INTRODUCING METHOD AND MADNESS MULBERRY WOOD
WORLD FIRST IN IRISH WHISKEY JOINS THE EXPERIMENTAL COLLECTION
Irish Distillers, makers of some of the world’s most well-known and successful Irish whiskeys, has unveiled a new single pot still Irish whiskey finished in virgin Mulberry Wood into its celebrated and innovative METHOD AND MADNESS range.
In a world first for Irish whiskey, the limited-edition release has been finished in White Mulberry Wood felled in central Hungary, where the local climate creates the perfect growing conditions. The wood is then harvested and air-dried for two years at the Kádár sawmills in Tokaj before being transferred to a cooperage in Budapest. The relatively high porosity and medium toasting of the exceptional Mulberry Wood casks impart elevated flavours of wood spices and enhanced toffee sweetness, along with a natural golden hue to the whiskey.
The whiskey, a single pot still distillate, was first matured in a combination of first fill and re-fill American Oak barrels, before being left to finish in 50-litre Mulberry Wood casks. Bottled at 46% ABV, the resulting whiskey is wonderfully complex with notes of smoked paprika, flavours of sweet toffee apple and a freshly cut wood character imparted from the virgin Mulberry Wood.
First launched in 2017, METHOD AND MADNESS continues to push the boundaries of Irish whiskey through innovative releases by harnessing the experience and creativity of the masters and fresh thinking of the apprentices at Midleton Distillery and Micro Distillery. Just as the spirit of exploration and experimentation has guided the collection to date, this new release was born out of trials dating back to 2019, when Midleton’s Wood Planning and Maturation Team Lead, Finbarr Curran, sourced the rare Mulberry Wood casks from Budapest.
Back in Ireland, the team at Midleton experimented with different whiskey styles and maturation times for the perfect marriage between liquid and cask. Just 50 litres in size and conducive to accelerated maturation, given the large surface-to-volume ratio, the Midleton Masters and Apprentices kept a close eye on the whiskey before finally settling on a finishing period of between three and eight months for a perfectly balanced wood contribution.
Finbarr Curran, Wood Planning and Maturation Team Lead, comments: “We are delighted to launch our limited-edition Mulberry wood finish, a world first for the category and the third world first in the METHOD AND MADNESS range. So far, our commitment to wood experimentation and maturation has taken us all over the world and led to the development of some of the most exquisite Irish whiskeys. It’s been a joyous journey of discovery and we look forward to continuing this exploration as we keep pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in Irish whiskey.”
Anna Lazaridou, Maturation Research and Innovation Technologist adds: “With its unusual wood structure and small cask size, there’s no doubt that Mulberry Wood presented its challenges, with early trials failing. But in the ethos of the METHOD AND MADNESS range, our relentless dedication to trial and error has produced a beautifully balanced whiskey. And it’s with great pride that we share this with the world today.”
METHOD AND MADNESS Mulberry Wood is available to purchase online now and on shelf in Ireland and Finland from tomorrow at an RRP of €95.
https://www.methodandmadnesswhiskey.com/en
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Tasting Notes
Aroma:
Caramelised Toffee Apple.
Freshly Cut Wood.
Toasted Pine Nuts.
Taste:
Sweet Pear.
Green Apple.
Smoked Paprika.
Finish:
Deep & Mellow.
Lingering Fruits
Intense Wood Spice.
Notes:
About Irish Distillers
Irish Distillers is Ireland’s leading supplier of spirits and wines, and producer of some of the world’s most well-known and successful Irish whiskeys. Led by Jameson, our brands are driving the global renaissance of Irish whiskey. Jameson is the world’s bestselling Irish whiskey, experiencing 30 years of consecutive growth up to 2019 and hitting sales of 7.6m cases in 2020. Our brands are exported to 130+ markets.
Irish Distillers was formed in 1966, when a merger took place between John Power & Son, John Jameson & Son and Cork Distilleries Company. In 1988 Irish Distillers joined Pernod Ricard, gaining access to unprecedented levels of investment and an extensive global distribution network. Since 2012, we have invested over €400 million to double our production and bottling capacity to meet global demand for our products.
We employ over 600 people across our operations in Cork and Dublin.
About Pernod Ricard
Pernod Ricard is the No.2 worldwide producer of wines and spirits with consolidated sales of €9,182 million in FY19. Created in 1975 by the merger of Ricard and Pernod, the Group has developed through organic growth and acquisitions: Seagram (2001), Allied Domecq (2005) and Vin&Sprit (2008). Pernod Ricard, which owns 16 of the Top 100 Spirits Brands, holds one of the most prestigious and comprehensive brand portfolios in the industry, including: Absolut Vodka, Ricard pastis, Ballantine’s, Chivas Regal, Royal Salute, and The Glenlivet Scotch whiskies, Jameson Irish whiskey, Martell cognac, Havana Club rum, Beefeater gin, Malibu liqueur, Mumm and Perrier-Jouët champagnes, as well Jacob’s Creek, Brancott Estate, Campo Viejo, and Kenwood wines. Pernod Ricard’s brands are distributed across 160+ markets and by its own salesforce in 73 markets. The Group’s decentralised organisation empowers its 19,000 employees to be true on-the-ground ambassadors of its vision of “Créateurs de Convivialité.” As reaffirmed by the Group’s three-year strategic plan, “Transform and Accelerate,” deployed in 2018, Pernod Ricard’s strategy focuses on investing in long-term, profitable growth for all stakeholders. The Group remains true to its three founding values: entrepreneurial spirit, mutual trust, and a strong sense of ethics. As illustrated by the 2030 roadmap supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), “We bring good times from a good place.” In recognition of Pernod Ricard’s strong commitment to sustainable development and responsible consumption, it has received a Gold rating from Ecovadis and is ranked No. 1 in the beverage sector in Vigeo Eiris. Pernod Ricard is also a United Nation’s Global Compact LEAD company.
Pernod Ricard is listed on Euronext (Ticker: RI; ISIN code: FR0000120693) and is part of the CAC 40 index.