Teeling Single Pot Still, Batch1, 46%

It’s been a long time coming.

Whiskey distillation has returned to Dublin!

I remember visiting the building site that became the Teeling Whiskey Distillery here.

I remember my first visit to the working distillery here.

And I remember drinking their new make Poitin – distilled in Dublin – here.

So it’s a great treat to eventually getting round to tasting their first official whiskey.

All previous Teeling releases are sourced. I’ve enjoyed a fair few of them over the years so this young Single Pot Still has a very high bar to follow – some might say an impossible task – so does it make the grade?

Well – it Smells Like Teen Spirit!

The idea that a just-over-3yr-old Single Pot Still can match the complexity & depth of flavour of malts matured in a variety of barrels for at least 5 years or more – much more in many cases – is frankly ridiculous.

This Single Pot Still is fresh, lively & exuberant.

There’s plenty of sweet fresh fruit on the nose with just a hint of sour new make in the background.

Initially a smooth fruity mouthfeel develops into a dry peppery spice with a good deal of prickly heat.

The dry spices fade leaving a clean tropical fruit finish.

I actually really enjoy it – but it’s hardly an easy smooth tannic laden whiskey of hidden depth & character. It’s a little rough around the edges – nothing a few more years wouldn’t sort out.

Teeling Single Pot Still & Tuath Whiskey Glass c/othewhwiskeynut

But then this whiskey was never meant to be the finished item.

It’s a work in progress to highlight the maturing process – to keep the adoring fans happy – to keep Teeling in the limelight and to earn a bit of return too.

It’s a historical bottling with a release of 6,000 at an affordable price.

It’s presented at 46% – and like all Teeling releases – there is no chill filtering nor added caramel.

A nice touch is the light blue label which mirrors the Dublin GAA colours.

Let The Spirit Of Dublin roll on!

Sláinte