Compass Box Hedonism


“Crying in the Grain”


Whisky Review # 982

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿
Brand: Compass Box Hedonism
Type: Blended Scotch Grain Whisky
Age: NAS
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 43%
Maturation: Mixed Ex-Bourbon Casks (Mostly 1st Fill)
Chill Filtration: No
Sample provided by Jan from The Netherlands. Many Thanks!
Price Range: US$  60-70(March 2023)
Price/Quality Ratio: 😐 Borderline Okay
Buying Advice: 😐 There might be people who love it but I'm not one of them

Colour:

Chardonnay (Natural Color)

Nose:

Light and slightly Nervous. The Alcohol is noticeable. I would suspect a mix of older and younger Grain Whisky. Sweet as expected with lots of Vanilla, Coconut, Fruit & Perfume. It's okay but you don't have to wake me up for it.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Grain, Vanilla, Coconut, Grass and Straw, Cake with Strawberries & Cream, Dough, Yeast, Floral Perfume, Green Apple, Pear, Pepper, Cinnamon and Mint.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Caramel, Buttered Toast, Honey, Mandarin, Lemon, Toasted Pineapple and Banana, Herbal Tea, Raspberry Jam, Peanut Butter, Nougat, Cloves, Aniseed, Nectarine, Wet Rocks and a hint of Nail Remover.

Port Dundas

Palate:

Young and a bit Thin but surprisingly Creamy at the same time. Sweet at first but with increasing Sourness and a Bitterness I don't care for. The Alcohol remains noticeable.

Main Flavours:

Sweet Grain, Vanilla, Coconut, Dough, Grass and Straw, Charred Oak, Floral Soap, Milk - & White Chocolate, Banana Ice Cream, Pepper, Cinnamon, Licorice and Mint.

Supportive Flavour Accents:
   
Honey, Caramel, Toffee, Buttered Toast, Salted Peanuts, Sour Berries, Herbal Tea, Bitter Orange, Sugar, Wet Tobacco Leaves, Cloves, Ginger and Paint Thinner.

Finish:

Middle-Long and slightly Hot but quite Creamy at the same time. Sweet at first but with developing Bitter and Sour notes towards the Medium-Dry end. There's a bit of an Artificial Tutti-Frutti Bubble Gum feel to it and I don't particularly care for the Bitter notes here. I find Sweet Grain, Vanilla, Caramel, Buttered Toast, Coconut, Honey, Charred Oak, Banana Ice Cream, Sour Orange/Lemon, Milk Chocolate, Wet Rocks, Iron and Copper, Floral Soap, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger, Licorice and Mint.

Cameron Bridge

Drinking Advice:

Given the size of the sample, I only tasted the Hedonism neat.

Rating: 6  (******)

Nose: 6.5 - Taste: 6 - Finish: 6 

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

A few of my loyal readers have pointed out that every once in a while my final Rating note did not seem to be totally in line with the written text. I recognize that. When I started this Whisky Blog back in 2011, I was not at all experienced in tasting and scoring Single Malts & Blends. Looking back I realize that during the early years I probably scored the good Whiskies too low and the not so good Whiskies too high. Ever since the beginning I try to remain consequent in my rating, always comparing the outcome to the rating of comparable whiskies in terms of quality and taste and adjusting the final rating if necessary. This might lead to the discrepancy I mentioned before. As a result I have decided to use a new rating system this year. I will still give a rating for Nose, Taste and Finish but now on the scale from 1-10 whereby 1 represents the worst and 10 the best. The sum of these numbers will be divided by 3 to get the final score. I hope this new scoring makes it easier for you to understand what I thought about the whisky I'm reviewing.

If the Final score is above 8 you can safely buy the whisky in question if and when it fits your Aroma/Flavor profile. If the score is between 6 and 8 you might want to try it out in the form of a sample or if offered at a good price. Anything below 6 should be left alone when you are looking for a nice sipping whisky. You might still like it of course & I realize pricing is an important item for many whisky fans especially when you are used to enjoy whisky in a cocktail or a mixed drink. Please let me know what you think of the new rating system and leave your comments and/or suggestions.

Drinking Experience Neat
: Okay at best


Conclusion:

As always, Compass Box informs us accurately about the contents of this Blended Grain Whisky. However, since I don't know what Batch I'm tasting today it's fair to say that it most likely contains Grain Whisky from Port Dundas, Cameron Bridge & perhaps North British and matured in a variety of Ex-Bourbon casks. 

In general I'm not a huge fan of Grain Whisky but I did enjoy some well matured Single Grains in the past. This Hedonism blend however does not work for me at all. The Alcohol is way too present and I simply dislike the Bitterness and the kind of Artificial Sweet Bubble-Gum taste on the Palate and in the Finish. I'm glad I had the chance to try a sample first because I don't know what I would have done with a full bottle. A present for my brother in law perhaps 😎! In any case I would urge you to follow my example and try a sample first.

PS: I was told that different batches can vary significantly. It's a pity I don't know the specific Batch number of the sample I reviewed today.

Cheers! 🥃

Jan van den Ende                                                                         March 16, 2023

North British

Longrow 21 Years


“Dirty Dancing with Muddy Waters”


Whisky Review # 981

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿
Region: Campbeltown
Brand: Longrow
Distilled at: Springbank Distillery, Campbeltown
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky - Bottled in  2019 - 3600 Bottles - Limited Edition
Age: 21 Years
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46%
Maturation: Ex-Sherry Casks (60%) and Ex-Bourbon Casks (40%)
Chill Filtration: No
Price Range: US$ 450-600 (March 2023)
Price/Quality Ratio: 😐 Very Expensive. Should have been bottled at Cask Strength
Buying Advice: 😋 Delicious Dirty Campbeltown for those rare occasions!

Colour: Amber (Natural Color)

Nose:

Lovely "Dirty" Campbeltown with a mix that includes Burnt Matches, Mud, Petrol and Sulphur. The Sulphur is okay though unless you are allergic to that stuff. Restraint Smoke and Peat that comes as a bit of a surprise. The Sherry cask influence is very clear. The Alcohol is sufficiently integrated. Mostly Sweet but with sufficient Sour, Salty and Funky notes to keep it interesting. Not your average Mainstream Malt of course but I like it despite the fact that it's a little on the Thin side.

Main Aromas:

Toasted Barley, Slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Salted Caramel, Straw, Sour Berries like Strawberries and Red Currants, Citrus Peel (Lemon, Grapefruit, Mandarin), Wet Dirty Muddy Peat, Factory Smoke, Charred Oak, Dunnage Warehouse, Wet Rocks, Dark Chocolate, Burnt Matches, Leather, Pepper, Cinnamon ,Cloves and Mint.
    
Supportive Aroma Accents:

Vanilla, Honey, Toffee, Resin, Tropical Fruit Mix (Banana, Mango, Nectarine), Bounty Bars, Dusty Old Books and Furniture, Mix of Dried Fruits and Nuts (Apricot, Raisin, Almond, Plum), Smoked Meat/Fish sprinkled with Herbs and Olive Oil, Forrest Floor, Nougat, Tobacco, Soot, Licorice, Aniseed, Petrol and traces of Varnish, PVC Pipes, Rubber, Wood Polish and Munster Cheese.


Palate:

The Sweet/Sour/Salty/Dirty/Muddy Mix very nicely coats your mouth and throat. It's quite satisfying. Peat and Smoke are certainly more present now. The Alcohol is nicely integrated but a slightly higher ABV would have been even better. Everything that Springbank produces has this Oily old-fashioned feeling to it and I'm a big fan!

Main Flavours: 

Toasted Malt, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Sour Berries (Strawberry, Raspberry), Citrus Peel (Orange, Lemon, Grapefruit), Earthy & Muddy Peat, Factory Smoke, Brine, Ashes, Soot, Tar, Hospital, Charred Oak, Dunnage, Smoked Bacon, Leather, Farm, Warm Banana sprinkled with Nutmeg & Cinnamon, Pepper, Ginger, Cloves and Dried Herbs.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Toffee, Honey, Wax, Resin, Mix of Nuts, Dried Fruit and Dark Chocolate flakes, Old Books, Tobacco, Wet Rocks, Aniseed, Licorice, Espresso/Black Tea & traces of Wall-Paper Starch, Slivovitz, PVC Pipes and Dyon Mustard.
  
     

Finish:

Middle-Long. Dirty but in a nice way. It's like licking a Petrol Pump! Mainly Sweet but with Sour, Salty and Funky notes for company. A light Bitterness towards the Medium Dry/Dry end. Smoke & Peat are more noticeable at this point. The Sulphur is there but okay. I find Toasted Malt, Slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Dirty Earthy Peat, Factory Smoke, Hospital, Soot, Ashes, Tar,  Brine, Sour Red Berries and Cherries, Dusty Casks in a Dunnage Warehouse, Mixed Nuts and Dried Fruits, Citrus Peel (Orange, Grapefruit), Grilled Pineapple, Leather, Tobacco, Strong Espresso/Black Tea, Smoked Bacon, Pepper, Ginger, Nutmeg, Cloves, Mint , Licorice and traces of Slivovitz, PVC Pipes, Rubber, Petrol and Wall-Paper Starch.  

Drinking Advice:

This Longrow does not improve with added Water.

Rating: 8.5 (********1/2)

Nose: 8.5 - Taste: 8.5 - Finish: 8.5

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

A few of my loyal readers have pointed out that every once in a while my final Rating note did not seem to be totally in line with the written text. I recognize that. When I started this Whisky Blog back in 2011, I was not at all experienced in tasting and scoring Single Malts & Blends. Looking back I realize that during the early years I probably scored the good Whiskies too low and the not so good Whiskies too high. Ever since the beginning I try to remain consequent in my rating, always comparing the outcome to the rating of comparable whiskies in terms of quality and taste and adjusting the final rating if necessary. This might lead to the discrepancy I mentioned before. As a result I have decided to use a new rating system this year. I will still give a rating for Nose, Taste and Finish but now on the scale from 1-10 whereby 1 represents the worst and 10 the best. The sum of these numbers will be divided by 3 to get the final score. I hope this new scoring makes it easier for you to understand what I thought about the whisky I'm reviewing.

If the Final score is above 8 you can safely buy the whisky in question if and when it fits your Aroma/Flavor profile. If the score is between 6 and 8 you might want to try it out in the form of a sample or if offered at a good price. Anything below 6 should be left alone when you are looking for a nice sipping whisky. You might still like it of course & I realize pricing is an important item for many whisky fans especially when you are used to enjoy whisky in a cocktail or a mixed drink. Please let me know what you think of the new rating system and leave your comments and/or suggestions.

Drinking Experience Neat
: Very Nice


Conclusion:

The Longrow peated Single Malt is produced at the Springbank Distillery. In 1973, Springbank started a project that would try to produce a peated Islay type of whisky on the Scottish mainland. The name of the project was Longrow, named after the old Longrow distillery that was located close to Springbank. In 1990 the first peated Longrow appeared on the market. The Longrow Malts are dried for 48 hours over peat smoke. Longrow represents around 10% of the total Springbank production that currently amounts to 280.000 litres.

This is not your everyday " to go to" Whisky. It's probably a little too Dirty for that. But it somehow tastes like Old School Whisky and I really like to enjoy this type of Single Malt from time to time. It's very expensive and at this price level it should have been bottled on or near Cask Strength. It would have helped the Nose that's a bit on the Thin side. Still, I love Whisky like this because there's so much to discover. If you have the opportunity, go for it. I can safely recommend it if you like the Aroma/Flavour profile and are tired of today's Mainstream stuff.

Cheers!

Jan van den Ende                                                                          March 9, 2023

Green Spot Chateau Leoville-Barton Finish


“Red Red Wine”


Whisky Review # 980

Country: Ireland 🇮🇪
Brand: Green Spot Chateau Leoville-Barton Finish
Matured and Bottled for: Mitchell & Son, Dublin
Distilled at: Middleton
Type: Single Pot Still Whiskey
Age: NAS
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46% (Triple-Distilled)
Maturation: Bourbon Casks, New American Oak & Oloroso Sherried Wood  (7-10 Y.)
Finish: Chateau Leoville-Barton Red Wine Casks (1-2 Years)
Chill Filtration: Probably not
Sample provided by Jan from The Netherlands. Many Thanks!
Price Range: US$ 50-65 (March 2023)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👍 Okay at around US$ 50
Buying Advice: 👎 If you like Red Wine, better drink Red Wine😜

Colour: Golden Amber (Artificially Colored)

Nose:

Light and quite Sweet but not unpleasant. The Alcohol is noticeable and so is the Fresh American Oak. The Red Wine Finish influence is quite strong resulting in lots of Sweet and Sour Fruit. The Sherry influence is rather limited.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, Butter Biscuits, Toffee, Baked Apples sprinkled with Cinnamon, Sour Fruit (Strawberry, Raspberry, Cherries, Grapefruit, Lemon), Grass and Earth, Milk-Chocolate, New and Charred Oak, Pepper and Ginger.
    
Supportive Aroma Accents:

Caramel, Peach-Filled Puff Pastry, Warm Banana sprinkled with Nutmeg, Mulled Red Wine, Toasted Pineapple, Floral Perfume, Marzipan, Almonds, Farm, Dyon Mustard, Leather, Tobacco, Fresh Herbs, Cloves and Curry. Distant hint of PVC Pipes & some Varnish.


Palate:

A Mix of Sugary Sweet, Bitter and Sour notes. There's a bit of an Artificial Feel to it. It's a rather Young Whiskey and the Alcohol is a little on the Rough side. Can't complain about the amount of Fruit but overall it's a bit too Sweet for my taste.

Main Flavours:

Sweet Barley, Sugar, Toffee, Baked Apples and Bananas, Sour Fruit (Strawberry, Lemon, Raspberry, Grapefruit, Red Currant, Cherries), Milk Chocolate, Charred Oak, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger and Nutmeg.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Caramel, Honey, Vanilla, Marzipan, Nougat, Sour Mulled Wine, Peach Ice Cream, Grass, Cloves, Curry, Wet Rocks, Plastic and Varnish.

Finish:

Middle-Long and quite Sweet. Increasing Bitterness and some Sour notes enter the game towards the Dry end. There is a rather strong Artificial Off-Note that I can't quite pin down. It's not really Plastic but it goes in that direction. The Finish is the weakest part of this Green Spot. I find Sweet Malt, Caramel, Vanilla, Honey, Sugar, Baked Apples and Bananas, Sour Fruit (Grapefruit, Strawberry, Raspberry, Lemon), Milk Chocolate, Charred Oak, Sour Red Wine, Varnish, Dirty Earth, Wax, Cinnamon, Pepper, Cloves, Curry, Nougat and Leather.

Drinking Advice:

Due to the size of the sample I only tasted this Green Spot neat.

Rating: 7  (*******)

Nose: 7.5 - Taste: 7 - Finish: 6.5

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

A few of my loyal readers have pointed out that every once in a while my final Rating note did not seem to be totally in line with the written text. I recognize that. When I started this Whisky Blog back in 2011, I was not at all experienced in tasting and scoring Single Malts & Blends. Looking back I realize that during the early years I probably scored the good Whiskies too low and the not so good Whiskies too high. Ever since the beginning I try to remain consequent in my rating, always comparing the outcome to the rating of comparable whiskies in terms of quality and taste and adjusting the final rating if necessary. This might lead to the discrepancy I mentioned before. As a result I have decided to use a new rating system this year. I will still give a rating for Nose, Taste and Finish but now on the scale from 1-10 whereby 1 represents the worst and 10 the best. The sum of these numbers will be divided by 3 to get the final score. I hope this new scoring makes it easier for you to understand what I thought about the whisky I'm reviewing.

If the Final score is above 8 you can safely buy the whisky in question if and when it fits your Aroma/Flavor profile. If the score is between 6 and 8 you might want to try it out in the form of a sample or if offered at a good price. Anything below 6 should be left alone when you are looking for a nice sipping whisky. You might still like it of course & I realize pricing is an important item for many whisky fans especially when you are used to enjoy whisky in a cocktail or a mixed drink. Please let me know what you think of the new rating system and leave your comments and/or suggestions.

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay

Conclusion:

This Green Spot is the first Irish Pot Still Whisky that received a Finish in Bordeaux Red Wine casks. And not just any Red Wine casks but casks that formerly contained the famous Grand Cru Classe Chateau Leoville-Barton (Saint-Julien) that is still run by descendants of the Irish wine-maker Thomas Barton.

I love Whisky and I love Red Wine but I prefer to enjoy them separately. I've never been a huge fan of Red Wine-finished Whisky and this Green Spot won't change my mind I'm afraid. The Leoville-Barton casks provide lots of Fruit, especially on the Nose, and that's a good thing but they also bring slightly overwhelming Sweet and Sour Flavours. There's also an Artificial feel to this Green Spot that I don't care for. I'm sure that many people will like this but I'm not one of them. My advise would be to try a sample first or stay with the standard Green Spot.

Cheers! 🥃

Jan van den Ende                                                                          March 2, 2023

Stratheden (Lost Distillery Company)


 “I Don’t Love It But I Think I Like It”


Whisky Review # 979

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿
Region: Border Lowlands/Southern Highlands
Brand:  Stratheden - Classic Selection - Styled on long closed distilleries
Bottled and Blended by: The Lost Distillery Company, Kilmarnock
Type: Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: NAS
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 43%
Maturation: Unknown. Probably mostly Ex-Bourbon casks & some Sherried Wood
Chill Filtration: No
Price Average: US$ 55 (February 2023)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👍
Buying Advice: 😐 It's okay. I think you should go for the more mature expressions

Colour: Golden Sunlight (Natural Colour)

Nose:

Light, Young, a little Edgy and mostly Sweet. Lots of Bakery Aromas with some Peat and Smoke in the background. I would like to try the more mature versions of this Malt being The Archivist Selection and The Vintage Selection. They should be quite nice. The Nose of this Classic Selection is not bad but a bit Young and Immature.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, Salted Caramel, Puff Pastry with Warm Apple and Pear Filling, Soft Peat, Smoke from a Distant Fire, Grass and Hay, Orange-Flavored Chocolate, Dusty Wood, Cinnamon and Ginger. 

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Toffee, Buttered Toast, Vanilla, Floral & Green Notes, Tropical Fruitcake (Pineapple, Mango, Sultana), Lemon Peel, Toasted Nuts, Tobacco, Leather, Wet Newspaper and Pepper.


Palate:

Light, Young and slightly Thin but Oily at the same time. The Alcohol is noticeable at this point. It's a little Rougher than the Nose would suggest. The Palate is a mix of Sweet, Sour and Salty notes. Only a slight Bitterness here.

Main Flavours:

Malted Barley, Salted Caramel, Grass and Straw, Seville Orange, Lemon, Grapefruit, Green Apple, Orange-Flavored Chocolate, Dusty Wood, Soft Peat, Factory Smoke, Pepper, Ginger, Menthol/Mint and Tobacco.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Vanilla, Honey, Toffee, Toasted Nuts, Floral and Green Notes, Mandarin, Tropical Fruitcake (Banana, Pineapple, Sultana, Mango), Wet Rocks and Sand, Cinnamon & Iron.
     

Finish:

Short-Middle Long and slightly Hot. Sweet at first but showing Sour and Salty notes towards the Medium-Dry to Dry end. I find Sweet Barley, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Honey, Seville Orange, Grapefruit, Lemon, Honey, Hard Candy (Berry Flavor), Wet Peat, Factory Smoke, Ashes, Wet Rocks & Sand, Red Apple, Tobacco, Pepper, Mint and Cinnamon. Traces of Chocolate and Iron. 

Drinking Advice
:


This Stratheden does not improve with added Water.

Rating: 7.5 (*******1/2)

Nose: 7.8 - Taste: 7.5 - Finish: 7.3 

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

A few of my loyal readers have pointed out that every once in a while my final Rating note did not seem to be totally in line with the written text. I recognize that. When I started this Whisky Blog back in 2011, I was not at all experienced in tasting and scoring Single Malts & Blends. Looking back I realize that during the early years I probably scored the good Whiskies too low and the not so good Whiskies too high. Ever since the beginning I try to remain consequent in my rating, always comparing the outcome to the rating of comparable whiskies in terms of quality and taste and adjusting the final rating if necessary. This might lead to the discrepancy I mentioned before. As a result I have decided to use a new rating system this year. I will still give a rating for Nose, Taste and Finish but now on the scale from 1-10 whereby 1 represents the worst and 10 the best. The sum of these numbers will be divided by 3 to get the final score. I hope this new scoring makes it easier for you to understand what I thought about the whisky I'm reviewing.

If the Final score is above 8 you can safely buy the whisky in question if and when it fits your Aroma/Flavor profile. If the score is between 6 and 8 you might want to try it out in the form of a sample or if offered at a good price. Anything below 6 should be left alone when you are looking for a nice sipping whisky. You might still like it of course & I realize pricing is an important item for many whisky fans especially when you are used to enjoy whisky in a cocktail or a mixed drink. Please let me know what you think of the new rating system and leave your comments and/or suggestions.

Drinking Experience Neat
: Good


Conclusion:

The Stratheden Distillery was founded in 1829 by Alexander Bonthroe & was located in the little village of Auchtermuchty near Cupar in Fife. The distillery worked with Beer Barley and Sherry casks and imported Peat from Orkney. The main reason for closing the distillery was the Prohibition in the USA that cancelled the main export market. It ceased production in 1924 and closed for good in 1926.

First of all I like the purpose of this Series created by Scott Watson and Brian Woods of The Lost Distillery Company. Both worked at Diageo before that. It's nice to try and recreate Single Malts from long closed distilleries based on the information still available on the Water Supply, Barley, Yeast and the distilling process. It's not easy to do that I suppose. The Stratheden is the fourth in a series of six that I bought as a Sample Gift package. All with Natural Color indeed and without Chill-Filtration as it was done in the days.

The Lost Distillery Company usually uses between 5 and 10 Single Malts to try and recreate the lost distilleries. I don't know the contents of this Blended Malt but I suspect it contains some peated Malt from Glen Scotia.

There's of course no way we can tell if this Blended Malt really resembles the old Stratheden Whisky. It's a little Young & Rough at places and I think I probably would like the more mature versions better. But this Classic Selection is not bad and reasonably priced. Try a sample or miniature like I did before buying a full bottle.

Cheers!

Jan van den Ende 🥃                                                                 February 23, 2023

The Still Existing Bonded Warehouse

Teeling Revival 12 Years Volume V (Cognac Finish) - Teeling Revival 15 Years Volume I (Rum Finish)


”I Gotta Teeling”


Whisky Review # 977

Country: Ireland 🇮🇪
Brand: Teeling Revival - Volume V
Bottled/Distilled/Matured for: Teeling Whiskey Company - 15.000 Bottles
Distilled at: Undisclosed. Most likely Ex-Cooley casks
Type: Single Malt Whiskey
Age: 12 Years
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46% (Double-Distilled)
Maturation: Ex-Bourbon Casks with Cognac and Brandy Cask Finish
Chill Filtration: No
Sample provided by Jan from The Netherlands. Many Thanks!
Average Price: US$ 110-130 (February 2023)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👎 Too expensive for what it offers - Nice packaging though!
Buying Advice: 😐 Good Nose. Disappointing Palate/Finish. Or maybe it's just me!

Colour: White Wine (Natural Colour)

Nose:

Please give this Teeling some time in the glass before Nosing to avoid the wafts of Alcohol. With time the Malt becomes more Mellow & Accessible. The Nose presents both Sweet and Sour notes and there's a Green feel to it. I'm not quite sure what Aromas to expect from Cognac/Brandy casks. But I get more Coconut than usual & there are some slightly "Burnt" notes as well. There's quite a lot of Fruit as well but more of the Fruitcake and Fruit Liqueur type. Not too bad and still Young & Fresh.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, Vanilla, German Butter Biscuits, Honey, Coconut, Peach/Apricot filled Pastry, Green Apple, Pear, Soaked Raisins, Grass and Hay, Toasted Pineapple, Dusty Oak and Dough.
    
Supportive Aroma Accents:

Slightly Burnt Caramel, Banana, Citrus Peel, Mandarin, Grapefruit, Nectarine, Cake with Fresh Cream, Grappa, Fresh Green Herbs, Marzipan, Sour Berries, Cinnamon & Mint.


Palate:

A mix of Sweet, Bitter and Sour notes and a hint of Salt. The Alcohol is noticeable by now and there's a light Burn. It misses a bit of the Freshness of the Nose and it also becomes slightly Unbalanced. A little disappointing after the simple but not unpleasant Nose.

Main Flavours:

Toasted and Malted Barley, slightly Burnt Caramel, Vanilla, Fruit Cake with a mix of Orchard - and Tropical Fruit and topped with Cream, Grass and Hay, Fresh and Dried Herbs, Dough, Yeast, Dusty Charred Oak, Pepper, Ginger and Cloves.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Honey, Buttered Toast, Grappa, Citrus Peel, Bitter Orange and Grapefruit, Nougat, Wax, Cinnamon, Nutmeg and Mint/Menthol.

Finish:

Middle Long. Sweet at first but with increasing Bitterness towards the Medium-Dry end. This Bitterness starts to control the other flavors after the second sip and the Alcohol is more noticeable as well at this point. The Fruit is still there but it moved to the background and lost a bit of the quality I found on the Nose. I get Toasted & Malted Barley, slightly Burnt Caramel, Toffee, Vanilla, Buttered Toast, Honey, Green Apple, Pear, Citrus Peel, Mandarin, Bitter Orange, Coconut, Nougat, Grappa, Sour Berries, Grass and Hay, Dusty Oak, Pepper, Nutmeg, Ginger and Mint/Menthol.

Drinking Advice:

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

Rating: 7  (*******)

Nose: 7.5 - Taste: 7 - Finish: 6.5

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

A few of my loyal readers have pointed out that every once in a while my final Rating note did not seem to be totally in line with the written text. I recognize that. When I started this Whisky Blog back in 2011, I was not at all experienced in tasting and scoring Single Malts & Blends. Looking back I realize that during the early years I probably scored the good Whiskies too low and the not so good Whiskies too high. Ever since the beginning I try to remain consequent in my rating, always comparing the outcome to the rating of comparable whiskies in terms of quality and taste and adjusting the final rating if necessary. This might lead to the discrepancy I mentioned before. As a result I have decided to use a new rating system this year. I will still give a rating for Nose, Taste and Finish but now on the scale from 1-10 whereby 1 represents the worst and 10 the best. The sum of these numbers will be divided by 3 to get the final score. I hope this new scoring makes it easier for you to understand what I thought about the whisky I'm reviewing.

If the Final score is above 8 you can safely buy the whisky in question if and when it fits your Aroma/Flavor profile. If the score is between 6 and 8 you might want to try it out in the form of a sample or if offered at a good price. Anything below 6 should be left alone when you are looking for a nice sipping whisky. You might still like it of course & I realize pricing is an important item for many whisky fans especially when you are used to enjoy whisky in a cocktail or a mixed drink. Please let me know what you think of the new rating system and leave your comments and/or suggestions.

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 maturing 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 Teeling Revival Series I-V was introduced to celebrate the new distillery and the Revival of Irish Whiskey in general.

Why is it that I almost always have a difficult time when reviewing Irish Whiskey? Today is not an exception I'm afraid. This Teeling presents a pleasant Nose but the Palate and Finish suffer from ever increasing Bitterness and Sharp Alcohol. I also miss Balance in the latter two departments. The Spirit is Fruity by nature so we need to look at the casks to explain this Bitterness. I suspect the Spirit matured in 2nd and/or 3 Re-Fill Bourbon casks with a rather short Finish in the Cognac/Brandy casks. Perhaps it's just me but I prefer Creedence Clearwater! 

Cheers! 🥃

Jan van den Ende                                                                     February 16, 2023


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”Teeling Alright” 


Whisky Review # 978

Country: Ireland 🇮🇪
Brand: Teeling Revival - Volume I
Bottled/Distilled/Matured for: Teeling Whiskey Company - 10.000 bottles
Distilled at: Undisclosed. Probably Ex-Cooley casks
Type: Single Malt Whiskey
Age: 15 Years
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46% (Triple-Distilled)
Maturation: Ex-Bourbon casks with Finish in Rum barrels
Chill Filtration: No
Sample provided by Jan from The Netherlands. Many Thanks!
Average Price: US$ 250-280 (February 2023)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👎 Way too expensive for what it offers
Buying Advice: 👎 It's not bad but ridiculously expensive for an Okay Whisky.

Colour: Golden Sunlight (Natural Colour)

Nose:

Today's second Teeling also needs some time in the glass before Nosing to avoid the initial wafts of Alcohol. You need patience with this 15 Years old as well as it takes time before it releases its Aromas. And even so it remains quite timid. The Rum cask influence is limited. The Nose is mainly Sweet, accompanied by some Sour and Green notes. It's certainly not bad but not overly interesting as well. The Alcohol remains noticeable.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Toasted Barley, Vanilla, Caramel, A mix of Tropical and Citrus Fruit like Unripe Banana, Mandarin, Toasted Pineapple, Papaya, Lemon and Grapefruit, Grass & Hay, Fresh Green Herbs, Dusty Oak, Pepper and Ginger.
    
Supportive Aroma Accents:

Toffee, Honey, Buttered Toast, Coconut, Rum-Soaked Raisins, Green Apple, Floral notes, Cinnamon and Mint/Menthol.


Palate:

A mix of Sweet, Bitter and Sour notes with a sprinkle of Salt added. It starts Sweet but the Bitterness increases along the way, something I'm not too fond of. Vanilla, Malt and a mix of Tropical Fruits lead the way until at least partly absorbed by the Bitterness. The Rum cask is more noticeable and the Alcohol remains present.

Main Flavours:

Sweet Toasted Barley, Vanilla, Burnt Caramel, A Fruity mix of Unripe Banana, Pear, Papaya, Toasted Pineapple, Melon, Lemon, Grapefruit and Nectarine, Grass & Hay, Coconut, Pepper and Ginger.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Honey, Wax, Salt, White and Brown Sugar, Tutti-Frutti Bubble-Gum, Cake & Cream, Bitter Almonds, Fresh Green Herbs, Cinnamon and a hint of White Chocolate.

Finish:

Middle-Long and slightly Hot. A noticeable Bitterness towards the Medium-Dry end. The Rum cask is more present now. I also find Sweet Toasted Barley, Vanilla, Caramel, White and Brown Sugar, Unripe Banana, Pineapple, Lemon, Grapefruit, Pear, Green Apple, Grass and Hay, Pepper, Ginger, Cinnamon and a hint of White Chocolate and Tutti-Frutti Bubble-Gum.

Drinking Advice:

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

Rating: 6.5 (******1/2)

Nose: 7 - Taste: 6.5 - Finish: 6.5

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

A few of my loyal readers have pointed out that every once in a while my final Rating note did not seem to be totally in line with the written text. I recognize that. When I started this Whisky Blog back in 2011, I was not at all experienced in tasting and scoring Single Malts & Blends. Looking back I realize that during the early years I probably scored the good Whiskies too low and the not so good Whiskies too high. Ever since the beginning I try to remain consequent in my rating, always comparing the outcome to the rating of comparable whiskies in terms of quality and taste and adjusting the final rating if necessary. This might lead to the discrepancy I mentioned before. As a result I have decided to use a new rating system as of today. I will still give a rating for Nose, Taste and Finish but now on the scale from 1-10 whereby 1 represents the worst and 10 the best. The sum of these numbers will be divided by 3 to get the final score. I hope this new scoring makes it easier for you to understand what I thought about the whisky I'm reviewing.

If the Final score is above 8 you can safely buy the whisky in question if and when it fits your Aroma/Flavor profile. If the score is between 6 and 8 you might want to try it out in the form of a sample or if offered at a good price. Anything below 6 should be left alone when you are looking for a nice sipping whisky. You might still like it of course & I realize pricing is an important item for many whisky fans especially when you are used to enjoy whisky in a cocktail or a mixed drink. Please let me know what you think of the new rating system and leave your comments and/or suggestions.

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay

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 Teeling Revival Series I-V was introduced to celebrate the new distillery and the Revival of Irish Whiskey in general.

The 12 Years was not great but at least Fresh and slightly interesting. This 15 Years however is very Average, a bit Tired and a bit Boring. And that simply does not justify its High-End price despite the beautiful presentation and bottle. If I have to choose between the two I easily go with the 12 years but both are not among my preferred Irish Whiskies such as the Redbreast 12 and the Yellow Spot 12

Cheers! 🥃

Jan van den Ende                                                                   February 16, 2023