Green Spot Château Léoville Barton Single Pot Still

Batch from January 2022. A gorgeously well rounded expression of the Spot range. Nose is very floral with light fruits and green notes of every kind. Ripe green apple and a lovely scent of fresh dairy. The palate: A medium arrival, a slight sharpness of Green apple, a prominent note of white chocolate as it develops. Red fruits, subtle nut character also. The mouthfeel is exceptional. Ripe banana that you find in lots of Irish whiskeys, but in a much more nuanced way. The Wine cask is subtle , not overly noticeable on the palate but does wonders for the finish. A gorgeous long finish, dry with hints of the Bordeaux wine cask coming through. For the price it’s probably the best Irish pot still whiskey on the market.

👃 honeyed oranges. 👅 Initially woody, then fresh citrus acidity, sweet spice, a lingering sweet honey note.

Nose: apple, cinnamon, more like dried fruits, versus the fresh fruits of the original green spot, bit dusty Palate: caramel sweetness, nutmeg, citrus Finish: red fruits, nutmeg, bit of bitterness, red wine, pungent

In an at home spot range flight with friends this was the crowd favorite.

Amusing: I’ve had the Green Spot Chateau Montelena. I’ve now had the Green Spot Chateau Leoville Barton. I’ve never actually had Green Spot. My understanding is that this whiskey is superior finished in wine casks, Zinfandel and Bordeaux respectively, but it also feels kind of bougie drinking whiskey finished in such a manner (Leoville Barton sounds like the rich popular kid with the sports car you would have loved to punch in the face in high school). But I don’t mind drinking something that sounds bougie. The important thing is the flavor of the whiskey itself, and both the Montelena and the Leoville Baton are good. But which is better? That’s what I can’t tell you. People who’ve tasted these side-by-side seem to favor Montelena. That one also appeared on the Whisky Advocate Top 20 a few years back, but I’m not so sure that’s my opinion here. Granted I had Montelena last year, and I have a glass of Leoville Barton in front of me now, and my favorite whisky often tends to be the one in front of me. But if I can speak from memory, I think your preference will come down to whether you prefer berries (Montelena) or citrus (Leoville Barton). The nose here, while harboring a touch of vanilla custard, is also full of mango, orange sherbet, and creamsicle. I also think Bellini. Mainly what’s there is a the citrus with a custard side. Not orange prominently but orange cream. When it comes to the flavor, I’ll note that this has been open about a month and half the bottle is gone. The nose isn’t too evolved from being open, but the taste has mellowed. There was an bite initially on the tongue that has disappeared with time and aeration. The creamsicle continues with tropical fruit and marmalade. The finish isn’t terribly long, and there’s a touch of spice like candied orange. And it’s enjoyable but not entirely classic. Don’t get me wrong, this is good stuff. Among the better Irish whiskeys I’ve had, and it might be better than Montelena. Might not be as good. But I’d like to be more enthusiastic. If I like it better than Montelena, I'm still downgrading a quarter star. Time evolves your taste, so that might be on the level with this too. It's good Irish whiskey and at $65, it's worth it, but for the $100 I've seen it in other places I'd save your money. The market is going insane and we're paying way too much for good whiskey posing as great. Like I've said: $65, Green Spot, don't raise the price. You're getting what it's worth out of this now.

Soooo yummy and caramel-y

Amazing pot still whisky! Sweet nose but strong Bordeaux finish