Tag: Teeling Distillery

I am exploring the last of my Teeling samples, a single malt whiskey from Ireland, and it is time for the Teeling single malt Irish whiskey. I wrote about Teeling whiskey for the first time in 2015 when I captured my tasting notes for the Teeling Small Batch whiskey.

In 2020 I got the opportunity to taste a few more releases from this inventive Irish whiskey brand.  The Teeling Distillery of today was officially opened in 2015. However, the family’s distilling history in Ireland stretches back to 1782; Walter Teeling set up a craft distillery on Marrowbone Lane in the Liberties area of Dublin.

But unfortunately, as the economy turned, Irish whiskey fell on hard times, and the last still ran dry in 1976.  Today the new Teeling distillery is only a stone throw from where Walter set up his distillery in the heart of Dublin.

To generate a profit while their own whiskey mature, they have been buying casks from other Irish distillers and selling it under their own brand.

The Teeling single malt whiskey has spirits matured in five different wine casks; sherry, port, Madeira, white burgundy and cabernet sauvignon. It is made from 100% malted barley with a range of different ages, including malt whiskey distilled in 1991.

In SA, this release retails for around R 790, and last time I checked, WhiskyBrother Shop had some stock.

Other releases in the range include the Teeling Single Grain and the Teeling Small Batch Irish whiskey. Teeling whiskey has no added colour, and it is not chill-filtered.

Teeling Single Malt Irish Whiskey Review

COUNTRY: Ireland

ABV: 46%

COLOUR: Gold

NOSE: Wood and fruity sweetness. Filled with sweet, ripe melon and lemon. Bits of dark chocolate and warming spices.  A lovely inviting nose.

PALATE: A balanced mix of milk chocolate, toasty oak, white pepper and malt. Hints of warming cloves, cinnamon, ginger and malt. Hints of cherry lozenge and butterscotch. Medium body and very smooth.  Some peppermint crisp chocolate in the background. Elegant and delicious! Add water carefully. Water dulls the flavours a bit.

FINISH: Long and lingering with dry oak and sweetness.

RATING: EXCELLENT

A well-balanced dram. The combination of wood, chocolate and spices are wonderfully warming.  Just perfect for winter.  It was my favourite of the three Teeling releases that I tried. The single malt is light but not delicate.

There is a chewy, oily quality to the mouth. Although Teeling used five different casks, none of the casks overwhelms the others. Each brings something unique, and they all fit together well. However, it was better to drink without water.

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Today I look at a single grain whisky from Ireland. The Teeling Single Grain Irish whiskey was first released in 2013. It is the second release that I try from this innovative, unconventional brand. The first release I tasted was the Teeling Small Batch whiskey.

I was fortunate to be invited to a Zoom tasting where Jack Teeling, Marc from WhiskyBrother&Co and Luke Knox took us through a tasting of three Teeling releases.

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The Teeling Distillery of today was officially opened in 2015. However, the family’s distilling history in Ireland stretches back to 1782, when a chap called Walter Teeling set up a distillery in Dublin’s Liberties area. Today the Teeling distillery is only a stone throw from where Walter set up his distillery in the heart of Dublin.

The Teeling Single Grain Irish whiskey mash bill consists of 95% corn and 5% malted barley. It is triple distilled and matured exclusively in ex-Cabernet Sauvignon red wine casks from California for just over 5 years. There is also a Teeling single malt whiskey as part of the core range. Teeling whiskey has no added colour and it not chill-filered.

Teeling Single Grain Irish Whiskey Review

COUNTRY: Ireland

ABV: 46%

COLOUR: Amber

NOSE: Notes of fruity sweetness and creamy condensed milk. Sweet ripe grapes with hints of vanilla and cinnamon. The nose is  elegant, sweet, and clean.

PALATE: Tropical fruit salad drizzled with honey, freshly baked cinnamon rolls with bits of oak and warming black pepper. So smooth and drinkable, you don’t even need to add water.

FINISH: Long and lingering with warming pepper balanced with soft honey sweetness and oak.

RATING: EXCELLENT

The Teeling Single Grain Irish whiskey is deliciously drinkable. It has a chewy mouthfeel with a warming finish. This is not the most complex whiskey, but that is what makes it so drinkable.

You can sip it anytime and enjoy it. It is quite a sweet release, and it works for my sweet palate. However, it is wonderfully balanced with some pepper heat and malty goodness. 

This release is available at WhiskyBrother&Co and retail for around R670.00. I think that it is pretty affordable for something so delicious! If you like Irish whiskey and want to experiment a bit more, this is a wonderful release to try. 

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Today I look at something from Ireland, the Teeling Small Batch Irish whiskey.  In 1782 Walter Teeling set up a craft distillery on Marrowbone Lane in the Liberties area of Dublin.

Little did he know that this was the start of a Teeling whiskey distilling tradition that will span more than 230 years. Dublin was traditionally the heart of the Irish whiskey industry.

But unfortunately, as the economy turned, Irish whiskey fell on hard times, and so did distilling in Dublin, and the last still ran dry in 1976.  In 1987 John Teeling converted an older potato alcohol plant to a distillery.

Situated on the Cooley Peninsula in County Louth, the Cooley Distillery company crafted Irish whiskey under a Teeling’s control. In 2012 Beam bought the Cooley Company, and again it looked like the end of the distilling tradition for the Teeling family.

But the distilling tradition is hard to get out of your blood and bones, and in 2012, the Teeling Whiskey Company started in Dublin.

It is only a stone’s throw from Walter Teelings’ old distillery. The latest generation of Teeling, namely Jack and Stephen, are carrying on the family’s tradition. It is also the first new distillery in Dublin in over 125 years. A distillery right in the heart of Dublin.

The opening of the Teeling Distillery brings the craft of distilling back into the very heart of Dublin city centre. The Teeling Whiskey Company aims to be Ireland’s leading independent Irish whiskey producer through a selection of unique handcrafted small batch Irish whiskeys.

In addition to the Teeling Small Batch Irish whiskey, there is also a single grain Irish whiskey and a single malt whiskey in their portfolio.

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Teeling Small Batch Whiskey Review

I bought the bottle of Teeling Small Batch Irish whiskey from my favourite whisky shop, WhiskyBrother in Hydepark.  The Teeling Small Batch whiskey was finished for 6 months in Rum casks. It is not chill-filtered and bottled during May 2014.

COUNTRY: Ireland

ABV:  46%

COLOUR: Quite a light colour. Golden wheat.

NOSE: Sweet with barley and grains. Grassy floral notes and fresh fruit salad are drifting around. Adding some water enhances the floral character of the Teeling Small Batch whiskey.

PALATE: Boiled sweets, condensed milk and apricots. There are hints of winter spice, like nutmeg and cinnamon, intermingling with some woody notes. The Small Batch is creamy and rich on the palate.

FINISH: Medium length and then comes back with notes of spice and creamy oak. Easy drinking and smooth.

 RATING: EXCELLENT

This Teeling whiskey is one of the few drams that I would prefer without water. Nice and sweet with just the right balance of spiciness. It makes for a great addition to the collection, and I will look for more from this Dublin distillery. In South Africa, this Irish whiskey retails for around R490 and is readily available.

Now I need to go and find a nice creamy Irish cheese to pair it with. I tried it with a bit of vanilla ice cream, and it paired wonderfully.

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