This is an incredible Midleton whiskey that was released to celebrate 30 years - the pearl anniversary - of the Very Rare range of blends. A collaboration between retired master distiller Barry Crockett and new master distiller Brian Nation, each bottle carries a signature of both men. Two casks were selected, one a single pot still cask from 1984 and the other a single grain from 1981. These were then married for six months in a fourth-fill Bourbon barrel which eventually yielded just 117 bottles of sublime Irish whiskey! Apparently the Midleton distillery had a massive clearout of old casks during the 1980s when they moved onto a stricter wood selection and cask management scheme. Therefore barrels from this era are incredibly rare and unlikely to crop up again. Great care went into the high-end packaging and presentation. Each bottle is hand-blown at Jerpoint Glass in Kilkenny and a miniature is also supplied for tasting purposes. The oak box which hugs the bottle very neatly was crafted in County Wexford.