Mano a Lámh, meaning ‘hand in hand’ in Spanish and Irish respectively, represents the relationship and passion between the Midleton Distillery and the collective of artisans in Spain, which has crafted the Midleton Distillery’s sherry butts for more than 20 years.
Specially commissioned for the Midleton Distillery, oak is felled in the forests of Galicia, north-west Spain, and then crafted and seasoned by some of the country’s most prestigious family businesses. The Antonio Páez Lobato Bodega in the South, who have a long family connection with Midleton Distillery, crafts the oak into sherry casks, which are then seasoned with Oloroso sherry for two years at the prestigious Páez Morilla Bodega in the nearby sherry capital of the world, Jerez.
The freshly seasoned sherry butts are then shipped promptly, during the cooler winter months, to the Midleton Distillery where they are then filled with new make pot still whiskeys.
What many new whiskey drinkers may not be aware of is that when whiskey first emerges from the big copper pot stills in the distillery, it is transparent in colour, high in alcohol content and has very robust flavours and aromas derived from the ingredients and the distillation process. Think of it as a young, unbroken thoroughbred racehorse. And if the Master Distiller equates to the Race Horse Breeder, then the Master Blender and Master of Maturation are the Race Horse Trainer and Racing Yard Manager respectively who break in and train up the young whiskey to Thoroughbred standard.
- Nose: Very deep dried fruits, raisins and sultanas with the more earthy tones of fig, dates and prunes. The sweetness is from the fruit and balances perfectly with pot still spices such as dill and black pepper, and the contribution of the toasted Spanish oak.
- Taste: Silky smooth and deceptively sweet, full of rich, ripe, dark fruit with the leisurely emergence of the signature spices.
- Finish: The rich fruit slowly gives way to the perfection of the Spanish oak.
Distiller ;Midleton, Cork | ABV: 46% | Price: €15
