Johnnie Walker A Song Of Ice Review

“A Blend On Ice”

Whisky Review # 860

Country: Scotland

Brand: Johnnie Walker A Song of Ice (Limited Edition)
Type: Blended Scotch Whisky

Age: NAS

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 40.2%
Maturation: Unknown. I presume Refill Ex-Bourbon - & some Refill Sherry Wood
Chill Filtration: Yes
Price Range: US$ 30-35 (February 2020)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👍Okay. Nothing special though and a little Thin.
Buying Advice: 👍 You won't throw it in the sink and it's a nice bottle! 

Colour: Golden Sunlight/Light Amber (Artificially Coloured)

Nose:

Light, Young, Floral, a little Thin and Sweet. The Grain Whisky rules but it's a little Softer than the regular JW Red. Not much going on though. The Alcohol is noticeable.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Grain, Breakfast Cereals, Brown Sugar, Caramel, Honey, Grass, Banana, Green Apple, Coconut, Mint, Cinnamon and Gooseberry.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Vanilla, Butterscotch, Toffee, Wax, Orange, Pear, Nectarine, Herbal Tea, Lemon, Varnish and Oak Char.

Palate:

Light, Young, Bitter-Sweet and slightly Sour. Again, it's a little softer and less harsh than the regular JW Red. You can sip this Neat although I prefer it over ice. The Alcohol is present of course.

Main Flavours:

Grain Alcohol, Sugared Breakfast Cereals, Caramel, Toffee, Honey, Grass, Oak Char, Banana, Coconut, Green Apple, Cinnamon, Pepper, Ginger and Menthol.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Vanilla, Butterscotch, Toast and Margarine, Wax, Pear, Gooseberry, Nectarine, Varnish, Iron, Herbal Tea and Nutmeg.

Finish:

Quite Short, Bitter-Sweet and a little Sour and Musty. I find Sugared Breakfast Cereals, Grain Alcohol, Toffee, Caramel, Oak Char, Artificially Flavoured Candies (Cherry/Pineapple/Green Apple), Honey, Grass, Lemon, Vanilla, Cinnamon, Iron, Pepper, Ginger and Gooseberry.

Drinking Advice:

I prefer it without added Water but you remarkably can add a few drops if you like.

Rating: 77

Nose: 20 - Taste: 19  - Finish: 18.5  - Overall: 19.5

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay

Drinking Experience on the Rocks: Light but Okay

Conclusion:

Diageo and HBO work together in celebrating the enormous success of Game of Thrones. As successors to The White Walker Blend released in 2018 two new Blends saw the light last year. A Song of Fire representing the House Targaryen and A Song of Ice representing House Stark. I will review the first one later this month.  A Song of Ice comes in a nice bottle and shows a Dire Wolf, the House Stark's house sigil, in an icy setting with frosted Blue and Grey Colours inspired by the North of Westeros. At its heart lies Clynelish, one of Scotland's northern distilleries. It is bottled at a weird ABV of 40.2%. Never saw that!

I usually don't care much for Diageo's commercial policy but I do think they did it right this time. For US$ 30 (Or US$ 19 that I paid in the Duty Free) you get a very nice bottle that you will want to keep and a reasonable Blend to go along with it. This is a step up from the regular JW Red. It's not a huge step of course but still! It's easily drinkable over Ice and you can even sip it neat if you like. I don't taste much Clynelish but at this price level I'm not gonna complain. This is not a Blend for the winters that are coming but should be enjoyed on a warm summer day over Ice.

Cheers!

Jan van den Ende                                                                February 10, 2020

AnCnoc 12 Years Review - AnCnoc 18 Years Review - AnCnoc Peatheart Review

“AnCnoc Three Times”

Whisky Review # 857

Country: Scotland
Region: Highlands

Brand: AnCnoc
Distilled at: Knockdhu
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Age: 12 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 40%
Maturation: Refill Ex-Bourbon Casks
Chill Filtration: Yes
Price Range: US$ 30-40 (February 2020)
Price/Quality Ratio: 😐 Okay, especially if you can get it at around US$ 30.
Buying Advice: 👎It's not bad but at 40% it's way too Thin. Not recommended 

Colour: Yellow Gold (Artificially Coloured)

Nose:

Light, Fruity, Floral, Sweet, Sour, a little Thin and slightly Dusty. There is some Alcohol as well so please give this AnCnoc sufficient time in the glass and nose along the brim of your glass. The Nose is a bit underwhelming.

Main Aromas:

Toasted Grains, Sweet Barley, Grass & Straw, Yeast, Wax, Green Apple, Lemon, Grapefruit, Gooseberry, Cinnamon, Ginger, Licorice and Mint.
    
Supportive Aroma Accents:

Vanilla, Buttered Toast, Honey, Floral Soap, Nuts, Apricot-filled Puff Pastry, Wet Stones, Dirty Track, Wet Newspaper, Metal, Unripe Banana dusted w/ Nutmeg, Pineapple and Mandarin.

Palate:

Light, Thin, Bitter-Sweet, Dry, Sour & Salty. The ABV of 40% is definitively too low in this case. The Aromas and Flavours are there somewhere but they are not presented in the correct way.

Main Flavours:

Toasted Grains, Sweet Barley, Grass and Straw, Yeast, Green Apple, Grapefruit, Lemon, Gooseberry, Pepper, Ginger, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Licorice, Tobacco and Mint.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Salted Caramel, Sugar, Vanilla, Honey, Smoke, Mixed Nuts/Dried Fruit, Clove, Dusty Refill Oak, Cocoa Powder, Dried Herbs, Floral Soap and Mandarin.

Finish:

Short, Bitter-Sweet, Sour, Salty, Watery & slightly Hot. The Bitterness increases towards the Dry end. The Alcohol is quite present. I find Toasted Grains, Sweet Barley, Vanilla, Salted Caramel, Floral Perfume, Lemon, Grapefruit, Gooseberry, Seville Orange, Honey, Nuts, Green Apple, Pear, Dried Herbs, Leather, Tobacco,  Pepper, Cinnamon, Dusty Oak, Licorice and a faint whiff of Smoke.

Drinking Advice:

Due to the small size of the sample I only tasted this AnCnoc neat.

Rating: 82

Nose: 21- Taste: 20.5 - Finish: 20 - Overall: 20.5

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay/Good

Conclusion:

The Knockdhu distillery was founded in 1893 by DCL in the little village of Knock very close to Huntly (Aberdeenshire). It was mothballed in 1983 but reopened in 1989. Until 1993 the whisky was called Knockdhu but the owners decided to rename it to AnCnoc to avoid any possible confusion with the whisky produced at Knockando, a Diageo distillery in Speyside. The new owners are Inver House Distillers, part of Thai Beverages PLC. The beautiful distillery currently produces 1.7 million litres of Alcohol per year. The core range includes the 12, 18, 24 & 35 years and the Peatheart.

The 12 Years was re-introduced in 2003. It usually gets very reasonable or even good critics but I beg to differ here. It's not a bad Single Malt and the Aromas and Flavours are there somewhere below the surface. But the low ABV does not succeed to transport same towards Nose and Palate. It's way too Thin this way and that's a pity. The Price/Quality ratio is okay I suppose but I wouldn't buy a full bottle of the the 12 Years anyway due to the lack of body.

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Whisky Review # 858

Country: Scotland
Region: Highlands

Brand: AnCnoc
Distilled at: Knockdhu
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Age: 18 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46%
Maturation: Mix of 2nd Fill Ex-Bourbon Casks and 2nd Fill Ex-Oloroso Wood
Chill Filtration: No
Price Range: Around US$ 80-100 (February 2020)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👍Okay/Good. An 18 Years can't be cheap these days!
Buying Advice: 👍 Interesting Sherried Highland Malt with character.

Colour: Dark Amber with shades of Brown (Natural Colour)

Nose:

Quite Sweet with lots of Sherry cask influence in the form of Dried Fruit & Nuts. There are a few Sour and Bitter notes as well that provide some balance. The Alcohol is noticeable so please nose around the edges of your glass where you will pick up a nice Peach note.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, German Butter Biscuits, Vanilla, Honey, Dried Fruit like Raisins, Sultanas and Plums, Toasted Nuts, Toasted Pineapple sprinkled with Cinnamon, Orange, Peach, Sugar, Chocolate, Cardamom, Ginger and Nutmeg.
    
Supportive Aroma Accents:

Butterscotch, Mango, Banana, Apple, Pear, Gooseberry, Polished Leather, Glue, Tobacco, Dusty Track, Old Newspapers, Mint, Aniseed, Licorice, Herbal Tea and Musty Oak.

Palate:

The Sherry influence is quite clear again. A touch of Rubber perhaps but nothing too serious. Sugar, Dried Fruit, Nuts and Spices are in the lead. The Palate does feel a little Thin for an 18 Years old. Quite Dry as well. A mix of Sweet, Bitter and Sour notes.

Main Flavours:

Toasted Grains, Sweet Barley, Honey, Vanilla, Dried Fruit like Sultanas, Raisins and Dates, Apple, Pear, Straw, Orange, Lemon, Dark Chocolate, Pepper, Clove, Ginger and Nutmeg.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Toffee, Salted Caramel, Butterscotch, Brown Sugar, Peach, Gooseberry, Musty Oak, Espresso, Cinnamon, Aniseed, Licorice, Menthol and Tobacco.

Finish:

Middle-Long, Bitter-Sweet, slightly Hot and quite Dry and a little Salty towards the end. I find Toasted Grains, Sweet Barley, Vanilla, Salted Caramel, Honey, Toffee, Dried Fruit like Raisins & Dates, Peanut Butter, Toasted Nuts, Oak Char, Apple, Pear, Dark Chocolate, Espresso, Sugar, Polished Leather, Straw, Pepper, Nutmeg, Cloves, Ginger, Nutmeg, Menthol and Licorice. A touch of Smoke & a sprinkle of Lemon.

Drinking Advice:

Due to the small size of the sample I only tasted this AnCnoc neat.

Rating: 86

Nose: 22 - Taste: 21.5 - Finish: 21 - Overall: 21.5

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion:

I liked the 18 years much better than its younger brother the 12 years. It has more balance and matured in better casks. The Sherry cask influence is quite substantial suggesting some active casks on that side. Like the 12 Years it feels a little Thin, especially on the Palate. But it does show character and presents enough interesting Aromas and Flavours to justify buying a bottle, Cheers!

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Whisky Review # 859

Country: Scotland
Region: Highlands

Brand: AnCnoc Peatheart (40 PPM) - Batch 1
Distilled at: Knockdhu
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Age: NAS

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46%
Maturation: Ex-Bourbon Casks
Chill Filtration: No
Price Range: US$ 55-65 (February 2020)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👎 Too expensive when compared to Young Islay Malts.
Buying Advice: 👍Young but tasty peated Single Malt. Too expensive though.

Colour: Chardonnay (Natural Colour)

Nose:

Young and Light. The Peat and Smoke are quite similar to Young Islay but less intense. The Alcohol is there so make sure to wind your Nose around it. The Nose is Sweet and slightly Medicinal. The Fruity tones remind me of Orchard & Citrus Fruit. It's okay I guess but very young and timid.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, Vanilla, Dough, Grass & Straw, Cold Smoke, Dirty Earth (Peat), Iodine, Band-Aid, Tar, Green Apple, Lemon, Ginger, Menthol and Tobacco.
    
Supportive Aroma Accents:

Toasted Grain, Heather-Honey, Salted Toffee, Ashes, Soot, Orange Peel, Nuts, Artificially Flavoured Candies (Pineapple, Pear), Cocoa Powder, Wet Stones and Sand, Herbal Tea and Bacon on the BBQ. A hint of Varnish.

Palate:

Young, Sweet, a bit Nervous and a little on the Thin side but certainly tasty. I feel that Knockdhu would be able to create a truly wonderful matured peated AnCnoc. I hope they will do that in the future! The Palate is quite consistent with the Nose although the Peat and Smoke tend to dominate the Fruity notes somewhat. It's still a little unbalanced but, again, shows character.

Main Flavours:

Sweet Malted Barley, Vanilla, Grass and Straw, Campfire Smoke, Wet Peat, Tar, Soot, Iodine, Band-Aid, Bacon & Pork on the BBQ, Green Apple, Lemon, Orange and Grapefruit, Pepper, Ginger, Cardamon, Leather and Cocoa Powder.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Heather-Honey, Salted Toffee, Dough, Ashes, Wet Stones/Sand, Pear, Toasted Pineapple, Herbal Tea, Cinnamon, Salted Nuts, Aniseed, Licorice and Tobacco.

Finish:

Middle-Long/Long, mainly Sweet, Spicy & slightly Hot. The Sweetness becomes very Sugary after a few minutes. That's a real pity. I find Sweet Barley, slightly Burnt Toast, Vanilla, Dough, Salted Toffee, Heather-Honey, Green Apple, Pear, Lemon, Orange Peel, Grapefruit, Campfire Smoke, Wet Peat, Soot, Tar, Iodine, Cocoa Powder, Espresso, Herbal Tea, Pepper, Ginger, Cardamom, Cinnamon, Aniseed, Menthol, Licorice and Leather.

Drinking Advice:

Due to the small size of the sample I only tasted this AnCnoc neat.

Rating: 84

Nose: 21 - Taste: 21 - Finish: 21 - Overall: 21

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion:

The Peatheart was released in 2017 and at 40 PPM it's the peatiest Whisky by Knockdhu until now. It was named after the peat bogs surrounding Knockdhu which are described as the heart of Scottish peatlands.

The Peatheart is an interesting alternative if you like Young Islay malt. It's not very competitive though when compared to the likes of Ardbeg and Laphroaig. After having reviewed and tasted these three AnCnoc expressions I found two common problems that affect them all. The first one is the price. Knockdhu is not a very well-known distillery and their prices should be a little easier despite the fact that the remote location will likely increase their production/distribution costs. The second item relates to the body of Knockdhu Whisky. All three of the reviewed Whiskies show a slightly Thin body despite the correct ABV of the 18 Years and the Peatheart. I think this is something that the distillery should look at as it compromises the mouth feel of Knockdhu Single Malts. Other than that I truly believe that the characterful Whisky of this distillery could become a very good alternative for those who get thoroughly bored by today's Mainstream Malt Madness. We visited the distillery in May last year and I can totally recommend a visit. The number of visitors is still small and you will receive all the attention you need although the Visitor Centre is still rather simple. But the beautiful lay out of the distillery and its surroundings more than make up for that!

Cheers!

Jan van den Ende                                                                February 3, 2020

All Pictures were taken during our visit in May 2019

Clynelish 1993 (Silver Seal) Review

“Silver, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours”

Whisky Review # 856

Country: Scotland
Region: Northern Highlands

Brand: Clynelish 1993
Bottled by: Silver Seal (SS) in November 2012 at Cask Strength -  Bottles: 322
Type: Single Malt Single Cask Scotch Whisky - Cask # 7556

Age: 19 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 53.5%
Maturation: Ex-Bourbon Cask
Chill Filtration: No
Price Range: Around US$ 240 (January 2020). Will be difficult to find.
Price/Quality Ratio: 😓At the moment it's very expensive. It's good though.
Buying Advice: 👍Nice Fruity Clynelish if you can spare the cash.

Colour: White Whine (Natural Colour)

Nose:

Quite lively and Fruity. This Clynelish is well-matured and the Oak is a mere note in the background. I would not say that Cask 7556 was extremely active. On the Nose this Clynelish shows Sweet, Sour, Musty and a few Funky notes. I wouldn't give it 19 years in a blind Tasting. Quite Fresh!

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, German Butter Biscuits, Grass, Fresh Herbs de Provence, Apple, Pear, Lemon, Banana, Bounty Candy Bars, Wax, Asparagus, Salted Almonds, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger and Mint.
    
Supportive Aroma Accents:

Buttered Toast, Toffee, Vanilla, Musty Wood, Orange, Grapefruit, Mandarin, Olive Oil, Tobacco and Nail Polisher.

Palate:

Waxy, Spicy, Fruity, slightly Edgy and Bitter-Sweet. Nicely matured Highlander.

Main Flavours:

Malted and Toasted Barley, Apple, Pear, Orange, Lemon, Grapefruit, Banana, Wax, Pepper, Cinnamon, Nutmeg and Ginger.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Toffee, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Straw, White Wine, Bounty Candy Bars, Ashes, White Chocolate, Tobacco, Herbal Tea, Asparagus and Coconut.        

Finish:

Middle-Long with Sweet and Sour notes. It's a little Edgy with medium Bitterness towards the end. I find Malted and Toasted Barley, Salty Caramel, Toffee, Apple, Pear, Banana, Nectarine, Orange, Lemon, Grapefruit, Mandarin, Wax, White Chocolate, Tobacco, Musty Oak, Cinnamon, Pepper, Ginger, Nutmeg Ashes and Mint.

Drinking Advice:

Due to the small size of the sample I only tasted this Clynelish neat.

Rating: 86.5

Nose: 22 - Taste: 22 - Finish: 21 - Overall: 21.5

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion:

The distillery was founded in 1819 by the 1st Duke of Sunderland in the small town of Brora. It is owned by Diageo and the spirit is an important ingredient of various JW Blends. It produces around 4,8 million litres of Alcohol per year. Its sister-distillery Brora lies next to Clynelish and will be reopened this year after having been closed in 1983. A new Clynelish Visitor Centre is being built at the moment. The pictures were shot during our visit to Clynelish/Brora in May last year.

This Silver Seal Clynelish is a tasteful well-matured Highland Single Malt. It's a bit Edgy and Funky here and there but that's refreshing in today's mainstream Malt madness. It has character and that's what I'm looking for in a Whisky. At 19 years it can't be cheap of course and there are probably only a few bottles left world-wide. But if you have the cash and can find it somewhere you won't be disappointed. Lots of Fruit out there to be discovered with Citrus in the lead. Recommended!

Cheers!

Jan van den Ende                                                                January 27, 2020

Wild Turkey American Honey Review

“A Taste of Honey”

Whisky Review # 855

Country: USA

Brand: Wild Turkey American Honey
Type: Bourbon With Infused Flavour

Age: NAS

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 35.5%
Maturation: American Oak
Chill Filtration: Yes

Sample provided by Derek from the USA. Many Thanks!

Price Range: US$ 22-27 (January 2020)
Price/Quality Ratio: Good
Buying Advice: 😐Too Sweet for me but I can imagine people loving it with ice

Colour: Golden Sunlight (Artificially Coloured)

Nose:

The first thing I notice is that, unlike the Bushmills Honey I tasted recently, the American Honey Aromas remind me of a Liqueur rather than a Whisk(e)y. The main drivers are Honey, Orange and Vanilla. It's quite Sweet as expected. The Alcohol is noticeable despite the low ABV.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Cereals, Buttered Toast, Vanilla, Honey, Orange (Gran Marnier), Pepper, Cinnamon and Mint.
    
Supportive Aroma Accents:

Caramel, Butterscotch, Lemon, Glue, Leather, Tobacco, Nutmeg, Charred Oak and Cardamom.

Palate:

Mellow and Sweet with a little Bitterness behind it all. It's hard to find Bourbon behind the thick Honey/Orange Sweetness.

Main Flavours:

Sweet Cereals, Honey, Golden Syrup, Vanilla, Orange, Lemon, Butter, Pepper, Cinnamon and Mint.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Butterscotch, Caramel, Cherry Flavoured Cough Pastilles, Oak, Leather, Nutmeg, Cloves, Cardamom, Tobacco and Black Tea.

Finish:

Medium-Long although the Honey stays around even longer. It's very Sweet & it closely follows Nose and Palate. A little Orange-like Bitterness towards the end. I find Sweet Cereals, Honey, Syrup, Vanilla, Caramel, Cherry-Flavoured Cough Pastilles, Orange, Lemon, Oak, Butter, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger, Cardamom and Mint.

Drinking Advice:

No need to add Water to this Liqueur. It's best enjoyed over Ice!

Rating: 76.5

Nose: 20 - Taste: 19 - Finish: 18.5 - Overall: 19

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay/Good

Conclusion:

Wild Turkey Bourbon is being produced in the town of Lawrenceburg Kentucky. Nowadays the Brand is owned by the Campari Group. The distillery produces the 81 Proof, the 101 Proof, the Single Barrel Kentucky Spirit at 101 Proof, Russell's Reserve 10 Years named after Master Distiller Jimmy Russell, Rare Breed a blend of 6, 8 and 12 old Wild Turkey at 108.4 Proof, a Rye Whiskey with 65% Rye, 23 % Corn and 12% Barley and a Honey Liqueur by the name of American Honey. The latter is a mix of Wild Turkey Bourbon and natural Honey.

The Honey Liqueur has been around since 1978 but was revived in 2006 when the interest for this type of Liqueur started to pick up. I've tasted a couple of them in the meantime and although there are significant differences between them they have one thing in common. They are way too Sweet to enjoy Neat and they all are enjoyed best over Ice. The Wild Turkey American Honey is a very Sweet Liqueur and has little to do with Whisky or Bourbon. The Honey is its main asset as it smells and tastes more natural than the Jack Daniel Honey. These Whisky-Liqueurs are not really my kind of thing but I can see that lots of people will enjoy this on a warm evening over lots of Ice.

Cheers!

Jan van den Ende                                                                 January 20, 2020

Teeling Single Malt Review

“Hot Fun in the Summertime”

Whisky Review # 854

Country: Ireland

Brand: Teeling Single Malt
Crafted and Bottled by: The Teeling Whiskey Company, Dublin
Distilled at: Cooley
Type: Single Malt Irish Whiskey

Age: NAS

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46%
Maturation: Sherry, Port, Madeira, White Burgundy, Cabernet Sauvignion casks
Chill Filtration: No
Price Range: US$ 40-50 (January 2020)
Price/Quality Ratio: Borderline Okay.
Buying Advice: 😒It's okay I guess but the Alcohol really annoys!

Colour: Golden Sunlight (Perhaps slightly Artificially Coloured)

Nose:

Be careful not to put your Nose in the middle of the glass right away or you will get a waft of Alcohol right up your nostrils. Always look for the rim of the glass. This Teeling is a mix of Sweet and Sour Aromas and it feels quite Young despite the fact that it is said to contain some old Whiskey as well. But not too much if you ask me. It's Fruity, Grassy and well....Green. It's not bad though although the Alcohol is a nuisance.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Malt, Cake with a dollop of Fresh Cream, Vanilla, Grass, Dough, Unripe Banana, Pineapple, Lemon, Green Fresh Herbs, Sour Berries, Dusty Oak, White Chocolate, Nectarine, Apple and Cinnamon.
    
Supportive Aroma Accents:

Honey-Melon, Caramel, Toffee, Coconut, Dried Fruit like Plums, Apricot, Raisins and Figs, Peach, Caffe Latte, White Wine, Hazelnuts and a hint of Varnish.

Palate:

The first thing that hits you is the Alcohol. It's a pity as it negatively impacts the Nosing and Tasting pleasure. This Teeling Malt is not at all fully matured and it screams so in every department. On the Palate this Single Malt shows a mix of Sweet and Sour Flavours. The influence of the different Wine casks is actually a little limited so I will assume that most of the Spirit used for this vatted Malt matured in Refill casks and not for an awful long time.

Main Flavours:

Sweet Barley, Vanilla, Yeast, Dough, Wax, Grass, Straw, Cake with Cream and Strawberries, Unripe Banana, Apple, Pineapple, Nectarine, Fresh Green Herbs, Cinnamon, Pepper, Ginger and Charred Oak. 

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Honey-Melon, Caramel, Coconut, Dried Fruit (Plums, Apricot, Raisins), Nutmeg, Cloves, Citrus Fruit, Caffe Latte and White Chocolate.

Finish:

Sweet, Short, Sour and Hot. The Alcohol spoils the fun again. A slight Bitterness towards the Dry end. This is a Young Malt on average. I find Malted Cereals, Buttered Toast, Yeast, Dough, Vanilla, Grass, Straw, Honey, Caramel, Cake with Cream & Strawberries, Green Vegetables, Nectarine, Cherry-Menthol Flavoured Cough Pastilles, Nectarine, Lemon, Orange, Herbal Tea, Pepper, Nutmeg, Clove, Cinnamon, Ginger and Charred Oak. Something Mineral or Metallic as well.

Drinking Advice:

I added a bit of Water but it hardly slows down the Alcohol. It only helps a bit but I advise you to add a few drops even if it does not really change the overall Aroma and Flavour profile. It gains a bit more Citrus perhaps.

Rating: 82

Nose: 21 - Taste: 20.5 - Finish: 20 - Overall: 20.5

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay/Good

Conclusion:

In 1989, John Teeling started the Cooley Distillery together with his sons Jack and Stephen. John sold the distillery in 2011 to Beam-Suntory. Part of the agreement was that Teeling retained 16.000 casks of ageing Cooley Whiskey. In 2012, Jack and Stephen founded Teeling Whiskey Company, bottling the Cooley casks under the Teeling label. Subsequently they founded a new distillery in the year 2015 in Dublin but also continue to bottle the sourced Cooley casks that have aged sufficiently.

The Single Malt is part of the Teeling Trinity range that also includes the Small Batch and the Single Grain. It contains both young and older Whiskey with the oldest being distilled in 1991. The Maturation in 5 different types of wine casks in unique for Irish Whiskey. It sounds quite interesting but it fails to deliver in my opinion. There are two main reasons for that. The first is the relative young average age of the spirits in this vatted Malt and the second one is the Alcohol. The ABV is not absurdly high but somehow the young Spirit can't cope with it. I am almost certain this Teeling could be a great Whiskey if sufficiently matured and reinforced by using more First-Fill casks. As it is you probably best enjoy it over Ice or in a cocktail on a warm summer day.

Cheers!

Jan van den Ende                                                                January 17, 2020