Teeling 32 Year Purple Muscat Finish

NOSE Dry wine, brown sugar, baking spice, complex dried dark fruit, earthy malt, slight tannic oak touch vanilla fondant. Dark and brooding, like a storm cloud moving in. PALATE Complex dried dark fruit, complex baking spice, complex dried dark fruit, earthy malt, slight tannic oak, and touches of vanilla fondant and camphor. Rich and dense with a slightly acidic bite that keeps this fresh and interesting sip after sip. FINISH Long -> Dried dark fruit, dry wine, brown sugar, oak, and spice.

The nose is rich with berry fruits, warm caramel and a touch of vanilla bean. The flavors burst in the mouth with a wash of grape that never overwhelms, but supports and melds with the malted barley. For such an ancient aging, there is plenty of character here. The higher proof helps by bringing out the more subtle characteristics of an elder Irish whiskey. The mouthfeel is smooth and balanced throughout the palate, and the finish lingers with just a hint of the Muscat at the end. Very tasty, very well done, and very rare indeed.

The best Irish whisky I ever tasted and one of the best of any whiskies I have ever tasted. Nose: Raisins, Blackberries, Dark Chocolate, Plums, Mocha, Blackcurrants, Lavender, Violets, Pineapples, Grapefruits, Pommegranites, Milk Chocolate, Rosewater, Honey, Elderflower Palate: Milk Chocolate, Pineapples, Pommegranites, Grapefruit, Passionfruit, Dates, Figs, Lavender, Prunes, Blood Oranges, Chili Peppers, Cloves, Cinnamon, Elderflower Finish: Raisins, Plums, Grapefruit, Pommegranites, Blackcurrants, Bananas, Toffee, Sultanas, Honey, Maple Syrup, Pineapples, Walnuts, Cashews, Blood Oranges, Ginger, Chili Peppers

I was privileged to try this spectacular whisky in the company of Teeling's master distiller Alex Chasko this week. The nose is a ripe cornucopia dripping with mango, apricot jam and figs. Each sip is a concentrated juice bomb of stewed stone fruits, thick and syrupy, that lingers with a finish of more apricots. I l love the tropical and stone fruit flavors of the older Cooley whiskies bottled by Teeling and this one is among the best. Hard to put on the finger on the influence of the muscat cask from my small pour, but whatever it brings to the party is clearly welcome.