Gold Spot Irish Whiskey 135th Anniversary Limited Edition revealed - and we've taste tested

Irish Distillers has announced its latest release, a limited edition Gold Spot Irish Whiskey bottle - an expression that has been made to celebrate some 135 years of whiskey bonding among the Mitchell family.

Since the 1800s Mitchell & Son have been making Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey and this latest release is testament to that.

Since 1887 it has been adding 'spots' to determine the age of its whiskeys. While it's well known for its Green Spot and Yellow Spot ranges, this limited edition is all about the Gold Spot, a colour chosen by the Mitchells as it "symbolises quality, prestige, specialness and celebration" and also signifies "their enduring relationship with whiskey bonding over seven generations and 135 years."

We've always had a soft spot for Irish Distillers' Spot Whiskey. Its Yellow Spot whiskey is part of our best Irish whiskey guide, so we were very excited to try this brand-new, limited edition release.

And we have been lucky enough to taste test this limited edition before it hit the shelves.

Those who are already fans of Spot Whiskey are in for a treat. The Gold Spot has been matured for a minimum of nine years, in ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks and there's also a mix of hand selected Bordeaux wine casks and port pipes in there too. Given these are casks that would have been utilised in the 1800s, it's a special mix.

This makes for a real oaky taste with a lingering of spice throughout. It's some 51.4% so is potent, with pears and vanilla hitting the nose. The finish continues with those spice notes, making us want to skip summer altogether and head out to a country lodge with an open fire.

The whiskey will be available from Spot Whiskeys official site - and given this one is sure to be popular, there is a limit of two bottles per person. Price wise, it's €120.