Red Spot 15 Year Old is the oldest and richest expression in the Spot Whiskey range — a single pot still Irish whiskey matured for a minimum of 15 years across three cask types: American bourbon barrels, Spanish sherry butts and, uniquely, Sicilian Marsala wine casks. Revived from an old Mitchell & Son family recipe dating back to the early 1900s, it is bottled at 46% ABV, non-chill filtered.
The Marsala cask difference
Most Irish whiskey sees bourbon and sherry wood. The Marsala casks are what set Red Spot apart — fortified Sicilian wine barrels that impart layers of ripe fruit and gentle sweetness, complementing rather than covering the whiskey's signature pot still spice. Rather than a short finishing period, all three cask types contribute across the full maturation, which is why the result is full-bodied and structured instead of simply sweet on top.
The Mitchell & Son heritage
The Spot range takes its name from the Mitchell family of Dublin, wine and spirits merchants trading since 1805, who marked their maturing casks with a daub of coloured paint to indicate age — green, yellow, blue and red. Red Spot denoted the oldest stock in the bonded warehouse. The modern range is distilled at Midleton Distillery in County Cork and released in partnership with Mitchell & Son, with Red Spot returning in 2018 after decades out of production.
Tasting notes
Aroma
Pot still spices with rich cooked fruits, baked apple, mango and black cherry. Notes of hazelnut, new leather and toasted American oak add depth.
Palate
Ripe fruit sweetness from the Marsala-seasoned casks, balanced by sweet red pepper and cracked black pepper. Layers of American oak and barley create a rich, structured character.
Finish
Exceptionally long and satisfying, with lingering waves of ripe fruit, warming spice and seasoned oak.
How to drink it
Neat in a Glencairn is the way to meet it — at 46% and non-chill filtered, it carries plenty of texture without water. A few drops will open the fruit further if you want it. This is not a mixing whiskey; at 15 years and three cask types, anything you add to it competes with the Marsala. Pairs well with aged Gouda, dark chocolate, walnuts and dried figs.
How Red Spot compares to the rest of the range
| Expression | Age | ABV | Cask types | Character |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Green Spot | No age statement | 40% | Bourbon, sherry | Bright, orchard fruit, everyday pot still |
| Yellow Spot | 12 years | 46% | Bourbon, sherry, Malaga | Honeyed, richer, dessert-leaning |
| Blue Spot | 7 years | Cask strength | Bourbon, sherry, Madeira | Powerful, high proof, spice-forward |
| Red Spot | 15 years | 46% | Bourbon, sherry, Marsala | Oldest, deepest, ripe fruit and oak |
Specifications
| Style | Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey |
|---|---|
| Age | Minimum 15 years |
| ABV / Proof | 46% / 92 proof |
| Size | 750ml |
| Casks | American bourbon barrels, Spanish sherry butts, Sicilian Marsala wine casks |
| Distillery | Midleton Distillery, County Cork, Ireland |
| Filtration | Non-chill filtered |
| Range | Spot Whiskeys, in partnership with Mitchell & Son of Dublin |
Frequently asked questions
What makes Red Spot different from Green, Yellow and Blue Spot?
Age and cask. Red Spot is the oldest in the range at a minimum of 15 years, and it is the only one matured in Sicilian Marsala wine casks. Green Spot carries no age statement, Yellow Spot is 12 years with Malaga casks, and Blue Spot is 7 years at cask strength with Madeira casks.
What is single pot still Irish whiskey?
A style unique to Ireland, distilled in copper pot stills from a mash of both malted and unmalted barley. The unmalted barley is what gives pot still whiskey its characteristic creamy texture and spice — the backbone you taste beneath the fruit in Red Spot.
What proof is Red Spot 15?
46% ABV, or 92 proof, and non-chill filtered.
Should I drink it neat or with ice?
Neat is recommended. A few drops of water will open up the fruit. Ice mutes the Marsala character that makes this bottle distinctive.
Is Red Spot a good gift?
Yes — it is the flagship of a well-known range, arrives in presentation packaging, and its 15-year age statement and Marsala cask maturation make it recognisable to whiskey collectors without being obscure.
Where is Red Spot made?
At Midleton Distillery in County Cork, Ireland, and released in partnership with Mitchell & Son, the Dublin wine and spirits merchants who created the original Spot range.