A Trinity of Teeling Whiskey

Kicking off a small Irish whiskey series here on AdventuresInWhiskey.com, we take a look at the trinity of releases from  Teeling Whiskey Co.  Owners Stephen and Jack Teeling not only have Irish whiskey running through their veins, it flows through their family blood line.  See, back in the late 1700s, a Teeling was distilling whiskey in Dublin.

In recent times, John Teeling, Stephen and Jack’s father, founded the Cooley distillery in the 1980s.  The brothers learned all they could about the whiskey business.  However, when the distillery was purchased by Beam in 2012, Stephen and Jack sold their Cooley shares and used the money to start an independent distilling company – the first new Dublin distillery in a very long time.  That company was given the family name – Teeling Whiskey Co.

The brothers brought in distiller and micro-brewer Alex Chasko from Oregon to help with distillation.  While the company is currently distilling whiskey, it’s not mature enough to actually be called Irish whiskey.  Like Scotch, Irish whiskey must age a minimum of three years and a day to carry the name.

In the meantime, Teeling has sourced some whiskey from a distillery they know well – the Cooley distillery.  Though the company sells other expressions, their core range is built upon three whiskies: a Small Batch, Single Grain and Single Malt.  Let’s take a look.

Photo courtesy of Teeling Whiskey Co.

Photo courtesy of Teeling Whiskey Co.

Teeling Small Batch

A blend of malt and grain whiskey, Teeling Small Batch comes non-chill filtered and bottled at 46%.  The primary maturation takes place in ex-bourbon casks.  The blend is then finished in ex-rum casks for six months.

The nose starts off slightly harsh and rum-sweet.  After a few moments, the alcohol vapors disappear and make room for sweet grain, clove honey and spiced vanilla.  On entry, lovely vanilla ice cream mingles with malted grain and a touch of oak.  A bit of baking spice shows up towards the end and well into the sweet finish.

Teeling Small Batch is a great blended Irish whiskey.  I like the subtle touch the rum cask finishing adds.  This is a solid blend that has a great mouthfeel and is flatout fun to drink.  Pour a glass and enjoy.

8/10

Teeling Single Grain

Single grain whiskey means there is an absence of malted barley in the mash bill. In the case of this Teeling Single Grain, the majority is made of corn.  Grain whiskey is usually lighter in style when compared to malt whiskey.  This expression is finished in California Cabernet Sauvignon wine barrels for an unknown period of time.  Like other Teeling whiskies, this one is un-chill filtered and bottled at 46% abv.

The nose is sweet and fruity thanks to the predominately corn makeup and wine finish.  Taste-wise, the wine finish is apparent.  This whiskey is full of big fruity red wine notes.  There’s a bit of spicy oak underneath, adding a little balance to the fruit flavors.  The finish is shorter and drier than the Small Batch.  It features a nice spiciness I wish were in the palate.

Grain whiskey is very delicate, and a cask finish can quickly overpower the whiskey’s character.  I think that’s what has happened here.  The wine cask finish has overtaken any whiskey notes instead of complimenting them.  This whiskey has very nice flavors, but I wished the wine notes would take a back seat to the whiskey.  That said, the wine finish does add richness to what might have been a bland grain whiskey.  If you go into this whiskey knowing that, you’ll enjoy this expression.

7.5/10

Teeling Single Malt

Here’s something you don’t see everyday.  Teeling Single Malt is a blend of malt whiskies aged in five types of wine casks:  Sherry, Port, Madeira, White Burgundy and Cabernet Sauvignon.  There’s no age statement here, but for what it’s worth this expression contains whiskey aged up to 23 years.

The nose for Teeling Single Malt is sweet and fruity, just not as much as their Single Grain release.  There’s a nice combination of candied berries and dried fruit alongside cereal grains, creamy toffee and some vanilla.  A bit of bright citrus pops up as well.  The full-bodied palate is similar to the nose, with malt, dried fruit and lemon rind proving to be the dominant flavors.  Honey adds some sweetness.  Astringent oak lurks in the background, as it adds to the layers here instead of overpowering them.  The finish is the longest of the three, carrying a honeyed fruit sweetness.

Teeling Single Malt is my favorite of the three expressions.  It’s the most complex and palate-pleasing to me.  The malted barley really holds up well to the wine barrel maturation.  Very nice.

8.5/10
(Note: Review samples were provided by Teeling Whiskey Co.)

Glenmorangie Milsean Single Malt Scotch Review
Photo courtesy of Glenmorangie.

Photo courtesy of Glenmorangie.

The seventh and latest entry to Glenmorangie’s Private Edition line is Milsean.  This limited edition non-age statement (NAS) expression, bottled at a healthy 46% abv, begins with Glenmorangie matured in ex-bourbon casks.  The whisky is then transferred to deeply toasted wine casks for a secondary maturation lasting several years.  Dr. Bill Lumsden, head of distilling and whisky creation for Glenmorangie, set out to make a whisky that reminded him of the sweets available in a traditional confectioner’s shop.  The packaging is even reminiscent of candy stripes.  Of the new expression, Lumsden said:

“A glass of Glenmorangie Milsean transports me straight to an old-fashioned sweet shop with its sweet and spicy bouquet, with hints of sugar cane, ripe fruits and fudge. Extra-maturing Glenmorangie in heavily toasted red wine casks for the first time, has allowed us to create a whisky recalling a bygone era.”

The wine casks used for secondary maturation previously contained Portuguese red wine.  Toasting these casks caramelized the wine sugars as well as wood sugars from the barrel.  These casks were involved in a “pioneering experiment” before being used for this new expression.

Let’s take a look at how this new Glenmorangie expression tastes.

Glenmorangie Milsean

The nose is full of sweet, ripe fruit, brown sugar and delicate spice.  Deep down is a touch of salted toffee alongside a hint of wine.  Overall, the aroma isn’t overly sweet, but comes across as slightly richer than Glenmorangie’s standard 10-year-old expression.  On entry, cinnamon candy tingles the tongue, followed by caramelized fruit, vanilla ice cream and citrus (which comes across as those chewy orange candies).  It brightens up a bit towards the end of the mid-palate.  The finish starts off spicy, then develops into refreshing tropical fruit and slightly astringent oak.

This is the sample kit I received. It contains a 100mL sample bottle, a Glenmorangie-branded nosing glass, and a USB drive filled with photos and product information.

The sample kit I received contained a 100mL sample bottle, a Glenmorangie-branded nosing glass, and a USB drive filled with photos and product information.

The press materials paint this whisky as one that’s extremely sweet.  Instead of saccharine sweetness, Glenmorangie Milsean exhibits caramel richness, fruity sweetness and a vibrant combination of spice and crisp citrus.  Together, these flavors come together very nicely.  Dr. Lumsden has created a very interesting expression with Milsean that can be enjoyed anytime, especially after dinner.  I can’t wait to taste what’s next.

8.5/10
(Note: A review sample was provided by Glenmorangie.)

Glenmorangie “The Original” Single Malt Scotch Whisky Review

Dr. Bill Lumsden is obsessed with wood.  Lumsden is head of distilling and whisky creation for the Glenmorangie Company, which owns the Ardbeg and Glenmorangie distilleries.  If you examine the range of Glenmorangie expressions, you get an idea of Lumsden’s fascination with how different barrels affect his whisky.  The distillery pioneered the idea of finishing whisky, which is a brief secondary maturation in a different type of barrel than used during the primary maturation.

Glenmorangie owns a forest in Missouri.  Casks made from this good ole’ American oak are leased to some American distilleries.  Heaven Hill is rumored to be one.  These American distilleries age their bourbon, then turn over the used barrels to Glenmorangie.

Glenmorangie 10yr

The youngest Glenmorangie whisky aged in these barrels is their 10-year-old expression: Glenmorangie The Original.  Most, if not all, of the rest of their expressions then go on to a brief secondary maturation in a variety of different casks, like the new Glenmorangie Milsean, which is finished in re-toasted ex-wine casks.

Glenmorangie The Original is the distillery’s simplest whisky expression.  Ten years in first and refill ex-bourbon casks.  That’s it.  But don’t let that simplicity fool you.  Glenmorangie’s stills, the tallest in Scotland, produce a light and floral spirit that, combined with meticulous wood management, lead to a sweet, complex whisky.  This expression is bottled at 43% abv.

Glenmorangie 10yr B

The nose is on the lighter side, but still maintains a richness about it with notes of light toffee, honeysuckle and vanilla.  Sweet malt provides a rich quality, while lemon rind adds some brightness.  Those last two aromas mentioned are the first flavors encountered on the entry.  The bourbon cask maturation adds a bit of sweet toffee and some vanilla bean, as well as a bit of well-integrated oak.  Then there’s light fruit and the not-quite-subtle floral character.  No flavor note outweighs another, giving us a beautifully balanced whisky.  The finish is full of honeyed malt.  It’s clean and doesn’t last too long.

This isn’t a “heavy” whisky.  Instead it’s a highly flavored, delicate whisky.  I can see why this is the best selling single malt whisky in Scotland.  Glenmorangie “The Original” is one to pull out for a friend who’s never tasted Scotch.  At the same time, it should please even experienced whisky drinkers.  Recommended!

8.5/10
(Note: A review sample was provided by Glenmorangie.)