The Mistake is a whisky that was created accidentally.
The folks at Natterjack Irish Whiskey made a mistake, but they decided to embrace it. They also decided that since a mistake had been made, they would call it The Mistake.
A fortuitous production accident, the new whiskey is the result of taking their regular whiskey, which combines both Irish and American aging techniques, and accidentally leaving it in 46 of the producer’s virgin American oak casks for an extra year.
Natterjack traditionally ages its Irish whiskey for one year. The Mistake, which comes in three different bottle label designs, will be available at select Total Wine & More stores and other fine wine and spirits retailers. A limited quantity will also be available for purchase online at shop.natterjack.com. The Mistake is 46 percent alcohol by volume and the suggested retail price is $58.99. Like other Natterjack whiskeys, The Mistake is distributed in 14 states, including New York, Florida, Illinois, Texas, California and more.
“It was a very fortunate accident,” said Aidan Mehigan, founder and CEO of Natterjack Irish Whiskey. “After discovering the barrels, we opened one of them and it burst with hickory barbecue and roasted nut aromas.”
“When we first tasted it, we immediately noticed that it had twice the flavor and extract, and a strong oak,” he says. “That’s when we knew we had something special.”
The Mistake is first aged in old bourbon barrels for three and a half years. The liquid is then finished aging in a virgin American oak barrel for two years using a char level of 4.
Mehigan’s whiskeys combine Irish and American whiskey-making traditions. “I love bourbon, so for me the idea of producing a whiskey using Irish and American techniques made sense,” says Mehigan, explaining that his whiskeys are first aged in barrels that were used to make bourbon before being finished in virgin American oak casks.
On the nose, The Mistake gives off aromas of hickory barbecue and toasted nuts, followed by burnt cinnamon and scorched orange peel. Sweet almond then gives way to leather and grain, or saddle and forage. At first sip, there’s vanilla on the palate that gives way to a burst of anise or licorice. Potent oak notes combine with warm molasses, toffee, and a hint of Granny Smith apple, with a long, hugging finish.
The three different labels used for this cocktail include a special toad, the natterjack, which is the only toad found in Ireland. Mehigan suggests enjoying The Mistake in high-alcohol cocktails like the Old Fashioned, the Manhattan, or the Mint Julep. Two recipes included for The Mistake are the Natterjack Irish Coffee Martini, which is made with 1.4 ounces of The Mistake, 1 ounce of coffee liqueur, 1 ounce of espresso, and a quarter-ounce of simple syrup, and One for the Toad, which is made with equal parts The Mistake and pineapple juice.
The Mistake is Mehigan’s third release. Natterjack debuted with Natterjack Irish Whiskey, which sells for $39.99 and is 40 percent alcohol by volume, and Natterjack Cask Strength, which sells for $89.99 and is 63 percent alcohol by volume.
