Teeling 15yo Single Grain Sauvignon Blanc Cask

Teeling 15yo Single Grain Sauvignon Blanc Cask

Teeling bottler
Single malt
Pale copper
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: White wine, vanilla, popcorn, golden syrup, photocopy paper, nutmeg. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, thickens, hot, astringent. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Pear drops, vanilla, popcorn, nutmeg, white grapes, white wine, hints of cinnamon. 
Finish: Short. Pear drops, vanilla, popcorn, nutmeg. 

Comments: 

Sweet sour, lots of estery notes, with fruit and grain. Quite well spiced, cinnamon and nutmeg abound. The white wine cask is quite prominent. I don’t think this is from Teeling distillery itself, it’s just a little too old.

Verdict:

I like this.

The Donn Irish Whiskey 7yo 2023 Edition

The Donn Irish Whiskey 7yo 2023 Edition

The Craft Irish Whiskey Co
Single malt - Unknown
Dark brown
46.15% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cola nuts, orange peel, chocolate, sandalwood, raspberry jam, rye bread, hints of black pepper. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, astringent, hot, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Raspberry jam, chocolate, black pepper, orange peel, vanilla, cream, cola nuts. 
Finish: Medium. Orange peel, cola nuts, raspberry jam, chocolate. 

Comments: 

Sweet and rich, quite unlike a normal Irish whisky. Lots of fruity and chocolatey notes. I have no idea which distillery this is from.

Verdict:

I like this.

A Speyside distillery 17yo

A Speyside distillery 17yo

Chorlton Whisky

Single malt - Speyside 
Mahogany
55.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, honey, chocolate, raspberry jam, treacle, vanilla, cream. With water, cream, raspberry jam, vanilla, shortbread. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens, tingly, hot. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Cream, vanilla, honey, Demerara sugar, raspberry jam, meringues, cloves, nutmeg, sandalwood. With water, shortbread, black tea, malted grains, vanilla. 
Finish: Medium. Raspberry jam, cloves, meringues, cream, vanilla. 

Comments: 

Now this is a sherry bomb. Lots of classic jammy sugary notes, but water brings out buttery shortbread and some floral sandalwood. A very nice dram indeed.

Verdict:

I like this.

Dunville’s 10yo PX Cask

Dunville’s 10yo PX Cask

Dunville’s
Single malt - Unknown
Golden bronze 
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, vanilla, chocolate, sourdough bread, orange peel, hints of sugar cane. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens, mouth coating, slippery. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Chocolate, malted grains, sourdough bread, apricots, raisins, orange peel, black tea. 
Finish: Medium. Malted grains, sourdough bread, raisins, black tea. 

Comments: 

A very restrained PX cask from Dunville’s. This one is bready and cereally, with only the odd raisin or apricot. It’s less sweet on the tongue than in the nose, but retains a decent level of complexity.

Verdict:

I like this.

Highland Peated 18yo

Highland Peated 18yo

That Boutique-y Whisky Company, Master of Malt
Single malt - Unknown
Dark gold
45.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pineapples, chocolate, leather, peat, driftwood smoke, coffee, malted grains. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, warm, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Chocolate, pineapples, leather, driftwood smoke, malted grains, lemon zest, honey, sea salt. 
Finish: Medium. Leather, peat, honey, malted grains, smoke. 

Comments: 

Secret distillery dram that is now part of the new TBWC core range. My guess is Balblair. Anyway, it’s well peated and well integrated, tastes of smoky chocolate covered pineapples.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Widow Jane 10yo (bottled 2022)

Widow Jane 10yo (bottled 2022)

Widow Jane distillery
Single bourbon - Kentucky
Amber red

45.5% ABV

Dram

Nose: Autumn leaves, black tea, dunnage, honey, brown paper, hints of dark chocolate. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, airy, slippery. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Brown paper, dark chocolate, honey, oatcakes, toffee, vanilla. 
Finish: Short. Brown paper, dark chocolate, orange peel, hints of autumn leaves. 

Comments: 

Batch 627. A sourced bourbon from Widow Jane, so this is a mystery malt. It’s rather one dimensional, unfortunately, lots of dark chocolate and brown paper. It’s pleasant enough though.

Verdict:

I like this.

Amaethon Single Malt

Amaethon Single Malt

Spiritique
Single malt - Champagne-Ardenne
Pale gold
45% ABV
Dram

Nose: White wine, sumac, lemon zest, cream, yoghurt, hints of green tea. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, watery around the edges, expands, cool. 
Tasting:  Sour bitter. Sultanas, green tea, lemon zest, cream, sourdough bread, malted grains. 
Finish: Short. Sourdough bread, white grapes, green tea, hints of yoghurt. 

Comments: 

I think this may be Rozeliures whisky, but I’m not sure. So it goes down as ‘unknown’. It’s a little thin and simple, even with the higher ABV. There’s some fruit on the tongue but it’s not well developed.

Verdict:

Not bad.

Dunville’s PX Cask Strength (Cask 1644)

Dunville’s PX Cask Strength (Cask 1644)

Dunville’s 
Single malt - unknown
Dark amber 
55% ABV
Dram

Nose: Coffee, raisins, red grapes, damson jam, black pepper, butterscotch, hints of honey. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, airy, loosens, hot. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Raisins, coffee, dark chocolate, honey, orange peel, damson jam, hints of black pepper. 
Finish: Long. Butterscotch, honey, black pepper, coffee, dark chocolate. 

Comments: 

This is excellent stuff from Dunville’s. The spirit takes the cask well, it’s well integrated with the cask influence but still retains some character. Very sweet, with bitter accents, and quite enjoyable.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Dunville’s 20yo Oloroso Cask

Dunville’s 20yo Oloroso Cask

Dunville’s 
Single malt - unknown 
Amber
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Honey, toffee, apple juice, raisins, malted grains, vanilla, hints of butterscotch. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, loosens, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Toffee, honey, raisins, apple juice, white grapes, white pepper, photocopy paper, butterscotch. 
Finish: Medium. White pepper, butterscotch, honey, toffee. 

Comments: 

Excellent and flavoursome, lots of toffee, honey and spice. It’s probably Cooley distillate, but it’s not common knowledge, so it’s a mystery malt for me. Can’t wait for these guys to bottle the juice from their Echlinville distillery.

Verdict:

I like this.

Blossoming Auld Sherried Whisky (bottled 2016)

Blossoming Auld Sherried Whisky (bottled 2016)

Michel Couvreur
Single malt - Unknown
Amber red
45% ABV
Dram

Nose: Roast pork, raisins, clay dust, cinnamon, black tea, blackcurrant cordial, orange peel, hints of blue cheese. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens, cool, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Raisins, cola nuts, clay dust, tobacco leaf, black tea, black pepper, hints of blue cheese. 
Finish: Medium. Black tea, raisins, orange peel, black pepper, hints of tobacco leaf. 

Comments: 

Whisky of unknown origin, save that it’s Scotch, apparently cave aged. The aging has imbued the whisky with some rancio and a little minerality. The sweet notes are enhanced, but the whole is perhaps a little unbalanced.

Verdict:

I like this. 

Seaweed & Aeons & Digging & Fire 10yo

Seaweed & Aeons & Digging & Fire 10yo

& Whisky, Master of Malt
Single malt - Islay
Orange 
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, peat, honey, wood smoke, autumn leaves, nori, orange peel. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, cools, thickens, astringent. 
Tasting:  Bitter. Nori, honey, orange peel, wood smoke, leather, smoked bacon, hints of cinnamon. 
Finish: Short. Peat, leather, wood smoke, orange peel. 

Comments: 

Excellent smoky salty whisky, especially for the price. I think this is a Laphroaig, but others say Caol Ila. Regardless, there’s plenty of savoury yet gentle smoke.

Verdict:

I like this.

Teeling 18yo Renaissance Series No 2 (Australian Shiraz Cask)

Teeling 18yo Renaissance Series No 2 (Australian Shiraz Cask)

Renaissance Series, Teeling
Single malt - unknown
Amber pink
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Strawberry laces, raisins, blueberries, sandalwood, cinnamon, cornflakes. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, slippery, warm, slightly astringent. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Black tea, black pepper, raisins, strawberry laces, cinnamon, oatcakes, hints of sourdough bread. 
Finish: Medium. Cinnamon, sandalwood, orange peel, raisins. 

Comments: 

Probably Cooley, but it’s not online and I don’t know for sure. Heavily influenced by the wine cask finish of course, but it’s not unpleasant at all. Lots of sweet jammy wintery spices, alongside some sweet cereal. A warning dram for cold spring evenings.

Verdict:

I like this.

Knappogue Castle 25yo 1996/2021 (The Remarkable Rocket)

Knappogue Castle 25yo 1996/2021 (The Remarkable Rocket)

Ex Libris, La Maison du Whisky
Single malt - Unknown
Pale gold 
53.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Sea salt, lemon zest, green tea, raspberries, oyster brine, hints of jasmine. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, slippery, warm. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Raspberries, nectarines, blackcurrant cordial, oyster brine, chalk, lemon zest, hints of jasmine. 
Finish: Long. Blackcurrant cordial, nectarines, chalk, sea salt, oyster brine. 

Comments: 

Cask #5629. Potentially Bushmills, as I understand it, but also maybe not. It’s quite briny and light, some mineral notes offset by floral flavours. The top note is a Ribena-ey cough syrup.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Mancarella Highland Single Malt 36yo 1983/2019

Mancarella Highland Single Malt 36yo 1983/2019

Dino Mancarella
Single malt - Unknown
Golden
47.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Salt caramel, raisins, fresh baked bread, apples, honey, cream. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, slippery, loosens, cool. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Lemon zest, apples, raisins, butterscotch, honey, hints of ginger.  
Finish: Long. Lemon zest, ginger, honey, salt caramel, cream. 

Comments: 

Delightful stuff. Blind tastings are always interesting, tests your knowledge of whisky and challenges your previously unconscious perceptions. Discussing this malt, it was thought to either be Clynelish or Tomatin. My money is on Tomatin, it doesn’t have Clynelish’s characteristic waxiness, but it does have some appley flavours that I’ve found in some Tomatins, particularly older ones. But, Tomatin is not a Highland distillery!

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Irish Single Malt 15yo 2002/2019

Irish Single Malt 15yo 2002/2019

Artful Dodger Whisky Collective, Woolf Sung
Single malt - Unknown
Silvery gold
57.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Overripe mangoes, guava, white grapes, lemon zest, autumn leaves. With water, pear drops, fresh baked bread, vanilla, butterscotch. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, syrupy, oily. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Chillies, guava, white grapes, green tea, lemon zest, ginseng. With water, bitter, ginseng, butterscotch, pear drops. 
Finish: Long. Ginseng, green tea, walnuts, overripe mangoes. 

Comments: 

Cask 346. I can't be sure which distillery this is from - my guess is Bushmills, but it also has characteristics from Midleton - but I was intrigued by the age statement. My guess is that it spent 15 years in a bourbon cask, and an additional year or two in steel tubs. Anyway, it's redolent of tropical fruit, with many 'green' characteristics. With water something bitter emerges, like ginseng, and walnuts skins.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Teeling Revival Vol IV 15yo (Muscat Barrels)

Teeling Revival Vol IV 15yo (Muscat Barrels)

Revival, Teeling
Single malt - Unknown
Golden
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pumpkin, lemon zest, vanilla, coffee, white grapes. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, warm, loosens, turns slippery. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Black tea, caramel, coffee, white grapes, hints of raisins. 
Finish: Medium. Black tea, pumpkin, white grapes, lemon zest. 

Comments: 

Now, I guess this is Cooley, but honestly, it's quite hard to tell. So, down into the 'Unknown' category it goes. This one has pumpkin, maybe even pumpkin pie, plenty of raisins, lemon and vanilla. It's quite delicious and I really enjoyed it.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Teeling Single Malt (2014)

Teeling Single Malt (2014)

Teeling Reserves, Teeling
Single malt - Unknown
Sunshine yellow
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, lemon zest, rhubarb and custard sweets, brass polish, lemon juice. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, static, loose, watery. 
Tasting: Sweet sour. Milk, lemon zest, rhubarb and custard sweets, cream, vanilla. 
Finish: Long. Cream, lemon zest, apples. 

Comments: 

This is probably Cooley spirit, but I can't tell from a quick Google. It's fruity and complex like Cooley though, and is a good stand-in until the Teeling distillery malt is old enough. It's bold and brassy, almost Rosebank-ey, and rather refreshing.

Verdict:

I like this.

Glendalough Double Barrel

Glendalough Double Barrel

Glendalough
Single grain - unknown
White wine
42% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, raisins, dried cranberries, sea salt, malted grains, hints of bananas. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loose, watery, slippery. 
Tasting: Sweet sour. Bananas, brown paper, dried cranberries, dried apples, dark chocolate. 
Finish: Short. Malted grains, bananas, sea salt, dried apples. 

Comments: 

A sourced grain whiskey from Glendalough (and I'm really looking forward to what they can produce, if the quality of their sourced spirit is any guide). This one has been matured in both oloroso and bourbon casks, and is about 4 years old apparently. It's fruity and light, plenty of savoury and bitter notes. Delicious.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Teeling Silver Reserve 21 yo 1991

Teeling Silver Reserve 21 yo 1991

Teeling Reserves, Teeling
Single malt - Unknown
Amber
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Red grapes, toffee, lemon zest, black tea, mint, hints of dark chocolate, hints of plums. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens slightly, astringent, slippery. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Toffee, red grapes, coffee, dark chocolate, leather, hints of mint. 
Finish: Medium. Toast, coffee, dark chocolate, hints of brass polish. 

Comments: 

Unknown spirit, some people think it's Bushmills. Well, wherever it's from, it's heavily wine finished, like red grapes and plum pudding all mixed together. Very good, not too eggy, light and fragrant. Good Irish whiskey, this was apparently aged in Sauternes casks.

Verdict:

I like this.

John B. Stetson Bourbon 4 yo

John B. Stetson Bourbon 4 yo

John B. Stetson, private label
Single bourbon - Kentucky
Amber red
42% ABV
Dram

Nose: Bananas, brown paper, strawberries, watermelon, hints of roses. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, static, loose, slightly watery around the edges. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Bananas, vanilla, watermelon, corn syrup, butterscotch, hints of straw. 
Finish: Short. Black tea, bananas, corn syrup, vanilla. 

Comments: 

Wonderfully full-flavoured and sweet bourbon. There is enough complexity here to rival some malts, and all at an impressively young 4 years. This whisky is bottled by the people who make Stetson hats (yes, a fashion house), and there's no information on where it comes from. Can't say I like the trend. Nevertheless it's excellent bourbon, and if I were to hazard a guess, I'd say Four Roses.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.