American Oak Ex-Bourbon Casks and French Red Wine Finish
Original Bottling
Limited Edition
Single Pot Still
Bottled in 2025
Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured
Totally Unpeated
Apparently, at Teeling, they want to try every possible finish. Here, on a Single Pot Still aged in Bourbon barrels, a finish in red wine barrels, notably Bordeaux, has been added. The bottling was designed specifically for the French market, let’s see if it’s a nice gift or not.
Let's Taste It :
The red wine is intense, stewed fruits, candied cherries, currant berries, all generously sprinkled with cinnamon. Café stretto, chicory, licorice. Beautiful wooded framework, light touches of earth and coal. On the palate, blueberry pie, blackberry confit, but also creamy vanilla, yellow peaches, honey and a few tannins. Cloves, nutmeg. Fair finish, chewing tobacco, toasted bark, roasted hazelnuts. A variety of cereals is felt. Muesli. Grape seeds, almonds.
In Short,
Honestly, I liked it, except that the finish is a bit tight and on the palate, it's a bit watery. But above all, the problem is that you don’t feel anything from the distillate. Only a few cereals on the finish. In summary, it’s pleasant, but neither a monster of complexity nor flavors full of character.
Ex-Bourbon Barrels and Portuguese Alentejo White Wine Finish
Original Bottling
Limited Edition
Blended Whiskey
Bottled in 2024
Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured
Totally Unpeated
This Sommelier Selection series has been in existence for a few years now. This batch is the 6th, bottled in 2024 and released for sale the following year. Batch 7 has been released since then. I already tasted Batch 3, which I had found not bad, it was finished in Amarone wine. This Batch 6 raises a slight suspicion, as white wine sometimes gives acidity in the barrels.
Let's Taste It :
Yellow fruits, mineral notes, some cereals, vanilla, mirabelles and grapes, greengage and quinces. Pinch of salt, which fails to hide a slight acidity, granite and gypsum, muesli bursting with caramel, tall herbs. On the palate, it goes well, but it’s a bit light, apples, pears and other orchard fruits, chlorophyll, angelica, custard cream, honey drops. Discreet spices. Quite long finish, almost sparkling, bread dough, dark tobacco, chocolate filled with nuts. Quite a bit of lemon at the end. Malted biscuits.
In Short,
It's decent, though a bit off on the palate, but I don't understand the purpose of this series. The character of the wine doesn’t work with this Blended Whiskey, so the marriage can only be a bit messy. The wine itself was certainly good, the whiskey is not bad, but the two together seem to contradict each other. Maybe with a less cereal, more floral distillate, it would have been fine. But that’s just my feeling, maybe I missed something.
Ex-Bourbon Barrels and Ex-Rum from Santa Teresa in Venezuela Finish
Original Bottling
Limited Edition
Blended Whiskey
Bottled in 2026
Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured
Totally Unpeated
The Small Batch is Teeling’s flagship product. Few people know this, but it is always finished in rum casks. However, this one is a limited edition, finished in rum casks from the Santa Teresa solera in Venezuela. In fact, it’s part of an exchange, the Santa Teresa solera has also released a rum aged in Irish whisky casks. For the original Teeling Small Batch, the finishing process lasted six months, I assume it’s the same for this one. However, there’s no mention of why the Venezuelan rum is better than the Nicaraguan rum used for the original.
Let's Taste It :
The rum appears to be of a certain quality, beetroot, caramel and honey, molasses, refined sugar with essence, dark chocolate, coconut flakes, lychees, macerated almonds, metallic undertones, raisins, figs. On the palate, it is slightly oily, coconut oil, waves of vanilla, almond paste, egg custard, pineapple in syrup, peach melba, light spices. A decent, almost long finish, crumble dusted with cinnamon, vanilla pod, clove, crème fraîche. Egg yolk, coconut pearls. Cereals.
In Short,
Yes, it’s a bit better than Teeling’s previous rum-cask-aged things. But I struggle with this sort of ageing, it’s too sweet for my taste, it masks the grain notes, which are the fundamental flavour of whisky, and it rarely results in a lovely finish. That’s somewhat the case here, despite a decent nose and an almost interesting finish. Not much to get excited about, though.
Bourbon Casks and Ti Ced' Vanilla Macadamia Rum Finish
Original Bottling
Limited Edition
Blended Whiskey
Bottled in 2024
Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured
Totally Unpeated
There are very few details available about this bottling. It is a limited edition announced in 2024, apparently available only in France. It is a Teeling Small Batch that has undergone a 12-month finishing process in casks previously containing Ti Ced’ flavoured rum, infused with vanilla and macadamia. I must admit I hesitated a little before tasting it, but nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Let's Taste It :
There are notes of cereal, fresh wheat, hay. But these quickly give way to sweet flavours, vanilla pod, cane sugar, agave. Green apple, mild caramel, slight woodiness. Not-quite-ripe Reine-Claude plums. On the palate, it is light, the influence of rum is noticeable, baked apples, cinnamon and a hint of citrus. Coated pralines. A few spices, ginger, aniseed. An unremarkable finish, biscuits, honey-toasted bread, apple peel, crème fraîche, wood shavings, walnuts. Water lilies.
In Short,
I didn’t find it particularly interesting. The whisky itself is already of average quality, and on top of that they’ve added this rum finish, which spoils it. It’s too sweet for my taste, and the same flavours linger from the nose right through to the finish. It lacks complexity. Fortunately, the high alcohol content adds a bit of a kick, and the finish does have a certain appeal after all.
Virgin American Oak, Ruby Port, Caravelos White Port, Madeira and Bourbon Finish
Original Bottling
Core Range
Single Malt
Launched in 2014
Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured
Totally Unpeated
Teeling Single Malt was launched in October 2014, five months before the Teeling distillery opened. At the time, it was therefore an independent bottling, drawing on stocks from Cooley, a distillery founded in 1987 by John Teeling and sold in 2012, though without the stocks. The original Teeling Single Malt was therefore a Cooley whisky, with some casks dating back as far as 23 years, and was the result of a blend of five types of cask, Sherry, Port, Madeira, White Burgundy and Cabernet Sauvignon, following an initial maturation in Bourbon casks. However, after 12 years, the recipe apparently changed, as the distillery’s website indicates a different maturation process, still involving five types of cask but not the same ones. I assume that, at present, all the whisky comes from the Teeling distillery, so this is indeed an original bottling.
Let's Taste It :
On the nose, toasted cereals, crunchy roasted maize, mashed banana, and a subtle mineral touch. Tropical notes, wax, melted butter. Candied citrus fruits, melons, figs, caramel, vanilla-flavoured milk. Mountain honey. On the palate, still very fruity, but also quite watery, peaches and pears, lacquered wood, milk chocolate, intense spices, cloves, ginger, grey pepper. The finish isn’t very long, but it’s decent, rusks, small and slightly tart apples, roasted hazelnuts, nougat, cane syrup. Shortcrust pastry.
In Short,
I’m not particularly impressed, the nose is interesting, but the fivefold finish muddies the waters a bit, there are too many varied flavours that clash. On the palate, it’s too light, and the finish is rather short. I’m often a bit wary of Single Malts from Ireland. As far as I’m concerned, they should stick to Pot Still.
Upon its release, this whisky was billed as “the oldest bottling of Irish Single Malt recently released”, and it is precisely its age that poses a problem. Where does it come from? It cannot be a Teeling, as their distillery only began operating in 2015, but it cannot be a Cooley either, as that distillery only started production in 1989. In 1983, there were only two active distilleries in Ireland, and only one of them produced Single Malt. That’s Old Bushmills. So this is an independent bottling, even though that isn’t stated anywhere. Only 275 bottles were released for sale, but I reckon the Teeling family kept a few bottles for themselves, and I can’t blame them. The very simple maturation process promises a very pure spirit.
Let's Taste It :
The nose offers a very varied and complex bouquet, intense and brimming with a variety of fruits, juicy pears, baked apples, exotic fruits such as papaya and even mango, buttered toast, floral notes, and a medley of citrus fruits including mandarins, lime, grapefruit, persimmon. Sweet notes are reminiscent of cane sugar, very pure vanilla and a few grains of cereal, but these are subtle and very well balanced. On the palate, it is smoother, even waxy, yet very well crafted, the vanilla blends with honey and mirabelle plums, light caramel, mashed bananas, perhaps a hint of coconut and apricot. The spices are almost undetectable. The finish is very long, very oily, and powerful despite the low alcohol content. Wood shavings, sweet cider, very ripe yellow plums, a trace of liquorice. Varnished wooden floor, blond tobacco.
In Short,
Thanks to an astonishing turn of events, I was able to taste it twice, and I’d like to thank the person who made it possible for me to be granted this great favour (Hi Steve!). It’s the oldest Irish whiskey I’ve ever tasted, and also the best, without a shadow of a doubt. What makes this nectar so special is, first and foremost, its maturation in Bourbon casks, which allows the spirit to reach its full potential. The other aged Irish whiskies I’ve tasted have been matured in Sherry, Port and even Burgundy wine casks. I’m all for experimentation, that’s part of what makes whiskey so wonderful. But nothing beats a very good Bourbon cask. And finally, despite its age, despite the triple distillation, and despite the low alcohol content, the spirit remains surprisingly expressive, deep and complex. Some old whiskies or whiskeys lose their intensity with age, but that is certainly not the case here. This makes it an excellent product that is an absolute must-try for anyone interested in Irish whiskey, a thoroughly respectable ‘Holy Grail’. Unfortunately, the price far exceeds the median French salary, and even my own salary. If samples could be sold, it would sell much better.
Score : 91
To Be Listened While Sipping :
Jeff Buckley & Elizabeth Fraser - All Flowers in Town Bends Towards the Sun
For the 4th edition of the Brabazon Bottling Series, a tribute to William Brabazon, Earl of Meath and President of Newmarket in the 17th century, the Teeling brothers have selected a fortified white Port wine called Carcavelos, for a 2-year finish, after the juice distilled in 2007 had spent 11 years in various Port casks. Only 10,000 bottles were produced, which would be sold in early 2021.
Let's Taste It :
A few plants to start with, seaweed, tall herbs, then vanilla, sour candies, apricots, mentholated strawberries, holly, tart tatin. Heather. A lemon zest. Pear liqueur. Granny Smith apples. On the palate, well-balanced, sweet, seasoned with a few spices. Ginger, cumin, cinnamon. Not overpowering. On the other hand, the finish is peppery, almost explosive, quite long and very pleasant. Wood, star anise, honeysuckle. A touch of dry earth.
In Short,
It's quite good, like the 2nd edition, but it's less to my taste, as I've never been a great fan of white port. The price seems a bit crazy to me. Why this sudden increase? The 3rd edition, although older, was cheaper.
Port Casks and Ex-Bourbon Barrels, Tawny Port Finish
Independent Bottling
By The Teeling Whiskey Company
Limited Edition
Single Malt
Bottled in 2018
Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured
Totally Unpeated
It was in 2017 that The Teeling Whiskey Company launched the Brabazon Bottling Series, in tribute to William Brabazon, 3rd Earl of Meath, who presided over Newmarket in the 17th century. The 2nd edition of the series is aged in 6 different Port casks aged between 7 and 16 years: 3 casks of Ruby Port, 2 casks of White Port and one cask of Tawny Port. This last cask is in fact a 2-year finish, the liquid having previously aged for 10 years in a Bourbon cask. The whole is blended, then bottled in 2017 in an initial Batch of 12,500 bottles. Following its success, The Company decided to release a 2nd Batch the following year, with the same alcohol content, the same recipe and the same number of bottles. It was this 2nd Batch that I tasted.
Let's Taste It :
On the nose, after a pinch of star anise, cinnamon, calva, mulled wine, white chocolate, salted butter toffee, cloves, wood resin, red apples, berries, blackberries, bilberries, damsons enter the dance. On the palate, the first impression is of wood and red fruits, raspberry, blackcurrant, then the spices rise, quite strong, paprika, star anise, coriander, curry, chilli. The finish is long enough, also spicy, woody, earthy, hot chocolate, malted milk, cereals.
In Short,
Frankly, it's very sweet, easy to drink, fruity, spicy and deep. A great success. The value for money is a bit low, but it's worth buying if you're an amateur.
Ex-Bourbon Barrels and Ex-Bordeaux Red Wine Finish
Independent Bottling
By The Teeling Whiskey Company
Limited Edition
Single Grain
Bottled in 2021
Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured
Totally Unpeated
Originally, Single Grain was not supposed to contain an ounce of malted barley, but gradually it was combined with a blend of cereals. Here we have 95% corn alcohol and 5% malted barley alcohol. As the product is 13 years old, we can deduce that it comes from the Cooley distillery, of which the Teeling brothers bought 16,000 casks when their father sold the distillery to Beam Suntory. So this is an independent bottling, and a limited series, even if the number of bottles on sale is not specified. The 4-year finish in Bordeaux red wine casks adds a touch of originality that the Teeling brothers are accustomed to, within the strict framework of Irish whiskey tradition.
Let's Taste It :
Bordeaux makes its mark, with heather earth, forest fruits, berries, blackberries and gooseberries. There are also conifers, with fir, pine needles and resin. Varnished wood. Red plums. Bulk cereals, puffed rice, wheat, corn, oats. All in fine balance. On the palate, it's vinous, muscat grape juice, rich spices, tannins, fat earth. The finish is a bit light but very long and warm, on cola and oak bark. Damp undergrowth. Grapes burst on the palate.
In Short,
A very fine marriage between grain alcohol and Bordeaux wine. The result is really pleasant, with hints of cereals and red fruits, it's very greedy. It makes you want to buy one, but unfortunately the value for money isn't very exciting.
It all began in 2009, when the Galway Bay Brewery opened, attached to TheOslo bar in Galway. To create their 200 Fathoms Imperial Stout, the owners used casks that had been used for Teeling Small Batch. And in 2017, things have come full circle, with Teeling using the same casks that were used for the Small Batch and then for the Stout, to finish their new Blended Whiskey for 3 to 6 months, which would therefore be called Teeling Stout Cask. It would be released in a limited edition of 12,000 bottles, but as it was such a success, the experiment was repeated at least twice a year since then, and it's fair to say that this expression is now part of the Core Range.
Let's Taste It :
From the very first nose, it has body and depth. Cinnamon, dark chocolate, coffee, cumin and cloves - this is a good, heavy stout. Coal and fig, followed by a hint of apple and vanilla. On the palate, smoky wheat, more chocolate, woody notes, nice thickness of the juice. Some spices, paprika and pepper. The finish is long, full of coffee, with a hint of ginger, earthy at the end, and even after swallowing, you get the feeling there's still a little left in the mouth.
In Short,
A great initiative for all stout lovers, including myself. It's rich and deep, but also slightly fruity. I really liked it, and I'm thinking of buying it, even if the value for money is a bit tight.
In 2018, Teeling released a 12-year-old finished in Amarone wine casks. And this year, they are releasing a new edition finished for 16 months in casks of this Italian wine. But this time it's as part of the Small Batch Series, also known as Sommelier Selection. It's the Teeling Small Batch, finished in barrels of Margaux, Sauternes or Amarone wine. As the age is not specified, we can assume that this is an original bottling, from the Teeling distillery, and not from Cooley. Exactly 10,800 bottles went on sale.
Let's Taste It :
Pleasant and sweet nose of damsons, gooseberries and candied cherries. Wood bark, blueberries, blackcurrants. Corn and vanilla follow, with a hint of limestone and cereals. Wheat in the sun, dry earth. The palate is a bit light, but very vinous, with blackberries and raspberries. A lemon zest. The finish is decent, but not too long, with wood, charcoal and a square of dark chocolate. Cola, morello cherries, mocha. Heather earth, undergrowth, bay leaf.
In Short,
Yes, it's not bad, I found it almost as good as Isle of Arran's Amarone Cask Finish. But I'd have to do some serious comparing. Having said that, I don't really see the point, you lose a bit of the distillery's hallmarks.
Like the Small Batch, the Single Grain was first made from Whiskey sourced from the Cooley distillery, then, with the Teeling distillery having opened in 2014, it is safe to assume that editions bottled after 2018 did indeed come from the latter. The first Single Grain releases were limited editions, but it seems that they have now been integrated into the regular range. What makes them special is that they are aged entirely in Californian wine casks. The cereals used are corn and wheat.
Let's Taste It :
Delicious treats, crème brûlée, genoise, hot corn. Wood, thistle, tall grass, reeds. A certain minty freshness. Cereals, of course, but I don't feel the crispiness and crunchiness of the grain. On the palate, nice balance between vanilla and cereals, hard corn kernels, hay. Lying in the hay. Egg yolk, melting caramel. Unfortunately, the finish is a bit aggressive and short, slightly woody, more like popcorn, a touch of caramel, or even aniseed.
In Short,
I was really enthusiastic, until the finish, which brought the score down. It's a shame. Otherwise, this is a fine Single Grain with character, and the wine casks bring a smooth and sweet side that goes very well. Recommended for enthusiasts, although rather expensive.
All Teelings aged over 7 years can only come from the Cooley distillery, from which the Teeling brothers left in 2012 with no fewer than 16,000 aged casks, before founding a distillery in their name in 2014. The 4 Renaissance editions have all been finished in different wine casks. This one, released earlier this year in a batch of 9,000, was finished for eighteen months in Muscat wine casks. As usual, at Teeling they try to add a touch of originality to tradition.
Let's Taste It :
Baked apples, slightly acidic, delicately vanilla flavoured. The wine is clearly present, with pear juice, Chasselas grapes and sugar candy. Very nice balance. On the other hand, the palate seems a little too light compared with the very pleasant nose. Spices, turmeric, saffron, cumin, orange and quince jam, dried apricots. Red plums. Very long, woody finish, with hints of cereals and vanilla. Wheat, cola. Spring water, running between the rocks. Humus.
In Short,
An excellent one, where the finish enhances the fragrances without losing the product's identity. With a slight downside on the palate, which didn't seem quite up to scratch. All in all, a very good juice, but unfortunately too expensive for what it is.
When the juice produced by the Teeling distillery was finally ready to be bottled, the brothers of the same name wanted to start by producing something typically Irish. Single Pot Still, half unmalted barley and half malted barley, triple distillation, it's all there. However, we have all the ingredients of modern whiskey: reduced to 46°, not chill-filtered and without colouring, and a touch of originality with this triple maturation which aims for perfect balance.
Let's Taste It :
Cereals on the nose right from the start, which is hardly surprising, this is the realm of Single Pot. Corn, smoked wheat, barley. Then a hint of vanilla bears witness to the influence of Bourbon. The Sherry gives body to the whole, without really leaving its mark. A hint of heather. On the palate, discreet spices, honey, it's sweet. You can almost feel the cereals crunching under your teeth. Quite a long, strong finish, straw, hay, cowshed, dry earth. Pumice. A bit more honey.
In Short,
It's quite frankly a success, if you ask me. You'd have to make a comparison with the Redbreast 12 year old, but I'm not sure that the latter would come out as the winner. On the other hand, the price is a bit exaggerated.
Ex-Bourbon Barrels and Flor de Cana Nicaragua Rum Finish
Original Bottling
Core Range
Blended Whiskey
Launched in 2013
Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured
Totally Unpeated
When the Cooley distillery was sold to Beam Suntory in January 2012, the Teeling brothers, sons of the distillery's founder, arranged to recover 16,000 casks in agreement with the new owners. They then launched the Teeling Whiskey Company to sell these casks, and with the profits they opened the new Teeling distillery in Dublin city itself in 2014. Small Batch was launched in 2013. Initially made with Cooley juice, it has now been produced in Teeling itself since 2018. It is two-thirds 4-year-old Grain Whiskey, and one-third 7-year-old Single Malt Whiskey. The two are blended and then finished for 6 months in rum casks.
Let's Taste It :
Mellow corn on the nose, sugar cane, icing sugar, genoise. A hint of limestone. The cereals are in the background, but you can clearly smell them, it's harvest time. Wheat, sunshine, barley. On the palate, light vanilla, pastry cream, marzipan. Sweet without being aggressive. Puffed rice. Thick and creamy milk. Perhaps a drop of lemon, but no more. Then the spices rise, pepper, cloves. The finish is a bit harsh, but very long, on corn and other cereals.
In Short,
The finish in rum casks gives an original profile, especially on the nose, and the whole is not too shabby. I'd recommend a purchase for lovers of grain whiskey, provided you can find it at a decent price.
