I’m all for independents in the whisky industry. I think the fresh perspectives and propensity towards innovation are healthy for the whole sector. I may have even teared up a little when I heard that independent Irish distilling company Cooley had sold out with all of its brands to liquor giant Beam Inc. (which later was acquired by the even-more-giant Suntory to form Beam-Suntory). Jack Teeling, son of Cooley founder John Teeling, has struck out on his own and formed the Teeling Whisky Company, with an eye towards replicating his father’s success. The company will build the first new whiskey distillery in Dublin, Ireland in 125 years. It is slated to open in 2015, with whiskey ready to bottle in late 2018.
Until then the company is selling sourced and finished whiskies such as this one, a rum-finished Irish whiskey of unknown origin. It is a blend, with 35% malt and 65% grain aged somewhere between 4 and 7 years. The vatted blend is then finished for 4 to 6 months in Flor de Caña rum casks, an unusual touch. The whole is not chill-filtered and is packaged in a very attractive bottle at 46% ABV for under $40. The bottle I bought was filled in January 2014. Teeling also sells a sourced Single Grain and a Single Malt.
Nose: Rum for sure. Raw cane juice and golden rum dominate the aroma. Underneath, there is a very, very light Irish whiskey – passive and apologetic in nature. One could even be forgiven for guessing this was gold rum in a blind tasting.
Palate: Now the grain steps forward. Hay and oatmeal, lightly sweet. The burn is a bit intense for this low ABV. After, some coconut and vanilla emerge, and the cane juice reasserts itself.
Finish: Medium long. Caramel hard candies. Vanilla bean, and rum cake. Not bitter.
With Water: A few drops of water reveal something lightly floral. The tongue burn on the palate is lessened, and the body is a bit thicker. A few drops of water aren’t a bad idea with this one.
Overall: Huh. The nose is a disappointing takeover of rum, leaving little trace of whiskey. The palate is more in line with what I expected, but the lightness in flavor leads me to believe that the malt component of the blend is small, and the rum is meant to understudy in the role of flavor. The overall effect is of one of those flavored whiskeys hitting the market, where the transparent marketing leads us to believe that taking sub-par whiskey and flavoring it with something sugary is an acceptable business practice. This is a few steps above that, but I would have much preferred something with real Irish character. Here’s hoping that the Teeling Whiskey Company can stay afloat until it begins distilling something it can be proud of.
I just tried this—-the nose starts off well, but really falls short on the palette. A bit grainy and harsh. Unfortunately, I had this after trying a Redbreast…I almost spit this back out. Overall—not bad for the price ( I paid $35)—-but if I’m going to spend $35…I’d rather get something much better, like a Willett rye or Weller bourbon.
Disagree, I like it, Redbreast 12 is better but I will take Teeling over the overpriced Greenspot
As one who primarily drinks single malts, I was nicely surprised by this Irish whiskey. What initially appealed to me was the high ABV for an Irish blend – I’m convinced that ABV correlates with taste – and the low price here in SE Florida ($30). Not harsh at all to my palate, surprisingly light and rum sweetness apparent. Definitely a keeper and will pick up again.
Upon opening i was sure i had mistakenly purchased a bottle of rum. Nice clarity upon inspection. Sweet forward taste followed by moderate to intense burn. Pleasant finish with sweet rum and slight floral accents. Add a cube to 3oz in a whiskey glass and it’s a hit, not a bad buy for only $35 in ny.
[…] distillery output is ready for bottling in late 2018) has been hit-or-miss for me. The entry-level Small Batch bottling is a disappointment, while the limited-edition Revival series has been delightful. None of […]
It’s amazing whiskey. Your head is up your ass. Canada will do that to ya
Gotta love constructive comments like this. Not sure what you mean by “Canada will do that to ya”. I’m American.
That comment is unrefined like this whisky, it is still a bit immature. Though the batches have probably gotten a little better because since 2018 Teeling can draw from their own stock from what I understand here.
This is also a very proper blend with a descent malt content, and the rum finish in this NAS category is rare. At about 25 euros in my part of the world I believe this is a good value for money whiskey and certainly of better quality then many other blended counterparts.
You do have to be able to appreciate the light rum finish influence, the grain whiskey part and the young age in this one though.
Thanks for the notes, Nyx – I always appreciate getting peoples’ perspectives. Cheers!
Your welcome. Thank you for sharing your reviews here, they have been very helpful when I got started exploring whiskies.
A shot of this in a pint of Guinness is a near perfect drink.
On its own, it’s a nice change up. Sweet and spicy but easy going down. The first taste was disconcerting but the whiskey improves dram by dram. It’s its own thing and I’ll definitely be buying again. Made for a relaxing giggly St Patty’s for the wife and I.