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One single “unicorn” bottle of 47-year-old Midleton Very Rare whiskey is so valuable that it had a police escort to Gormley’s Pub in Rocky River, Ohio. The Irish pub is holding a fundraiser, which will offer sample tastes to 20 rather lucky guests. The black-tie tasting event was held December 5th and 6th at the Clifton Club in Lakewood, Ohio.
A taste of Midleton Very Rare for the luck few
The highly prized treat, valued at $50,000 was the starring attraction of this year’s “Festival of Midleton Whiskeys.” Billed as a “two-day celebration of Irish whiskey which aims to raise vital funds for Malachi House in Cleveland.”
The money all goes to an organization dedicated to preserving “human dignity for terminally ill individuals through the provision of food, shelter, clothing and comfort.” The distiller is onboard as an official sponsor. “Midleton Master Distiller Kevin O’Gorman will conduct a tasting event of multiple premium Irish whiskeys.”
In a recent social media post, Gormley’s Pub shared video of the police escort and had nothing but wonderful things to say about the officers who transported the Midleton bottle for them with flawless security and a shopping cart.
Pub owner Sean Gormley informed the press that “officers with the Rocky River Police Department were very open to the escort.” He also posted a photo of the bottle.
Gormley is really grateful for the security, because rare unicorn whiskey disappears quickly. There’s a shark frenzy of demand in the whiskey market. Liquor stores began putting dummy bottles on the shelves and stashing the real stuff in the safe. Midleton labels this batch “very rare” for a good reason. Not only that, Mr. Gormley was thrilled with all the extra attention the escort brought to his charity event.
“Tickets for that night are $159 per person and will include an Irish buffet and live music.” They didn’t include a ride on the unicorn. “Twenty guests will have the opportunity to purchase tickets for $3,500 per person to sample the whiskey with O’Gorman, along with several other whiskeys and a plated gourmet dinner.”
A little more attention
“I thought it would be nice and just bring a little bit more attention,” Gormley shared with the public. “The police department in Rocky River is very, very supportive and they said they would love to help.”
Local residents were also behind his efforts. Many “expressed their support for the fundraiser and also said that they were happy the police department provided the escort.” Several want a taste of that Midleton Irish nectar, themselves.
Malachi House is what Gormley is focused on. The unicorn Midleton whiskey feels right at home in his authentic Irish Pub but the organization he’s backing is what “made it even more special for me.”
To the proud Irishman, it’s a way to “try and do something special but at the same time, get people to get a chance, once in a lifetime, to taste something they’re never going to see again.” Basically they’re opening a “time capsule.”
This particular Very Rare Midleton 47-year-old edition comes handsomely contained in a custom designed Irish Waterford crystal decanter with an accompanying wooden case. Rocky River Police Chief George Lichman confirmed that his department “helped escort the bottle to the pub just before 6 p.m. on Wednesday.”
Barry Chandler, “an Irish whiskey expert who helped set up the tasting event through his organization, Stories & Sips,” relates that this expression is “a 47-year-old, single-pot still Irish whiskey. It comes from what’s called a silent distillery, so a distillery that’s no longer in operation, will never produce whiskey again and this is some of the last whiskey to ever leave that distillery when it closed in 1975.” Making this unicorn even more elusive to catch, “this is number three in a series of six whiskeys that are being released up until the year 2025, culminating in the 50-year-old release.“
