A couple of things prompted this tweet tasting post, firstly I was going through some old notes and found this one that I had not yet posted (the tasting was almost a year ago). Secondly Teeling Whiskey is now available in South Africa and exclusively at WhiskyBrother, though only the Small Batch is currently available. And thirdly the Teeling Single Grain Whiskey was recently awarded the World’s Best Grain at the World Whiskies Awards for 2014.
This tweet tasting took place on 4th December 2013, and I was fortunate enough to do this tasting while on holiday on the South African south coast. This twitter tasting was put together and hosted by Steve Rush from The Whisky Wire and their main tweet tasting account @TweetTastings. Steve was joined by Stephen Teeling from the Teeling Whisky Company. Steve also musically paired the whiskies, so the sampling order, with their musical counterparts, was:
- Teeling Single Grain Irish Whiskey = U2 – Desire
- Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey = Thin Lizzy – Whiskey in Jar
- Teeling 21 Year Old Single Malt = Dubliners – Dirty Old Town
- Teeling 26 Year Old Single Malt = Luke Kelly – Auld Triangle
Teeling whiskey
In 1782 Walter Teeling set up a craft distillery on Marrowbone Lane in the Liberties area of Dublin commencing a 230 year tradition of distilling for the Teeling family. The Teeling Whiskey Distillery is the first new distillery in Dublin in over 125 years and it is right back where they started in 1782 and only a stone’s throw away from where Walter Teeling’s old original distillery was. The new distillery will be open for visitors in 2015.
Teeling Single Grain Irish Whiskey, NAS with 46% ABV and cost £40 (R690)
The Teeling Single Grain was recently awarded the World’s Best Grain at the World Whiskies Awards, 2014. It is fully matured in Californian red wine (Cabernet Sauvignon) barrels with no chill filtration.
Colour: Pale gold to corn gold with many medium legs.
Nose: Warm spices (cinnamon) with sweetness in background that comes to the fore with time. Cereal and grains with a nuttiness that leads to lemon and a vanilla sweetness. It has a buttery creaminess to it, like a lemon sponge cake or lemon cheese cake. Also dark cherries with slight ruby grapefruit and a very subtle touch of smoke in back ground.
Palate: Very sweet spiciness on first hit followed by fruit sweetness – berry fruits, red fruits and fruit pastilles. Vanilla again but a custard vanilla. Peppery, cinnamon, citrus, cranberry and strawberry yogurt. Smooth and creamy with some chocolateness around. Drying towards the end.
Finish: Long and warm sweet spiciness with vanilla sweet fruit creaminess at end.
My Score: 83
Tweet thoughts from Teeling Whiskey Company (@TeelingWhiskeyC):
- #TeelingWhiskey our song pairing for Single Grain is “Desire” from U2 – it’s modern Dublin and whets the appetite for more whiskey!!
- The wine cask gave the whiskey a nice red colour #TeelingWhiskey
- #TeelingWhiskey our single grain is double distilled from maize and full matured in ex- Californian Cabarnet Sauvignon wine barrels
- Like most grain this is a sweet soft whiskey, but the wine cask has given it a spice and fruit that is unusual #TeelingWhiskey
- @ansgarspeller yes all our bottlings are at 46% with no chill filtration we just think it makes a better whiskey #TeelingWhiskey
Tweet thoughts from the other tweet tasters:
- #TeelingWhiskey Hay is the word, a little like nose when you are on the Fields in september, with a little citrus – @DH17slijterij
- #TeelingWhiskey anyone know the Rollo candy? (milkchocolate with soft caramel). That. On the nose. – @thomas_speller
- There’s definitely a big red-fruit thing on the palate. Think they might just be ‘fresh’ wine casks, not ‘knackered’. #TeelingWhiskey – @MasterOfMalt
- A red fruit frenzy on the palate, with a velvety vinous vivaciousness. #TeelingWhiskey – @TheWhiskyWire
- Palate smooth with vanilla, butterscotch angel delight, peppermint and nutmeg. #TeelingWhiskey – @MCRWhiskyClub
- #TeelingWhiskey Hay is the word, a little like nose when you are on the Fields in september, with a little citrus – @DH17slijterij
Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey, NAS with 46% ABV and cost £32 (R550)
This small batch bottling consists of hand selected casks which are given further maturation in ex-Flor de Cana Rum barrels with no chill filtration.
Colour: Pale old gold with many medium legs.
Nose: Clean with saltiness, rum & raisin chocolate, creamy spiciness and slight citrus notes (more oranges than lemons). Lovely winter spices (mostly cloves and nutmeg), salt & pepper mix, some malty grains and Red Heart rum. There are hints of tropical fruits (pineapple) with time. To round out, some cereal breakfast bar, slight burnt brown sugar, custard and banana. Not as sweet as the single grain.
Palate: Sweet upfront spiciness, aniseed, vanilla and toffee. Slight woodiness, pepper, cinnamon, and some more of those warm winter spices (cloves and nutmeg), salty and with a dryness as well. Palate is very intense, creamy and rich with lovely oily mouth feel.
Finish: Medium to long with sweet winter spiciness leading to a creamy end.
My Score: 84
Tweet thoughts from Teeling Whiskey Company (@TeelingWhiskeyC):
- #TeelingWhiskey Our music pairing for the Small Batch is Thin Lizzy Whiskey in the jar – rebel Dublin music to go with rebel whiskey !!
- #TeelingWhiskey our small batch is our take on producing the most interesting blended irish whiskey.
- #TeelingWhiskey Consists of Hand selected casks of grain and malt left to marry in Flor de Cana casks for over 6 months
- #TeelingWhiskey interesting that the saltiness is coming through as marrying process happens in our warehouses right on the Irish Sea
- @eimearocarroll #TeelingWhiskey it depends on when it’s ready to be honest can be a small run of only a handful or 30/40 casks – And in answer to question “How many casks go into the small batch? Roughly if it’s a secret! ;)”
Tweet thoughts from the other tweet tasters:
- Faint hints of captain jack n tropical rum #TeelingWhiskey – @irishbeersnob
- #TeelingWhiskey Small Batch rum; Clan tobacco – proper retro tonite – @Dr4key
- #TeelingWhiskey sweet, candy, toffee, chocolate, raisins in lemons, salty, oily and tingling, banana, tea leaves, rum, pepperish, custard – @Girl_Whisky
- #TeelingWhiskey not as smooth on the palate as the grain. Tropical tho, pineapple & mango… held together with a dollop of dark treacle – @kizzsmyth
- cinnamon on a fruit tart. The pastry coming through right at end of the finish. #teelingwhiskey – @champdenwhite
- Don’t like rum, so was a little worried about the SB. Shouldn’t have been. Rum just adds fruity/spicy/sugary notes. I like! #TeelingWhiskey – @AlpacaJo
Teeling Silver Reserve 21 Year Old 1991 Single Malt with 46% ABV and cost £125 (R2150)
This whisky contains some of the oldest Single Malt Irish whiskey ever bottled by the Teeling Whiskey Company. This Silver Reserve bottling consists of 21 Year Old Irish whiskey distilled in 1991 and matured firstly in Bourbon casks then allowed to marry in Sauterne wine casks (a first I believe for an Irish whiskey). Consisting of only hand selected casks chosen for their distinctive taste qualities this small batch bottling is limited to only 5,000 bottles.
Colour: Amber to deep gold with lovely thick and slow legs
Nose: Waxy, earthy, mushroom farm, smoky (fragrant) and peaty. Has an old character to it. Dark dried fruits (apricots), mint, salty, nutty, liquorice, damp wood, grape fruit pastilles (the sugared kind) and tropical fruits there are some of the seemingly characteristic winter spices (mostly cloves) but not as strong as the previous two. Ending with hint of pear drops, sweet toffee apple, braaied bananas and an old leather couch. A powerful nose.
Palate: Winter spice sweetness (cinnamon and ginger), wet antique wood, cedar, dark chocolate, dried fruits (predominately apricots) with a lovely smokiness. Slight braaied banana again, with liquorice, tropical fruits, honey & nuts and a sweet nuttiness. Palate is silky and smooth with an oily mouth feel, drying towards end. Richer and creamier than previous two whiskies.
Finish: Very warm ‘heart’, with long and lingering winter spiciness that has a sweet smokiness at the very end.
My Score: 87
Tweet thoughts from Teeling Whiskey Company (@TeelingWhiskeyC):
- #Teelingwhiskey The music pairings for our Vintages are the the Dubliners my own favourites being the Auld Triangle or Raglan Road
- #TeelingWhiskey also recent Thumbs Up winner in Ultra Premium category at the 2013 Malt Maniacs Awards
- There is a small amount of peat in this one. It brings the start and finish together @irishbeersnob #TeelingWhiskey
- #TeelingWhiskey the original mashbill contained some peated malt, was double distilled and matured in bourbon casks
- #TeelingWhiskey the extra fruity twist comes for the extra maturation in Sauterne sweet wine casks
- #TeelingWhiskey This is a very complex whiskey. When picking the casks I had to focus on the ones with a marzipan note in the middle.
Tweet thoughts from the other tweet tasters:
- It’s everywhere this one. Pineapple, salt, mint and ferns. #TeelingWhiskey – @EdinburghWhisky
- 21 y/o Silver Reserve. Love the nose on this one, really powerful. White grapes, gooseberry and also, a hint of banana! #TeelingWhiskey – @whiskybars
- It smells like I’m in the old wardrobe amongst the fur coats, waiting to walk through to Narnia. @TeelingWhiskeyC Magical! ##teelingwhiskey – @WhiskyDiscovKat
- Wet dog (but a nice 1), leather, smoky like an old Irish man’s tweed jacket, tinned mackerel #TeelingWhiskey (wet dog courtesy of flatmate) – @eimearocarroll
- The banana keeps on coming, this time with a little chilli and cumin. Luscious. #TeelingWhiskey – @LRWhisky
- #teelingwhiskey 21 yo Palate – apricots, peaches, with honey, I gets some nuts towards the finish, with a final boost of smoke – @msykesjones
- #TeelingWhiskey No 3 was right up my alley with its sea flavours and well matured and balanced palate. – @PWulf
Teeling Gold Reserve 26 Year Old 1987 Single Malt with 46% ABV and cost £440 (R7550)
This Gold bottling of 26 Year Old Irish Single Malt is limited to only 1,000 bottles and comes from a handful of casks selected for their unique quality. Double distilled in 1987 and initially matured in bourbon barrels for 25 years this whiskey is given extra maturation in French white Burgundy wine casks for a further 12 months.
Colour: Deep gold to slight burnished with many thick and slow legs
Nose: Sweet and fresh as well as floral and fragrant. Rocky and pebbly beach with a fine sea spray over it. Marzipan, granny smith apples, waxiness, hints of creamy spiciness, pear drops, vanilla, fruit crumble, boiled sweets and lemons. Dark chocolate coated Turkish delight, black currant wine gums, ginger biscuits, fragrant wood and almonds. With time it gets sweeter, richer and creamier. The nose is delicate, elegant and very complex.
Palate: Very smooth and drinkable with dark fruit pastilles/wine gums, sweet spiciness and sweet smokiness as well. There are berry fruits, strawberries, dried fruits, slight honey, some pencil shavings and strong but nice spiciness. Very oily and mouth coating. Palate is simply stunning and beautiful as well as light and delicate.
Finish: Very long, lingering and changing. Sweet spiciness to a light creaminess at end.
My Score: 89
Tweet thoughts from Teeling Whiskey Company (@TeelingWhiskeyC):
- @TeelingWhiskeyC – #TeelingWhiskey the 26 YO is yet to hit the shelves and is not yet bottled. With release planned for 2014 you are getting sneak peek.
- @TeelingWhiskeyC – #TeelingWhiskey This whiskey started life in an AB and had just a little fruit in the nose and the finish was not strong.
- @TeelingWhiskeyC – #TeelingWhiskey So we put it in a White Burgundy cask to try and bring the ends together.
- @TeelingWhiskeyC – #TeelingWhiskey What we didn’t expect was the fruit explosion that the WB casks released in the nose and taste.
- @TeelingWhiskeyC – #TeelingWhiskey silky smooth tropical fruit punch or as Alex would say gummy bear milkshake!!
- @TeelingWhiskeyC – #TeelingWhiskey we knew the 26 yo was special but blown away with the response
Tweet thoughts from the other tweet tasters:
- #TeelingWhiskey 26 yo. Nose – boiled candy cherries. Given the age, very light in colour… but long in legs. like a Rod Stewart ex – @b7ryn
- There’s that same amazing Grilled Pineapple nose on this. Just amazing. #TeelingWhiskey – @MasterOfMalt
- 26 Year Old Nose: A cornucopia of dried tropical fruits evolving now, papaya, pineapple, mango and coconut #TeelingWhiskey – @WhiskyDiscovery
- This whisky just keeps giving…. Layer after layer. From oak, spice, tropical fruit to the tannins of grape skin. #TeelingWhiskey –@SteveRascal
- 26 yr old is a taste EXPLOSION! Fruit, spice, slight smoke, sweet. WOW!! #TeelingWhiskey – @AlpacaJo
- #TeelingWhiskey sweet, honey, fruit arrival delicate, mouth coating experience very different from the 21 YO tastes superb – @HMcnee
Final words
A wonderful introduction the Teeling range and I am really excited to see if more of it will come to the sunny shores of South Africa (though all the rain and load shedding the past few weeks have made it decidedly less sunny). I enjoyed seeing how the different wood finishes, together with the various time in the barrel, created such different expressions, yet with some similar characteristics (like the winter spiciness for me). This I am sure will allow you to find one from the Teeling range that you would really enjoy. For me my favourite from the tasting was the Teeling Gold Reserve 26 Year Old 1987 Single Malt.
A big thank you to Steve Rush from The Whisky Wire for hosting us (and the excellent music pairing) and to Teeling Whiskey for the wonderful Irish whiskies we got to sample. A final note of thanks, as always, to my fellow Tweet Tasters for making it an informative and entertaining tasting:
@TheWhiskyWire @TeelingWhiskeyC @StephenTeeling @LRWhisky @EdinburghWhisky @MasterOfMalt @WhiskyDiscovery @champdenwhite @WorldWhiskyDay @HMcnee @eimearocarroll @Alpacajo @kizzsmyth @SohoWhiskyClub @WhiskyDiscovKat @msykesjones @MCRWhiskyClub @b7ryn @SteveRascal @Dr4key @irishbeersnob @thomas_speller @PWulf @Girl_Whisky @DH17slijterij @whiskybars
Sláinte
Edward
Svein has been created to mirror the hospitable and generous nature of many of the Viking leaders, including its namesake. Svein can best be described as the ultimate Viking chieftain and his spirit lives on through this release. Possessing a steely and ruthless determination alongside a fiery temper, Svein’s exploits lie at the very heart of the Orkneyinga Saga, his appetite for adventure and merriment are legendary. As well as being a hardened, battle-scarred warrior, Svein’s reputation for hospitality showed no bounds.
Einar has been crafted as a tribute to one of the most feared and ruthless Vikings of his time. Einar was a hard and successful Viking, often venturing on treacherous long voyages. Relentless and strong, Einar was easily identified by his axe, which was sharp and brutal, reflecting his fierce character, an example of which can be seen on the packaging of this expression.
Celebrated through this release, King Harald was famed for his army, which was revered across the world at that time. The most feared of his troops were known as ‘berserkers’. Described as intrepid heroes, they carried bloody shields used for hacking through their enemies. Such was the importance of the shield in growing King Harald’s global influence that it adorns the packaging.
Ragnvald, arguably the most famous and pioneering of all Vikings to enter unchartered waters, was most at home aboard his longship undertaking his many great expeditions throughout the Middle East and even Asia. Earl Rognvald was the founder of St Magnus Cathedral.
Thorfinn was a man of much power and influence, who at one stage controlled the whole of the Orkney Islands. The Orkneyinga Saga described him as a great chief, the tallest and strongest of men whose remains are buried in St Magnus Cathedral on Orkney.
The Smoky Dram 