Method and Madness, the micro distillery run by Irish Distillers in Midleton, recently released its latest limited-edition whiskey. Rye and Malt is the work of Eva O’Doherty, the recently appointed distiller at the micro distillery, and distiller Katherine Condon.
“Katherine was here in 2016 when the work started. Archivist Carol Quinn has the paperwork from the original Jameson distillery and they discovered the notebook of John Jameson III that mentioned different mash bills including, in 1857, the first mention of rye,” O’Doherty says. The team took this as their inspiration and began experimenting.
“The micro distillery is all manually operated, so you have to rely heavily on your senses. It is like being a parent with a newborn baby; you learn what every cry means – nappies, food or a cuddle,” O’Doherty says. The team settled on a mash of 60 per cent rye and 40 per cent malted barley. They preferred a double distilled spirit as it had a spicy note that played well with the rye. It was then aged in a mix of first and second fill ex-bourbon barrels. The idea was to play down the oak and retain the original flavours of the spirit. “This is an exciting skin-pinching moment for me with the first product to come out with me as distiller.”
The Rye and Malt is aromatic and floral with subtle notes of toasted wood and autumnal fruits, and a strong spicy element mid-palate that persists through to the smooth finish.
Bottled at 46 per cent ABV, Method and Madness Rye and Malt Irish Whiskey is available from specialist retailers, Dublin Airport and online, for €95 a bottle.
