Midleton Very Rare

mikeecho · 20-02-2021 12:22am #1

Given the hype over MVR 20, and the continued hype over '21.
I thought it might need it's own thread. (,Mods delete if necessary)

Anyway,.. I'm both a drinker & collector.

Luckily I've managed to bag a few bottles for both myself and my children.

I'll definitely open one soon enough.

But I found it more difficult this year to buy them than any other year.

For those that didn't get a bottle today, the number of bottles being released will be similar to that of 2018/19. There'll be lots to go around.

Check out your local Tesco/dunnes/ SuperValu, from Monday onwards.

There will be more demand, due to the volume of new collectors & speculators, but if u want one, you'll get one.

irish_goat · 20-02-2021 12:32am

Probably won't hurt to just have a general thread on MVR.

20-02-2021 12:38am

Dunnes will have a bit over 300 bottles in this batch. Split between all stores that are listed for it, most will have between one and five allocated by head office. Store managers and staff have already called dibs and I doubt much of this batch will even make it out to the shop floor. Another bigger batch due in July and again in October so hopefully most people will be sorted then.

the beer revolu · 20-02-2021 11:37am

I've always liked MVR as a whiskey but always thought it just wasn't worth the money - and that's when it was €120!

It seems if you want to sell more overpriced whiskey, then the trick is to increase the price, it seems.

Then the more it sells for on the aftermarket, the more people want it and will pay for it! I guess, I just don't understand people.

Also, for the collectors, how many people actually sell them on?
If you aren't going to drink them or sell them, what's the point?

I just don't get this whiskey collecting lark, I guess, unless it's actually for well thought out investment.

My brother has bottles that I know he will never sell or drink. It may as well be tea in the bottles!

mikeecho · 20-02-2021 5:10pm

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Dunnes will have a bit over 300 bottles in this batch. Split between all stores that are listed for it, most will have between one and five allocated by head office. Store managers and staff have already called dibs and I doubt much of this batch will even make it out to the shop floor. Another bigger batch due in July and again in October so hopefully most people will be sorted then.

I presume that's 300 now, and probably another 300 in Oct/Nov.

In any normal year would Dunnes sell that many MVR

20-02-2021 5:23pm

mikeecho wrote: »

I presume that's 300 now, and probably another 300 in Oct/Nov.

In any normal year would Dunnes sell that many MVR

I've been told over 300 now, 500 odd in July. My store sold 80ish last year, but it's one of the bigger stores. Last year was exceptional though, a lot of people who were chasing the 2020 were not whiskey collectors, it somehow took hold in the general population for lack of a better term. So far it looks like the same this time around. Nearly every time the phone rings now its someone looking for mvr or looking to be put on a list. We aren't doing lists, it'll be first come first served. This morning one of the security guys was imploring me to put one away for one of the local gardai. It's all a bit mental to be honest.

mikeecho · 20-02-2021 10:35pm

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I've been told over 300 now, 500 odd in July. My store sold 80ish last year, but it's one of the bigger stores. Last year was exceptional though, a lot of people who were chasing the 2020 were not whiskey collectors, it somehow took hold in the general population for lack of a better term. So far it looks like the same this time around. Nearly every time the phone rings now its someone looking for mvr or looking to be put on a list. We aren't doing lists, it'll be first come first served. This morning one of the security guys was imploring me to put one away for one of the local gardai. It's all a bit mental to be honest.

It's a bit bananas alright, I always buy two bottles, one to drink and one to keep.
In any normal year I could walk into a supermarket or offie and pick up a bottle with no issue, and even get the previous years bottle as well.

I've been very fortunate with getting 2020's and 2021's

The early bird, and all that.

Leinster90 · 22-02-2021 10:58am

Any idea when these will be hitting the shelves in Dunnes, Tesco etc?

LollipopJimmy · 22-02-2021 12:44pm

A lot of people are using the 'well I'm not going the pub' excuse. My own collection had dwindled to nothing over the last while and I think it was Feb last year when I polished off the last of anything decent I had but over the last couple of months I've replenished using that very excuse. That coupled with the hype around inflated auction prices have led to the mad demand. Myself, not sure I'm arsed with it but if I've cash on the hip when the next batch lands I might pull the trigger, purely because I think it'll look nice in the press

LollipopJimmy · 22-02-2021 12:46pm

Leinster90 wrote: »

Any idea when these will be hitting the shelves in Dunnes, Tesco etc?

Little chance of it even making the shelves tbh, my oh was in Tesco on Friday and while she was waiting on the bottle of XO to be brought out there were people there asking about the MVR, the lad working on the section said he's been asked for little else the last 10 days. Plenty of Proper 12 there though :pac:

22-02-2021 2:17pm

LollipopJimmy wrote: »

Little chance of it even making the shelves tbh

You are dead right there, I still don't know how much my store is getting but whatever we get is already spoken for by people above me. None of this batch is likely to actually go out on sale.

Psychlops · 22-02-2021 11:17pm

Deleted User wrote: »

I've been told over 300 now, 500 odd in July. My store sold 80ish last year, but it's one of the bigger stores. Last year was exceptional though, a lot of people who were chasing the 2020 were not whiskey collectors, it somehow took hold in the general population for lack of a better term. So far it looks like the same this time around. Nearly every time the phone rings now its someone looking for mvr or looking to be put on a list. We aren't doing lists, it'll be first come first served. This morning one of the security guys was imploring me to put one away for one of the local gardai. It's all a bit mental to be honest.

Any idea on Galway Stores? Thanks.

Doodah7 · 23-02-2021 2:51pm

I was surprised by how much my bottle of the 2003 is now apparently worth.

I assume, unlike wine, there is no particular year where the whiskey is better than previous years? A whiskey 'vintage year' I suppose...

mikeecho · 23-02-2021 3:07pm

Doodah7 wrote: »

I was surprised by how much my bottle of the 2003 is now apparently worth.

I assume, unlike wine, there is no particular year where the whiskey is better than previous years? A whiskey 'vintage year' I suppose...

The MVR is a different blend every year.
The past two years have been very heavy with the pot still, and this year it's a lot more grain.

So, yes, there are years where the whiskey is better than others.

irish_goat · 23-02-2021 3:10pm

Doodah7 wrote: »

I was surprised by how much my bottle of the 2003 is now apparently worth.

I assume, unlike wine, there is no particular year where the whiskey is better than previous years? A whiskey 'vintage year' I suppose...

There will be years the grain crop will be poor and the subsequent whiskey won't be as good, but a distiller has the advantage of being able to blend with other years. MVR however is a different blend every year, so there's every chance one year's release is better than anothers. As alluded to in other threads though, the value is usually based on rarity.

23-02-2021 3:10pm

Its a beautiful whiskey but the difference between it and say a redbreast 15 would be negligible for me personally, and that sells for sixty quid less a bottle at a quick search

23-02-2021 6:03pm

Just got confirmation of the amount of midleton that my store will be getting. A dozen bottles split over this week and next week. All are already spoken for. Sorry folks, the July batch is going to be your best bet now. It will be bigger as apparently this release is 15% of the total batch.

Weepsie · 24-02-2021 9:55pm

12 bottles in the March Celtic Whiskey Auction. Do shops hold these back for this, or do they sell them knowing they'll get a load immediately to sell on these?

mikeecho · 24-02-2021 10:23pm

Weepsie wrote: »

12 bottles in the March Celtic Whiskey Auction. Do shops hold these back for this, or do they sell them knowing they'll get a load immediately to sell on these?

It'll be interesting to see what some people will pay.

I paid €220 for one of my bottles, and €180 for the rest. I didn't really like paying the extra €40, but needs must.

I'm just happy that I have what I need, (and maybe a spare)

Effects · 02-03-2021 1:22pm

Is there any point putting my 2021 bottle into the Celtic auction, with the view to replacing it when the next batch comes out in the Summer?
Or is there a bit of a bubble, and they won't sell for that much in the auction?
Just looking to be able to make a small profit to put back into whiskey I'll drink. Not really into the whole collecting thing.

mikeecho · 02-03-2021 1:43pm

Effects wrote: »

Is there any point putting my 2021 bottle into the Celtic auction, with the view to replacing it when the next batch comes out in the Summer?
Or is there a bit of a bubble, and they won't sell for that much in the auction?
Just looking to be able to make a small profit to put back into whiskey I'll drink. Not really into the whole collecting thing.

After auction fees etc.. you'll be at a loss.

Tuamer · 05-03-2021 8:57am

Psychlops wrote: »

Any idea on Galway Stores? Thanks.

My mother picked up a bottle in Dunnes Terryland yesterday.

Darc19 · 06-03-2021 12:12am

Anyone know any "essential" travellers going through the airport?

https://www.theloop.ie/alcohol/whiskey/premium-whiskey/midleton-very-rare-vintage-release-2021/376151.html

interlocked · 08-03-2021 6:03pm

Great interview yesterday in the Business Post with Kevin O Gorman, the new master distiller in Middleton. He started his career in Baileys in 1990 where he developed a interest in whiskey and he moved to Midleton in 1998 as a distiller, he became master of maturation in 2007

A lot of discussion about the Middleton 2021, he said they tested about two hundred barrels for the blend,mixture of pot still and grain still with whiskey aged from 15 to 36 years, he included some 1984 vintage as a tribute to Barry Crockett. He put four prototypes together before settling on the final blend.

Barry Nation left the job last year to join a startup distillery in the US. (What could they have offered him!)

He also says that he's interested in developing and experimenting the Method & Madness micro distillery

But the most amazing stat was that they now have 1.7 million casks maturing in Midleton on a site of about 120 acres. I can't get my head around that volume of whiskey at all!

Doodah7 · 08-03-2021 9:59pm

I was lucky enough to see some of the warehouses storing the maturing whiskey several years ago. It is an amazing sight: several enormous warehouses filled with row after row and shelf after shelf from floor to high ceiling of American bourbon barrels filled with whiskey!!

Cazale · 08-03-2021 10:15pm

Doodah7 wrote:

I was lucky enough to see some of the warehouses storing the maturing whiskey several years ago. It is an amazing sight: several enormous warehouses filled with row after row and shelf after shelf from floor to high ceiling of American bourbon barrels filled with whiskey!!

I'd say it's like the end of Indiana Jones when they are storing away the Ark of the covenant.

the beer revolu · 09-03-2021 11:01am

Doodah7 wrote: »

I was lucky enough to see some of the warehouses storing the maturing whiskey several years ago. It is an amazing sight: several enormous warehouses filled with row after row and shelf after shelf from floor to high ceiling of American bourbon barrels filled with whiskey!!

Me, too. One of them is a sight to behold and they've loads of these warehouses - and have built more since I was there 8 or 10 years ago.
It really is staggering.
Also got to taste something directly from a cask that I was told was a cask strength Middleton blend but no one seemed really sure what it was. I think the cask had been prepared for some previous press event or something.
I have never to this day tasted a whiskey like it - it seemed way more interesting to Middleton to me.
It is entirely possible that my perception was heavily influenced by the location of the old cask house and the taking straight from the barrel but I also got to bring a little bottle home and was also blown away by it.
I couldn't understand why the commercially released Middleton isn't more like this whiskey!

BonnieSituation · 12-03-2021 3:24am

interlocked wrote: »

Great interview yesterday in the Business Post with Kevin O Gorman, the new master distiller in Middleton. He started his career in Baileys in 1990 where he developed a interest in whiskey and he moved to Midleton in 1998 as a distiller, he became master of maturation in 2007

A lot of discussion about the Middleton 2021, he said they tested about two hundred barrels for the blend,mixture of pot still and grain still with whiskey aged from 15 to 36 years, he included some 1984 vintage as a tribute to Barry Crockett. He put four prototypes together before settling on the final blend.

Barry Nation left the job last year to join a startup distillery in the US. (What could they have offered him!)

He also says that he's interested in developing and experimenting the Method & Madness micro distillery

But the most amazing stat was that they now have 1.7 million casks maturing in Midleton on a site of about 120 acres. I can't get my head around that volume of whiskey at all!

Are we talking 200L casks? Obviously there's some variance throughout.

But even taking that as a back of a napkin:

That's 340 million litres of whiskey; which, if we take it down to your typical large bottle: that's 485,714,285 bottles!

So even at a euro a bottle there's almost half a billion quid there in stock, for pig irons sake.

F**k Apple and Tesla. (Obviously I ignored, breakage, angel shares and those wonderful box sets in the making of my numbers)

the beer revolu · 12-03-2021 2:46pm

BonnieSituation wrote: »

(Obviously I ignored, breakage, angel shares and those wonderful box sets in the making of my numbers)

You didn't allow for the fact that it is mostly stored at around 60%, too.

BonnieSituation · 12-03-2021 4:26pm

the beer revolu wrote: »

You didn't allow for the fact that it is mostly stored at around 60%, too.

I didn't at all.:D

Still, good money for old rope.

odyssey06 · 12-03-2021 8:09pm

I got an email earlier today than Celtic Whiskey Shop were selling some stock of the 2019 - priced €250.
Out of curiosity I checked the site now and it's sold out.
So still a lot of interest there.

BonnieSituation · 12-03-2021 8:23pm

odyssey06 wrote: »

I got an email earlier today than Celtic Whiskey Shop were selling some stock of the 2019 - priced €250.
Out of curiosity I checked the site now and it's sold out.
So still a lot of interest there.

It was sold out almost as soon as the email went out. Had a gander as well when I got the mail.

Lightscribe · 12-03-2021 8:28pm

I've been give a bottle of Barry Crockett Legacy as a gift and I'm just wondering if it's worth storing for a few years, is it one where the value will more than likely go up?

I know little to nothing about whiskey so thanks for opinions

BonnieSituation · 12-03-2021 8:46pm

Lightscribe wrote: »

I've been give a bottle of Barry Crockett Legacy as a gift and I'm just wondering if it's worth storing for a few years, is it one where the value will more than likely go up?

I know little to nothing about whiskey so thanks for opinions

I'll mind it for ya.

They being said, most on here are of the "drink it" sort and as the BC is genuinely a gorgeous drop, I'd be of the same opinion.

Cazale · 12-03-2021 9:04pm

Bottle of 2021 Midleton I was watching on Catawiki auction just went for 600 euro.

Cazale · 12-03-2021 9:23pm

Lightscribe wrote:

I've been give a bottle of Barry Crockett Legacy as a gift and I'm just wondering if it's worth storing for a few years, is it one where the value will more than likely go up?

It's a lovely gift. It was released in 2011 and is still available for sale so it's not a limited release like the annual Midleton Very Rare or something like the Dair Ghaelach series. I saw a few go for around 220 at auction in the last two months. There has been a couple of packaging redesigns which might be a factor for collectors one day. I'd say it'll remain steady price wise unless it's discontinued but that doesn't look likely at the moment.

As Bonnie says I'd drink it as it's a stunning whiskey and certainly lives up to its name.

L1011 · 12-03-2021 9:54pm

Lightscribe wrote: »

I've been give a bottle of Barry Crockett Legacy as a gift and I'm just wondering if it's worth storing for a few years, is it one where the value will more than likely go up?

I know little to nothing about whiskey so thanks for opinions

Drink it, that's likely what the giver intended you to do.

Small scale whiskey investment - one or two bottles - is near impossible to make money on due to the fees.

lawrencesummers · 12-03-2021 9:55pm

Cazale wrote: »

Bottle of 2021 Midleton I was watching on Catawiki auction just went for 600 euro.

There is never a shortage of idiots.

There is another release of the 2021 in June/July and another release in oct/nov where you can get it for 180.

So someone’s got one bottle where they could have got 3.
One to drink, two to keep for a few years and get your 600 back easily.

Cazale · 12-03-2021 10:27pm

lawrencesummers wrote:

There is never a shortage of idiots.

lawrencesummers wrote:

There is another release of the 2021 in June/July and another release in oct/nov where you can get it for 180.

It's madness especially at the moment with MVR 20 and 21. I follow the auctions fairly closely out of interest but I've never bought anything off them as I'd end up drinking anything I bought for investment.

Cazale · 15-03-2021 11:41am

odyssey06 wrote:

I got an email earlier today than Celtic Whiskey Shop were selling some stock of the 2019 - priced â‚¬250. Out of curiosity I checked the site now and it's sold out. So still a lot of interest there.

Celtic Whiskey will have more 2019 for sale tomorrow.

Cazale · 16-03-2021 12:33pm

Cazale wrote:

Celtic Whiskey will have more 2019 for sale tomorrow.

On sale now.

Weepsie · 16-03-2021 2:27pm

for 250 though. I've seen it in stock in Tesco and Dunnes fairly recently for it's normal retail price. The hoopla over 2020 and 21 seems to have created a demand that wasn't there for 2019 though it's still in stock

Cazale · 16-03-2021 4:23pm

Weepsie wrote:

for 250 though. I've seen it in stock in Tesco and Dunnes fairly recently for it's normal retail price. The hoopla over 2020 and 21 seems to have created a demand that wasn't there for 2019 though it's still in stock

Yeah I saw it up North a few months ago in an off licence for 130 Sterling.

head82 · 17-03-2021 1:03pm

Cazale wrote: »

On sale now.

Is it not a bit strange that this latest 2019 batch is 75cl ?
I would have thought all releases to be a consistent 70cl.

odyssey06 · 17-03-2021 1:58pm

head82 wrote: »

Is it not a bit strange that this latest 2019 batch is 75cl ?
I would have thought all releases to be a consistent 70cl.

I wonder if it could have been destined for a market where bottle size is 750ml.
Drop in travel retail sales.
Redirected here.

head82 · 17-03-2021 2:13pm

odyssey06 wrote: »

I wonder if it could have been destined for a market where bottle size is 750ml.
Drop in travel retail sales.
Redirected here.

Yeah, that's what I was thinking. There's an image posted on another thread of a pallet load in a warehouse and on the side of one of the cases is a label with 'USA' clearly visible.

Cazale · 17-03-2021 3:31pm

odyssey06 wrote:

I wonder if it could have been destined for a market where bottle size is 750ml. Drop in travel retail sales. Redirected here.

Yeah it's US stock.

BBoomerang · 20-03-2021 9:53am

Hi,
Just wondering if there is a place where people sell/exchange MVR? I'm not into this at all but my husband started to collect them in 2013 and has all of Brian Nation's collection, except for 2020. I know they're like gold dust but he has two of some years so hoping he might get lucky in a swap if their is a hole in their collection.....can anyone direct us to a virtual marketplace? Thanks very much

sceach16 · 20-03-2021 11:15am

BBoomerang wrote: »

Hi,
Just wondering if there is a place where people sell/exchange MVR? I'm not into this at all but my husband started to collect them in 2013 and has all of Brian Nation's collection, except for 2020. I know they're like gold dust but he has two of some years so hoping he might get lucky in a swap if their is a hole in their collection.....can anyone direct us to a virtual marketplace? Thanks very much

few groups like this on Facebook.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/376064726329631

BBoomerang · 20-03-2021 1:56pm

Thanks a mill!

23-03-2021 9:36pm

Looking to pick up a bottle of this for a present, wasn't expecting the demand to be so high. Does anyone know anywhere with it in stock currently? Preferably not for sky high prices.

Midleton Very Rare

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