Teeling Single Grain Whiskey

Much better than I expected on the base of description. Its intense in a range. Smoky on a pleasant way, but smooth, reach vanilla with some mint notes. I cannot say any bad.

I could drink this all day. So smooth with dark fruits and toffee.

Re-tasted at Teeling Distillery post-tour tasting, May 11th 2024 My thoughts are similar to those from my second tasting (see below) but this whiskey seems to be on a downwards trajectory. The first time I tasted it (in 2018) I enjoyed it a lot. It had a plush, oily quality and a lot of fruit, butterscotch and vanilla notes. However it seems to be getting thinner and harder each time I try it. In 2018 I gave this 86/100 but in 2020 I dropped my rating to 83/100, and I'm lowering it a point again now. “Above Average” : 82/100 (3.25 stars) ----------------------------------------------------------- Re-tasted in 2020 Nose: Butterscotch pudding, vanilla, crème caramel, baked banana, cloves. Palate: A sweet and spicy arrival with flavours of wood-shavings in the background. Caramel, vanilla (mountains of vanilla), bright tannic spices. Dark chocolate, butter and brown sugar. The texture is less oily than I remember from a couple of years back, but still OK. Finish: Medium/short. Spicy/sweet cereal with a mint touch. A little peppery tannin in the background. I enjoyed this single grain whisky the first time I tasted it in 2018 and again it has not disappointed, but the profile has shifted a little. In previous years it was creamier, more buttery and heavier on the palate. This time round (batch L20 004 016 / April 2020) I noticed more ginger spice notes and some sharp tannin. However it is still a good dram, and very honest in its presentation (un-coloured, non-chill filtered, 46%). There is a facet to it that is bourbon-like. Imagine a lean bourbon with a light fruity and woody character. It’s not surprising, therefore, that this is almost addictive when mixed with Coke as a long drink. For those of you who enjoy a bourbon and cola but always find it just a touch too sweet, try this. I originally rated this whiskey at 86/100 but I'm dropping that to 83/100 this time round. The official rating of 92 seems very generous ... this is worth somewhere in the low-to-mid 80s at most. “Good” : 83/100 (3.5 stars)