MrWizard's Ramblings

Read more here… https://www.teelingw … en/teeling-whiskeys/. I’m the lazy reviewer I record my thoughts and let the reader do their own research on the minutiae. :)
Gotta keep that distillery themed reviews going. This time around from another zoom tasting this time with Teeling Irish whiskey. Their distillery is actual operational distillery in the middle of Dublin (though by law they cannot age or store alcohol within city limits so that’s carted off site to their warehouse. All the samples are 46% abv and I’ve tasted through their core range of products. Their master distiller/blender is well known for trying just about any kind of wood though very few of their experiments make it to the retailers in USA… But teeling is aged in anything between obscure spanish bodega casks to stout to all sorts of different wooden casks… Pretty if there’s a cask of it… they’ll age teeling in it. :)

Teeling Small Batch (Rum Casks)
This is the dark teeling bottle that’s commonly found in most bars and whiskey shops as long as they got irish whiskey. The spirit has been finished for 6 months in ex-rum casks of indeterminate origin. As is with MOST of their whiskeys… there’s some amount of single grain in the batch. The nose is fairly forward single grain smells which when combined with rum influence just smells like refined vanilla sugar and a little bit like vanilla extract. This is tasty in a conversation but falls apart under contemplative drinking due to low age, which doesn’t work with single grains as they need much longer time in the wood to truly sing. Workable in a bar or @work… but frankly… you’re not going to regret skipping it.
Score: C

Teeling Single Pot Still (10/2018)
The mash bill consists of 50% malted and 50% unmalted barley that has been triple distilled. Quite interesting, with funky notes on the nose that almost go into orange zest type of profile. Reminds of some other stuff of the ‘Distiller’s Cut’ type where the heads and tails were cut to the whims of the master distiller leaving more of the flavorful but also more volatile ethers in the spirit. As previously mentioned, orange/tangerine zest, slightly metallic notes and almost savoury character makes this an interesting experience on the palate. Not fully my sort of profile but it is certainly unique enough to pique someone’s interest. There’s some light malty notes but they are more of suggestion rather than a command on intensity. The youth and unmalted grain in the mash, are yet again is the most blatant downsides of this one. More wood and age and this has some amazing possibilities, but as it, it’s a bit of a let down.
Score: B-

Teeling Single Grain
From the site: “Mash bill consisting of 95% corn and 5% malted barley that has been triple distilled and matured exclusively in French oak Ex-Cabernet Sauvignon red wine casks from California”. This is very creme brulee on the nose and very vanilla extract-like. Almost feels like a slightly sweeter version of the small batch. Slight wine notes and yet again vanilla character on the palate. Nowhere near Starward’s red wine flavors by comparison, this feels more integrated with the individual whole. In many ways this drinks like more interesting, a ‘better’, version of small batch. Corn unfortunately provides almost no aftertaste that’s worth mentioning but I wouldn’t say no to this if I were offered.
Score: B

Teeling Single Malt
From the site: “100% malted barley, matured and finished in casks that impart the influence of five wine casks (Sherry, Port, Madeira, White Burgundy, Cabernet Sauvignon)”… And the kitchen sink. This malt is a little bit of everything version. I mean… read the description of the barrels in the mix. The upside is of course it’s very flavorful… the downside… its somewhat of a mess of everything on the flavor profile. Overall… I actually like it. It’s sweet, nutty and slightly reminiscent of sauternes finish with white raisins. Actually somewhat reminiscienting me of Arran’s Sauternes cask finish. Very enjoyable drink if you like sweet white wines and nuts pairing.
Score: B
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Scoring Breakdown: https://www.aerin.or … age=scores_breakdown