🥃 Midleton Very Rare
Premium blended Irish whiskey from Midleton Distillery, released as a new vintage every year since 1984; made by Irish Distillers (Pernod Ricard); the 2026 release is 40% ABV.
Midleton Very Rare is a premium blended Irish whiskey from Midleton Distillery, released as a new vintage every year since 1984. According to the producer, each vintage is a blend of single pot still and single grain Irish whiskeys selected by the master distiller. It is made by Irish Distillers, part of Pernod Ricard, and the 2026 release is bottled at 40% ABV.
History. According to the producer, Barry Crockett created Midleton Very Rare in 1984, and the brand has had three master distillers: Barry Crockett, Brian Nation and, most recently, Kevin O’Gorman. The 2026 vintage is the 43rd annual release and the sixth under O’Gorman. Each master distiller has set aside small amounts of well-performing whiskeys for later vintages, and the casks are kept in warehouses dating back to the 1860s.
How it is made. For the 2026 vintage Irish Distillers describes five distillate styles: three single pot still and two single grain, including older grain whiskeys matured in ex-American bourbon barrels. The 2025 vintage used six distillate styles. The mix changes from year to year.
Why it matters to you. The year on the label marks the vintage release, and different vintages taste different, so check the specific release. This is a blend, not a single malt. The WHO reminds us: there is no safe amount of alcohol.
Facts
| Year founded | 1984, Barry Crockett (Midleton Distillery); 2026 — 43rd annual release |
|---|---|
| Legal basis | Reg. (EU) 2019/787, Annex I, category 2 — whisky/whiskey |
| EU category | 2 — whisky/whiskey |
| Raw material | single pot still and single grain Irish whiskeys |
| Cask type | older grain whiskeys in ex-American bourbon barrels (2026 vintage) |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | 40% ABV (2026 release) |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Midleton Very Rare → kind of → 🥃 Whisky → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Previous step
- 🥃 Pernod Ricard
- Packed in
- 🍷 Oak barrel, 🐝 American white oak, 🥃 Ex-bourbon barrel
- Made from
- 🥃 Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey, 🥃 Irish Grain Whiskey, 🥃 Barley and malt in whisky
- What it contains
- 🧪 Water, 🍷 Ethanol
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Part of
- 🥃 Whisky, 🥃 Irish Whiskey, 🥃 Blended Irish Whiskey
- Related to
- 🌍 Western Europe
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Jameson, 🥃 Redbreast
Frequently asked questions
Is it true that the year on a Midleton Very Rare bottle is the age of the whiskey?
No. It marks the vintage release. Each year's batch is blended by the master distiller from selected single pot still and single grain whiskeys, so the character differs from year to year.
Who created Midleton Very Rare?
Barry Crockett, in 1984, according to the producer. Brian Nation and, most recently, Kevin O’Gorman later became master distillers.
Who owns Midleton Very Rare?
Irish Distillers, which has been part of Pernod Ricard since 1988.
What is the blend made of?
Single pot still and single grain Irish whiskeys from Midleton; for the 2026 vintage, three single pot still and two single grain styles.
What is the strength of Midleton Very Rare?
The 2026 release is bottled at 40% ABV, according to Irish Distillers.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Ethanol — The alcohol formed during fermentation that makes you drunk.
- 🍷 Oak barrel — A wooden barrel of oak staves in which wine matures and breathes.
- 🧪 Water — ~87% of milk.
- 🌍 Western Europe — France, the Netherlands, Britain, Ireland, Belgium and Luxembourg: a mild, moist climate, pastures and hundreds of cheeses such as Roquefort, Camembert, Gouda and Cheddar.
Similar
🥃 Powers · 🥃 Paddy · 🥃 Cooley · 🥃 Tullamore Dew · 🥃 Bushmills · 🥃 Jameson
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- Irish Distillers press release (4.03.2026): MVR 2026 Vintage — 43rd annual release, 6th under Kevin O'Gorman; three single pot still + two single grain styles; older grain whiskeys in ex-bourbon barrels; warehouses from the 1860s; 40% ABV
- Midleton Very Rare official site: Vintage Collection (first vintage 1984, released annually; blend of single pot still and grain whiskeys; Master Distiller Kevin O'Gorman)
- Midleton Very Rare official site: Creators (1984 Barry Crockett; Brian Nation; Kevin O'Gorman)
- Midleton Very Rare official site: MVR 2025 (six distillate styles; single pot still and single grain; A2 Warehouse from the 1860s)
- Irish Distillers: About Pernod Ricard (joined Pernod Ricard in 1988)
- Regulation (EU) 2019/787 on spirit drinks (OJ L 130, 17.5.2019), Annex I, category 2 (whisky/whiskey)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)