TEELING IRISH WHISKEY SHOWDOWN Teeling Small Batch Rum Casks Teeling Single Cask Sherry Cask I’ve been spending more time with Irish Whiskey recently, and I’m pleasantly surprised with Teeling. Their whiskies show an attention to detail and quality, as well both tradition and innovation. Teeling produce several bottlings, ranging from the entry-level Rum Casks to Single Barrel to limited editions. What follows is a review of the only two that I’ve tried from their portfolio. However, I had to open three other bottles from three different producers for comparison to make sure my head was screwed on straight (or rather, so that my tongue wasn’t tied, or my nose narcotized); so in a sense this is a five-part Showdown, but I didn’t go into depth with the three non-Teeling whiskies. Teeling Small Batch Rum Casks Medium straw color (Pantone 124). Tropical fruit nose shows grapefruit, papaya, guava, and banana, along with white raisins, fruitcake, gardenia, and some ethanol, with a little vanilla layered in. It actually smells a little like a resposado tequila, which sounds unusual but is in sync with the other descriptors. It’s also rum-like, which makes more sense given the rum cask finishing. I also get a honey-lemon note analogous to a Hall’s cough drop, but without the menthol (similar to the note I find when nosing Nikka Coffey Malt, only lighter; I opened the Nikka and tasted it to check, and a similarity is there). The mouthfeel has some viscosity, and the palate is very fruity, with more white raisins. The 46% ABV shows itself on the back end at an appropriate volume, and there’s more honey lemon, butterscotch, and some vanilla on the finish, with a subtle espresso undertone (like espresso with a bit of sugar and a twist of lemon). I like this entry-level Teeling, but it takes some time to open up (I nosed and tasted it for nearly 40 minutes). It’s unconventional to me, even given my somewhat limited (but growing) experience with Irish Whiskey. Sipping it is like wandering through a maze, with welcome unexpectedness around each corner. In addition to the Nikka Coffey Malt nose, it reminds me of a junior version of Compass Box Hedonism (which I’ve never cared for nor rated well; but I opened it too, and found some similarities, though the Compass Box was far more viscous and vanilla-y). Where else are you going to find a complex Irish whiskey at 46% ABV which is non-chill filtered, intellectually satisfying, and under $40? I’d venture no where aside from this offering. Would I buy it again? Yes. I’ll be looking for a replacement soon (my bottle’s final pour was used for this review). 4.0 on the Distiller scale. 46% ABV. Non-chill filtered. Batch # SB/61. Initially aged in bourbon casks, followed by up to 12 months in rum casks. Teeling Single Cask Sherry Cask Medium straw color—virtually identical to the Rum Casks expression. (Pantone 124). Complex nose shows honeysuckle, gardenia, Cheerios, cocoa powder, breakfast ham, butterscotch, toffee, hot cross buns, candied cashews, bacon, dates, and buttered pancakes. The mouthfeel has an oily richness, and the palate shows a similar grapefruit and papaya aspect. The 62.6% ABV is noticeable and grabs your attention, yet remains suave and debonair (not unlike Pierce Brosnan, the Irish James Bond). The grapefruit continues on the finish, and like the Rum Casks expression, a slight espresso bitterness appears underneath, but this is complimentary rather than disparaging. The Teeling Sherry Cask is fuller, richer, and more expressive than the Teeling Rum Casks (as expected), boosted by the higher APV. Tasting it reminds me of drinking an age-worthy cab before its time—it comes across as focused, but a little tight. If it were a wine, this would resolve and mellow in time (of course as a whiskey, that won’t happen in the bottle). So I decided to pour a little Redbreast Lustau, which is another Irish whiskey finished in sherry casks (albeit at a much milder 46% ABV). They are very different; the Lustau is smoother, like Macallan 18’s country cousin (as I wrote in my most recent review on it). The Teeling Sherry Cask is far more floral and fruity, and even sharp (grapefruit). It is very complex. This limited-release Teeling expression can be found for around $115 (only in duty-free shops, as far as I know). This bottle was a generous gift from a good friend, but would I buy it? Yes. 4.25 on the Distiller scale. 62.6% ABV. Distilled 2016; Bottled 10/2023. Limited release. Both of these Teeling expressions are atypical—so much so that I brought the three aforementioned additional whiskies to the table for comparison. Both Teelings share a tequila aspect on the nose (reposado for the Rum Casks; añejo for the Sherry Cask), and I’d bet that with the Rum Casks especially, tasted blind next to the right reposado, an experienced taster would be hard pressed to tell the difference (I’ll have to try that combination too, I suppose). Teeling is a brand that I’ll be paying attention to, and I’m eager to try additional bottlings. N.B.: All spirits tasted neat in a Glencairn glass.