Whiskey Teeling single grain review and tasting notes
Teeling single grain whiskey is a very soft, velvety spirit, with a honey taste, in the most classic Irish style. After all, the Teeling distillery is one of the most important in Ireland and one of the oldest. Just think that the first to start this business was Walter Teeling in 1782!
Today we will talk about the entry-level product of the Teeling distillery, this meek but very soft Single Grain. Forget about the malt because this is a whole other world. The very aromatic and ethereal base of the grain whiskey is felt. The lacquer tones are strong, but the peculiarity of this Irish whiskey is that it has aged in Californian barrels used to make red wine. And not a light wine, but a robust Cabernet Sauvignon. And obviously, all the extract and the fruity flavors were transmitted to the distillate, smoothing the edges of the grain.
How Teeling single grain whiskey is made
The method is classic, but both the mash composition and aging are atypical, even for experimenters like Teeling. The mash is composed of 95% corn and 5% malted barley. Then after a triple distillation, the whiskey rests in barriques (French barrels) used to produce a powerful wine such as Cabernet Sauvignon.
The bouquet
The nose is genuinely Pindaric, full of perfumes that punch each other, but overall it manages to find elegance and its way to balance. The fruit is very ripe, dark. There are hints of citrus jam to no end and cooked apples, candied oranges. Then the spices and the leather whip your nose, with lashes where you can feel the wood of the barriques and the wine. Delicate background of flowers and then cream and butter, caramel and popcorn. The call of corn is thundering. If you taste it blind, it seems a much warmer distillate. It turns to tones almost of sugar cane and honey. But then the spices come back and bind to the more ethereal tones. It is the opposite of what a territorial distillate can be or wants to enhance the purity of the ingredients, but in reality, it is very captivating.
What does Teeling single grain whiskey taste like?
It is warm, buttery in the mouth, with fruity notes that take over. There are oxidized flavors of raisins and pears in alcohol. Still, it has rhythm, reasonable structure, a warmth balanced by pepper, spices and a burnt caramel finish reminiscent of crème brûlée. Never banal, never stylized as it might seem to the nose. Indeed it is not complex and pure, quite the opposite. It is like drinking a Christmas pudding, but the result is very alluring. It does not require great meditation.
In conclusion, Teeling single grain whiskey is a baroque spirit, but easy to read and very satisfying.
Price
45 euros, a fair price for a very approachable product. Will appeal to Bourbon whiskey lovers.
How to serve Teeling single grain whiskey
Add 2 tablespoons of freshwater to lower the 46 degrees of alcohol and bring out the most delicate aromas. In this way, the whiskey will be more elegant and subtle.
Cocktail to make
Rob Roy, Whiskey Sour, Old Fashioned, Godfather, Rusty Nail.
Food Pairings
Spoon desserts, trifle, chocolate, salmon terrines, brisket and pulled pork, chocolate salami, apple pie, tiramisu, creme brùlée.
