Episode 431: Gold Spot 13yr Irish Whiskey

Welcome back to Chill Filtered, the podcast where we drink whiskey so you don't have to (but you probably should)!

This week, Cole and Bryan return to the Emerald Isle to pour an allocated gem: the Gold Spot 13-Year "Generations Edition" Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey (92 Proof)! (Huge shoutout to Rob A. for hooking up the pour, with assists from Lance and Bryan along the way!) Before diving into the glass, Bryan shares the heartfelt passing of his hilarious Uncle Eric (prompting a ceremonial "pants pour"), Cole reveals plans to head to Colorado with his daughter Grey to visit family and reunite with old buddies for "Brosgiving" at Buffalo Wild Wings (featuring a framed photo of Jackie Chan), and Bryan shares a hilarious mishap where Google Photos confused Gold Spot with cat barf.

📜 History Deep Dive: Single Pot Still, The British Malt Tax & The Midleton Miracle

In this week's history segment, Cole breaks down the defining heritage of Irish Single Pot Still whiskey:

• The British Malt Tax of 1785: How an aggressive Crown tax on malted barley led frugal Irish distillers to blend raw, unmalted "green" barley into the mash to legally evade taxes—accidentally inventing Ireland's signature creamy mouthfeel and spicy "pot still prickle."

• The Midleton Sanctuary: How a catastrophic collapse took the Irish whiskey industry from over 100 distilleries down to just two, leaving County Cork's New Midleton Distillery as the sole guardian of Single Pot Still whiskey for decades.

• The Recioto Cask Finish: How Mitchell & Son collaborated with the Tedeschi family of Veneto, Italy, giving this 13-year pot still whiskey an unprecedented 16-month secondary maturation in sweet, dried-grape Recioto della Valpolicella wine casks.

📰 Whiskey World News: Old Forester 1930 Wheated Bourbon Revealed

• The 1930 Medicinal Homage: A surprise TTB label approval reveals Old Forester’s first-ever wheated bourbon! Bottled at 107 proof, the label pays homage to 1930 when Brown-Forman was granted a federal medicinal permit during Prohibition and contracted the historic A. Ph. Stitzel Distillery (helmed by Master Distiller Elmo Beam) to produce wheated stocks. The guys debate whether pricing will land at everyday retail or follow the premium allocated path of 1924.

• The Vintage Unicorn Market: Breaking down the skyrocketing collector market for vintage Parker’s Heritage releases, from signed Batch 1s to the 27-Year and Golden Anniversary.

❓ What Whiskey Would You Choose?

• Last Week’s Results ($2,000 Secondary Card): Eagle Rare 17 doubled up Parker’s Heritage Promise of Hope (68% to 32%), with great listener write-ins from Ben (Pappy 20 vs. Russell's 15), Mingo, Off Topic Whiskey, and Kody Clark.

• This Week’s Legacy Dilemma: What is a bottle you currently own that you plan to NEVER open yourself, specifically saving it for your kids to have one day?

  • Cole: Blanton’s Straight from the Barrel (especially date-specific bottles).

  • Bryan: Found North First Flight releases (specifically Peregrine, purchased on their New York babymoon before daughter Emma was born).

📊 Episode Ratings & Final Verdict

• Gold Spot 13-Year "Generations Edition" (92 Proof)

  • Bryan's Score: A- (Dense red grape skins, rich butteriness, and a velvety viscosity that opens up into an exceptionally memorable pour with water or ice)

  • Cole's Score: B / 8.81 (Starts with an unexpected malty punch before blossoming into bright tropical mango, pear, and pineapple; a stellar pour, especially over an ice cube)

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