Gold Spot unveils The Generations Edition

The limited edition single pot still whiskey is the second release under the Gold Spot name and the first since 2022.

Irish Distillers has announced the latest release in its Spot range with Gold Spot The Generations Edition, a 13-year-old single pot still whiskey that is finished for 16 months in Valpolicella Classico Italian wine casks. The new whiskey pays homage to the Mitchell family’s seven generations and their collaboration with the Speri family of Secondo Marco winery. “This isn’t just a whiskey; it’s a celebration of our shared commitment to tradition and innovation,” said Katherine Condon, distiller at Irish Distillers. “The incorporation of Italian wine casks, alongside our own pot still whiskey, produces a complex and vibrant character – a true tribute to generations of dedication.” The limited release is the second in the Gold Spot series following a nine-year-old Port cask-matured whiskey released in June 2022. The Generations Edition marries ex-Bourbon and ex-Sherry casks before the wine-cask finish, which imparts notes of dark fruits, berry compote, and a touch of oak. It is bottled at 46% ABV, and available in limited quantities in the US, Ireland, UK, France, and travel retail for €150 (US$164). “The unique aspect of this release lies not just in its 13-year age statement but in its maturation process,” Condon said. “The finishing period of 16 months in Valpolicella Classico wine casks contributes floral and quintessentially wine-driven notes to the flavour profile, creating a truly distinctive offering.” Wine casks played a pivotal role in the early days of Irish Distillers; in the 1800s, the Mitchell family received empty wine and fortified wine casks at the Jameson Distillery in Bow Street, filling them with new single pot still spirit to mature in underground cellars. Once filled, these casks received a dab or ‘spot’ of coloured paint indicating the age of the whiskey within, which later provided the name for the Spot series, which includes Blue Spot, Green Spot, Yellow Spot and Red Spot. The ongoing Irish whiskey renaissance is being fueled by, among other things, climbing age statements and inventive cask finishes, both of which are on display with this new Gold Spot release.