Teeling Single Malt Irish Whiskey Review & Tasting Notes

 

As we approach St. Patrick’s Day, it seems timely to explore some Irish whiskeys.

My history with Teeling Whiskey goes back about ten years. I was the Whiskey Consultant for Vom Fass’s flagship store in Madison, Wisconsin, and several independent bottlings of Teeling whiskeys were available. One of them, Against the Grain, was my secret weapon whenever someone came into the store and suggested they didn’t care for whiskey. I’d pour them a sample, and it was a game-changer more often than not.

 

If you’re not familiar with the Teeling family, you should be. Go back a few generations to Walter Teeling, who started the journey back in 1792 in Dublin. Teelings have been involved ever since. In 2015, John Teeling purchased a formerly-state run industrial whiskey facility, installed a couple of stills, and was known as the Cooley Distillery.  Cooley wasn’t any distillery; it was winning accolades for what it produced. It became so much so that in 2011, Beam Suntory bought it.

 

You'd be wrong if you thought that was the end of the Teelings. John’s sons, Stephen and Jack, teamed with their first employee, Alex Chasko (its Master Distiller and Blender), and opened the Teeling Whiskey Distillery in 2015. It was the first new distillery in Dublin in 125 years. Because of that, combined with laws governing Irish whiskey, anything with the Teeling label before 2018 is sourced (and often Cooley distillate).

 

Today, I’m pouring Teeling’s Single Malt. It is non-chill filtered, naturally colored, and weighs in at 46% ABV (92°). You can expect to pay in the neighborhood of $54.99 for a 750ml package.

 

“Made with Irish Whiskeys distilled from 100% malted barley, matured and finished in casks that impart the influence of five wine casks (Sherry, Port, Madeira, White Burgundy, Cabernet Sauvignon). This Irish Single Malt Whiskey delivers a unique fruit-forward flavour profile that is complex, yet balanced and has often been described as “a symphony” of flavour.” – Teeling Irish Whiskey

 

I procured a 50ml taster from a random liquor store. Let’s #DrinkCurious and learn how this one tastes.

 

Appearance: I drank this neat from my Glencairn glass. Inside, it looked like gold bullion. A medium rim released sticky tears that barely moved down the side of the glass.

 

Nose: The first thing I smelled as I brought the glass to my face was honeydew and cantaloupe. Beneath those, I found vanilla, pear, citrus, apricot, and date. Peach danced across my tongue as I inhaled the vapor through my lips.

 

Palate: A thin but creamy mouthfeel offered almost exclusively sweet notes throughout my palate. The front began with apricots, figs, and plums. The middle consisted of honey, citrus, and pineapples, while the back featured clove and ginger.

 

Finish: Lemon, apricots, figs, honey, wood tannins, and clove closed the show with a medium-long finish.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: I was disappointed when I reviewed the Teeling Single Grain. The Single Malt more than makes up for it. If you love fruity notes, this incarnation of Teeling will bring a huge smile. There’s a lot of value here as well, and when everything is considered, there’s nothing else to do but crown it with my Bottle rating. Cheers!

 

My Simple, Easy-to-Understand Rating System

• Bottle = Buy It
• Bar = Try It
• Bust = Leave It

 

Whiskeyfellow encourages you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit but begs you do so responsibly.