In 2015 Teeling distillery fired up its stills in Dublin and this new Birthday Batch celebrates the 10th anniversary. It consists of some of their oldest Irish single malt and pot still whiskeys, matured in ex-bourbon casks. This release is exclusive to their distillery gift shop and online shop, but by now I fear all bottles will have been sold. All profits went to local charities, nice!
Teeling Whiskey – 10th Birthday Batch (50,1%, OB 2025, 500 btl.)
Nose: a mix of gentle malt aromas, spiced up by the pot still. Plenty of red apples and biscuity notes, along with light peach. Pastry notes follow closely, like vanilla cake and butter cream. Then mild hints of curry, white pepper and cinnamon. Over time a brighter hint of melon and lemon appears.
Mouth: green apples, lemon oil, tangerine peels and vanilla custard. It comes with a punchy kick of grainy notes and pepper, with barley sugar and bread dough in the background. Some oily notes as well. Then some caramelized notes and a hint of boozy chocolates in the end.
Finish: medium long. The grainy sweetness stays strong, along with citrusy notes, green herbs and mildly drying oak.
Tasty whiskey and a nice achievement, even though it stays a little on the safe side. With so many (Irish) distilleries going through hard times, you need big drams to fill the shoes of the lovely non-Dublin expressions.