A whiskey story for the ages
A story of tradition, inspiration and colourful partnerships, generations in the making.
Our story
The Spot Whiskey collection is bursting with colourful expressions of alluring and sophisticated whiskeys, designed to immerse you in the moment.
While each whiskey may complement a new moment, a special occasion or an old tradition, the story of how each bottle of Spot Whiskey came to be in your hands is a story worth knowing—and one we always enjoy telling.
A FAMILY OF COLOURFUL CHARACTER
In 1803, William Mitchell heartfully decided that the firstborn children of each generation will be named ‘Robert’, to honour the passing of his close friend. This one act was a defining moment of the Mitchell family story—a tradition that is still observed to this day and has grown and evolved over 200 years. Even centuries later, our story still embodies that careful consideration and caring, thoughtful spirit.
Building a Legacy
Throughout the 1800s, the Mitchell & Son family business expanded and grew in line with Dublin’s needs. From the go-to place for tea, confectionaries and cakes, to wine importing and whiskey bonding, the Mitchell & Son family name was synonymous with quality, and with colourful pursuits that became the foundation of our whiskey collection and led to the firm becoming one of Ireland’s last remaining wine merchants and whiskey bonders.
Careful Curators of Whiskey
In 1887, the firm decided to begin purchasing whiskey stocks to sell from their bonded warehouses and so turned to one of the most well-known and respected distilleries of the day, John Jameson & Son, for Pot Still. Ever resourceful the Mitchells negotiated to use their own empty wine, sherry and port casks to transport and store the new spirit. Leaving the whiskey to mature in their warehouse until the time was right, the origins of Spot Whiskey lay beneath the cobbled streets of Dublin and the finished whiskey were sold to those in the know. This is how the Mitchell & Son family name became synonymous with this trade and with some of the finest Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey in Dublin.
How Spot Whiskey Got Its Name
Stored under the streets of Dublin, secure in their network of underground cellars, the Mitchell & Son family needed a way to distinguish the spirits that were maturing in their selected casks. Each cask was identified with a daub of paint which would indicate how long the spirit would be left to mature for—Blue marked 7 years, Green for 10 years, Yellow for 12 years and Red for 15 years. Little did they know that their simple chosen method of marking the casks with a daub, or spot, of paint would be the beginning of a whiskey collection that has been known and loved across the world for generations.
Matured Through Adversity
It takes a lot to keep a family business operational through the generations, but Mitchell & Son has weathered many storms, not least the near catastrophic collapse of the Irish whiskey industry in the first half of the 20th century which ended the traditional trade to Bonders. While others would simply give up on their dream, the courage of the Mitchell & Son family prevailed, as they fought and campaigned for the whiskey they carefully matured. Not only was their passion palpable, but as their whiskey was known for its quality, they were granted the right to continue their whiskey bonding pursuits. While this story could have ended here, the next chapter was just beginning.
The Company We Keep
The Spot Whiskey story wouldn’t be what it is today without the friends and partners the Mitchell & Son family made along the way. Whether that was the good folk of Dublin out for a stroll on Grafton Street, calling in to see what was new, the Jameson Distillers, passing on their beloved Pot Still Spirit, to the Irish abroad like the writer and Nobel Prize winner Samuel Beckett who despite living much of his adult life in Paris, would always make sure that there was an order of Green Spot with his name on it. Today a whole new generation of whiskey lovers are discovering the artistry of the Spot range for themselves. The company we keep has differentiated Spot Whiskey from the rest and is part of our colourful story we’re still proud of to this day. Every time you sip, gift and enjoy a Spot Whiskey, you’re a part of this story too.
Connecting with kindred spirits
When a family so passionate about what they do, like the Mitchell & Son family, meets those who share the same affinity for bringing great spirits to the world, something spectacular happens. For Spot Whiskey, this came in the form of our Wild Geese collection—whiskeys that have been finished in wine barrels owned and operated by individuals from a group of Irish men who emigrated in the 1700s and set up wineries all over the world. Spot Whiskey Léoville Barton is an example of this, as this winery was established by an Irish man named Thomas Barton, who left Fermanagh for Bordeaux. Chosen as the perfect fit to pair with the wine of Léoville Barton, Green Spot was finished in a cask of their choosing to create a truly unique and interesting whiskey that speaks to the camaraderie of those who deeply care for their craft.
A Growing Collection of Whiskey
Since the 1800s, the Mitchell & Son family have carefully carved a path of courage, curiosity and unrivalled creativity to bring the collection of Spot Whiskey to the world. The original Green, Blue, Yellow and Red Spot Whiskey releases now feature as our core collection, with new whiskeys and collections having come into the portfolio over the last number of years. Our Wild Geese collections celebrate the beautiful intricacies of conscious connection and craftsmanship—Green Spot Château Léoville Barton, Green Spot Chateau Montelena, Quail’s Gate—and our Gold Spot series is a special celebration of the Mitchell & Son family legacy, commemorating seven generations and the esteemed members of Ireland’s premier wine heritage.
