Origin: Dublin (Ireland)
Type: Single Malt Irish Whiskey
Strength: 49.5%ABV
Ageing casks: Ex-Bourbon, finished in ex-Pedro Ximénez
Chillfiltered: No
Additional coloring: No
Owner: Teeling Whiskey Company
Average price: € 95.00
Official website: teelingwhiskey.com
Vote: 90/100
Launched in 2017, the Brabazon series focuses on barrel finishes that have contained fortified wine (an enthusiast’s cross and delight), starting with ex-Sherry casks (Nº1), continuing with ex-Port casks (Nº2), and continuing in ex-Pedro Ximénez casks from a single producer.
Brabazon was a wealthy Irish family who were largely responsible for the development of the Dublin area (The Liberties) where the distillery is based.
Each bottling comes in neat and elegant packaging, and at the time of writing the fourth release, with aging in Port, has been announced a few days ago.
This, then, is the penultimate one, the result of a collaboration with a family of winegrowers from the Jerez area, specialised in growing the grapes used for Pedro Ximénez Sherries, who supplied the ninety-year-old casks of the prized fortified wine into which Teeling poured the whiskey distilled in 2005 (supplied by third parties, of course), leaving it to mature for the last three years.
10,000 bottles presented in an elegant case, they are the only ones in the series to have a declared age of 14 years.
Tasting notes
Gold with copper highlights in the glass.
After a somewhat closed start, the nose expresses all the Sherried influence of sumptuous red fruits (black cherry, raspberry) with figs, red apple, cinnamon and almonds, balanced by notes of chinotto, bitter orange and wood shavings. Intense without excess, with a slight balsamic hint.
A dusting of ginger on cooked fruit (apples and pears) enters the palate, followed by a profile marked by bittersweet evidence of candied orange, sultanas, dark chocolate, dried figs, rhubarb. Salty tip on the lips.
The finish is long and saline with rough notes of leather on bitter orange marmalade, dried figs, almonds, fondant and pepper.
A fine example of masterful balance on the PX Sherry casks, which lend three dimensions to a rich and varied whiskey that is anything but pleasing, requiring time to appreciate and grasp every single nuance.