Teeling Single Cask Distillery Exclusive: Cask 11703, 9yr Port Matured
60.1% ABV
€100
Website
What the Distillery (not distiller) Says
This:
I personally filled my bottle at the gift shop on August 17 2018. While the cask head shows a fill date of August 6 2007, I verified with the gift shop folks that this is a 9 yr aged Irish whiskey. It was tanked in November 2016. Also – I don’t mean the emphasis on “not distiller” above as a slight in any way; just fully transparent that this was NOT distilled at the Teeling Distillery where I bought it (they hadn’t been distilling for three full years yet). I assume this is from Cooley, but don’t know for certain.
What Gary Says
Nose: Strong port, rich dark fruit sweetness with hints of cigar paper and solvent; some water tamps the solvent notes and opens up the sweetness to figs, plums, and caramel; transitions the cigar paper/smoke to oak.
Palate: Creamy mouthfeel, port sweet, warming with a cinnamon spice kick before softening; some water brings out honey, pears, dates, toffee, and subtle cinnamon and clove.
Finish: Moderately long, drying with hints of smoke as it trails off.
Comments: This was my favorite pour in Ireland, and why it was the first (and only one of two) bottles I purchased there. Studying it at home, it isn’t quite as complex and lovely as I remembered, but still a very good whiskey. Port can be heavy handed, and I can see why it is used more for finishing than maturing. I’ve found that this hits me just right around 95-100 proof (basically 4.5:1 ratio of whiskey to water). If you really like port, this could be right up your alley, but it might feel unbalanced with too much of that for others. While less complex than I thought it was in the moment at the distillery, still delicious (and if you’re there for a tour, or can just stop by their gift shop/bar – I’d definitely recommend buying a taste!)
Rating: Stands Out