo runs around the top of the case before dropping down the front center of the presentation case; there was no margin for error when it came to perfectly aligning the elements,” explains Galvin. The cabinet’s interior is lined with bespoke printed leather, hand etched with illustrations from artist David Rooney.
Launched in May, just 97 bottles of the Chapter Three are available, priced at $51,000 each.
Decanter/StopperWaterford Crystal
CabinetJohn Galvin
DesignJohn Galvin/Waterford Crystal
