When the Mitchell family in Ireland began bonding whiskey 135 years ago, they brought their own colourful legacy to the Dublin whiskey scene. After generations of a family business covering everything from confectionery to cafes to imported wines, when the Mitchells brought their energy to whiskey bonding, the Spot family was born. To celebrate this enduring relationship, a newcomer – Gold Spot.

Gold Spot is matured for at least nine years in bourbon barrels, sherry butts, bordeaux wine casks and port pipes, is that a record number of casks? Gold spot is non chill filtered and bottled at 51.4% ABV for a whiskey that is complex and full flavoured.  It has a light mix of pineapple, kiwi, green banana and lime zest followed by pot still spices, baked apple, hazelnut and toasted wood. There’s a smooth mouthfeel with a subtle mix of fruit, a hint of clove and cracked black pepper corns. Then there’s sweet spices, vanilla and cinnamon add to the wood’s nutty contribution for a lasting and distinctly palatable balance of exotic fruits and spices.

Gold Spot is the first member of the Spot family to contain a port matured element. However it’s not Mitchell & Son’s first foray into this famous fortified wine from the Douro Valley, up until the 1960’s the family bottled their own Vintage Port. Now then, why Gold? It is not a big age, when will we see the Black Spot? Are there too many Spots? Do you think there are too many, spoiling your choice?

For example; Blue Spot was derived from the Mitchell’s practice of marking their maturing casks of whiskey with a daub of coloured paint to determine the age potential of the whiskey. Blue Spot was a  7 year old whiskey, Green Spot (10 year old), Yellow Spot (12 Year Old) and Red Spot (15 year old).    So would you not think, like I did, that a Gold Spot was the top creation, older than the rest? Confused? So am I .