Review #708 - Green Spot 10 Year Boutari Greek Wine Series Single Cask - Finished in 2004 Ex-Vinsanto Wine Cask
The standard version of Green Spot Irish Whiskey doesn't have an age statement, but the Spot website discloses that it's composed of single pot still whisky aged between 7 and 10 years. On rare occasion, the Midleton distillery will bottle exclusive single cask versions of their Spot whiskies - this single cask Green Spot was aged for a full 10 years and is presented at a strength of 54.9% ABV.
This single cask is part of the brand's Boutari Greek Wine Series, which is a limited line of Spot whiskies finished in wine casks from the Boutari winery in Greece. This bottling specifically employed a cask that previously matured a vintage 2004 Vinsanto wine - this is a style of sweet dessert wine, one that draws its sweetness from the sun-aging of the grapes, but also contains a high level of acidity to bring balance. Before that finishing cask, this spirit underwent triple distillation and the usual Green Spot aging combination: ex-bourbon casks and some sherry cask influence.
These Spot single casks are quite hard to find. This one, for instance, was available only for purchase directly from the distillery in Ireland, and only just over 300 bottles were produced. Because of this rarity, the secondary prices or auction market for these bottles has increased significantly - we generally see prices in excess of $300, though it varies quite a bit from bottle to bottle.
Green Spot 10 Year Boutari Greek Wine Series Single Cask - Finished in 2004 Ex-Vinsanto Wine Cask
Ireland - Single Pot Still
Price: USD 310 (2025, based on recent auction results)
Age Statement: 10 Years
Strength: 54.9% ABV
Cask Makeup: First fill ex-bourbon, refill ex-bourbon, and sherry casks; finished in an ex-Vinsanto wine cask
Details: 312 bottles
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 2 times over 3 months from a sample. Tasted in a nosing glass each time, rested 15+ minutes
Nose: Rich, creamy grain and some sweetness from butterscotch and brown sugar, but we also get a soft prickle from oak influence. Time brings stronger wine influence: raisins, blood orange and orange seeds, a little hint of chocolate. Oatmeal pops up, and the oak takes on a musty side.
Palate: The mouthfeel is medium-thick; the texture is fantastic, quite syrupy. Strong juicy prune notes and chocolate are balanced by a soft oak tannin, and then we get red berries like cranberry sauce, oranges, apples, and some vanilla. Caramel adds more sweetness; at the end, there's some mulled red wine. Very rich overall.
Finish: Drying oak builds, accented by clove. There's still a strong fruit side, especially juicy plum and prune, a bit of tangy blood orange; then it's baking and dessert notes like fudge, creamy white chocolate, and honey. Sweet grain notes linger in the aftertaste, and the texture is still excellent; it's a medium-long finish.
Final Note: The nose here started out a bit subtle to us, but the palate brings so much flavor, and maybe the best part of this whisky - the texture. We can't think of many whiskies with a creamier texture than this, and it pairs so well with those sweeter fruit and dessert notes that build into the finish. This does have plenty of fruit in the palate, which shows the wine cask influence; overall, nice complexity, if maybe slightly unbalanced toward the sweet side of things.
Despite this being a very good whisky, value at these secondary prices in excess of $300 isn't great. This might be one of the collectors, unless you happen to be lucky enough to be one of the few to see a similar single cask on sale from an original retailer.
Our Average Rating: 7.8 / 10
In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.
Value Rating: 4.73
About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.
