Continuing to go back through old bottles, I found this. I’m fairly certain this was the first Irish whisky I ever purchased. I was given the advice to go with this or Redbreast 12. While I’ve been through three bottles of Redbreast since then and this one is still around, I think y’all can guess who won that shootout, but what’s in this fine bottle after all these years? The Spot series is interesting. Even though it’s made at Middleton (along with Redbreast, Powers, and a lesser known bottling called Jameson), all those whiskies somehow manage different flavor profiles. The Spot series always had a bit more of that pot still spice on the nose than Redbreast, with notes of malt, grass, lemon, and coconut. I think the coconut note was the most offputting for me originally. Seems out of place in any whiskey, but especially Irish. Palate is lovely. Malty. Pot still spices. Buttery smooth. Goes down easy. It’s a middling complexity, inoffensive, bit ultimately a bit forgettable. I’m keeping my old rating of a 4 because 1) It’s affordable for a Single Pot Still bottling at around $50. If that’s a bit too much the might I suggest the Powers Three Swallows. It’s about $10 cheeped and has a more rounded profile to me, albeit younger. And 2) this was a fine introduction to Irish whiskey all those years back. The Single Pot Still style is still one of my favorites. Cheers!