FIRST SIP: Mitchell & Son Yellow Spot and Green Spot

First off, we love the entire Spot Whiskey lineup. You truly can't go wrong with any of these great whiskeys sourced from the New Midleton Distillery in Co. Cork. Mitchell & Son started out as bakers and wine merchants, eventually becoming whiskey bonders in the 19th century. They quickly made a name for themselves aging and bottling their own private labeled whiskeys that were distinguished by the color of the paint spot on the barrels that corresponded to the age of the whiskeys. 

Yellow Spot is aged in bourbon casks and sherry butts, and finished in Malaga wine casks from Spain. It is definitely spicier than Green Spot with distinct black pepper notes and some good bite to it. Yellow also lingers longer in your mouth. It's aged a minimum of 12 years and sometimes longer. 

Green Spot is a bit sweeter and fruitier, you might say more approachable. It's not too sweet by any means--think green apples. The original Green Spot is aged for 7 to 10 years in bourbon and sherry casks. Other varieties include the Chateau Leoville Barton, finished in ex-Bordeaux wine casks for 12 to 24 months, and the Chateau Montelena, which is finished in red zinfandel casks from Napa Valley. Perhaps we'll detail these upmarket varieties in a later review...

As we said, Yellow Spot and Green Spot are both excellent, very drinkable choices. Green Spot is a better daily drinker, because of the price point ($50-60), broader availability, and smoother finish. At $95-110 a bottle, we suggest breaking out Yellow Spot for special occasions or at the very least a fun Saturday night with people who love drinking really good whiskey.

YELLOW SPOT: 94 points 

GREEN SPOT: 93 points