Review: Green Spot Chateau Montelena

By Robert Lublin | January 28, 2018 |

It has been almost four years since we reviewed the original Green Spot and celebrated its arrival in the U.S., a single pot still whiskey which we lauded for its bold, balanced flavor. With time and universal acclaim, the makers of Green Spot have sought to offer new products. The last one, Green Spot finished in Bordeaux casks was quite nice, but didn’t really improve on the original whiskey. The newest product is this gem, made with Green Spot whiskey (which for starters is aged in ex-bourbon and sherry casks) that is finished for a year in Chateau Montelena zinfandel wine casks.

Tasting notes follow.

On the nose, this whiskey is identifiable as being born from the original Green Spot, showing banana, vanilla, honey, marshmallow, and cereal grains, but the zinfandel casks add some cherry sweetness which integrates well with the other notes. The palate is exceptional, offering fruity berries and honey that turn to dry marshmallow as the wood develops. Spicy notes assert themselves as the flavor progresses further, leading to a finish that is fairly long and shows off the chocolate malt balls that appear in the original. The whiskey finally fades without ever turning bitter.

Green Spot Chateau Montelena is a great spin on an already great whiskey, the use of zinfandel casks managing to add elements to the whole without disrupting the balance that marks the original Irish whiskey.

92 proof.

A / $95 / singlepotstill.com [BUY IT NOW FROM CASKERS] [BUY IT NOW FROM TOTAL WINE]