Wine Merchants and whiskey bonders Mitchell & Son have a long history in the spirits industry. Primarily known in the whiskey world for introducing the Spot line in 1920. Produced by Irish Distillers at Midleton Distillery, it is one of the few remaining single pot still bonded Irish whiskies. After most of the Spot line fell out of production for many years, the entire line has seen a reintroduction over the past decade. Included in this resurgence has seen finishes with specific wineries for multiple Spots, either for limited release or a broader market offering. The Green Spot Chateau Léoville Barton was aged for 5-7 years and then finished in ex-Burgundy barriques for approximately 18 months. The Chateau Léoville Barton vineyards are located near Saint-Julien, on the left bank of Garonne estuary in southwestern France.
Distillery: Midleton
Region: Foreign
Age: NAS
Strength: 46%
Price: $69.99
Maturation: ex-sherry and ex-bourbon casks, finished in French barriques from Chateau Léoville Barton
Location: Midleton, Ireland
Nose: Plum, black cherry, almond, honey, antiseptic, vanilla, butterscotch, vegetal, floral
Palate: Honey, berry, tannin, vanilla
Finish: Honey, cream, floral, honeysuckle, blackberry, tannin
Comments: It is highly recommended you let this one sit in your glass for a few minutes to let some odd scents dissipate.
Adam – The nose on the Léoville Barton is beautiful. Approachable yet full. Fruit and nuts abound, held in place by a sweet, creamy butterscotch that turns floral eventually. The palate is rich with honey and some tannins before transitions into a finish where the floral and fruits return, if dialed down a notch. The tannins can be a bit strong on the backside of the palate at first but eventually the fruit from the wine finish returns. It can take a few sips for this to settle on your palate. Once your senses sort things out, it is really a lovely dram where the wine influence from the finishing casks – 18 months is a healthy timeframe! – shines and plays exceptionally well with the core Green Spot profile.
Kate – Like warm bread pudding on the nose, with clotted cream and fresh toffee sauce on top. Initially, it hangs out in the medicinal and feinty section of the flavor wheel with underlying stone fruits then moves to be big on the vanilla and toffee. Toasty, marshmallow, honey, and a little spice (maybe mace?) on the palate. As it sits longer, it gets sweeter and smoother. The finish is very warm at the back of my throat, with a little honeysuckle. It’s medium-long. I was super skeptical when I first smelled it. It smelled medicinal like medical gloves. Once it had a moment to breathe, there was a sweet spot (hah) where it transformed into this beautiful whisky. It makes me think of a fairy tale story where the glass starts as a disturbing color and magically settles into this beautiful glass of liquid.
Bill – I wouldn’t keep this in the collection very long or get another one after the first. I enjoy the Léoville Barton, certainly, but it didn’t thrill me. It was nice, it was good, but it wasn’t exciting.
It makes me think of a fairy tale story.
Henry – Sweet, fruity nose of summer flowers and privet hedge in full bloom opens up to vanilla, toast, and complex tannins on the midpalate with just a hint of heat. Sweetness returns on the transition to the finish, balanced with a bright astringency. I just love red wine finishes.
Ben – There’s a mead quality here, a mix of honey and fruit. Black stone fruit, not the cherry but sucking on the stone afterwards. The Léoville Barton really turned into candy on the palate, spread out with vanilla and sweet butterscotch and then the creamy finish.
Mike – You get that vanilla, caramel, with a dash of antiseptic on the nose. Then the cream right down to the end with berry.
