Origin: Dublin (Ireland)
Type: Single Malt Irish Whiskey
Strength: 56.4%ABV
Ageing casks: Ex-Bourbon
Chillfiltered: No
Additional coloring: No
Owner: Teeling Whiskey Company
Average price: € 75.00
Official website: teelingwhiskey.com
Vote: 85/100
8,400 bottles released at the end of 2022 for the full strength version of a much-loved bottling among enthusiasts, in what is no longer a rarity in the Irish whiskey scene: peat.
With the nickname of Big Smoke, generally applied to the city of Dublin, this is an edition that winks at peat addicts, who generally have to turn to Scotland but who are finding more and more satisfaction in Ireland, in that policy of market ‘aggression’ that could lead to a turnaround in the sales charts.
Aged entirely in ex-Bourbon, unlike the standard edition with finishing in wine, made with distillate produced by Teeling.
Tasting notes
On the nose, the peat expresses itself on the sweet rather than the pungent side, with vegetal and woody veins on Catalan cream, toasted nuts, apple, orange peel and a touch of juniper. Over time, the smoke becomes more intense but never overpowering, revealing an appearance of asphalt and burnt rubber. The alcohol is totally absent. Captivating.
In the mouth, it reaffirms its pastry aspiration, with a chocolate and coffee cake wrapped in smoked bark, apple and pear cooked with nutmeg and a touch of clove. A slight metallic note emerges at the back, while the peat grows in intensity and becomes bitter with touches of liquorice and roasted almonds.
Long finish of burnt grass, liquorice, coffee, chocolate.
A cask strength in which the alcohol backs up the flavours without invading their field, well balanced, although compared to its younger brother it’s perhaps a little less interesting, more linear and direct. But definitely good.