Review: Teeling Single Pot Still Virgin Swedish Oak Irish Whiskey
Review: Teeling Single Pot Still Virgin Swedish Oak Irish Whiskey
Teeling’s third installment in its Wonders of Wood series — following Chinkapin Oak and Portuguese Oak — is here, and the Irish distillery is turning to its most northern wood source yet: Sweden. WOW #3 is a single pot still whiskey (as usual) that is aged in virgin Swedish white oak. (All three whiskeys in the series to date have been aged in virgin rather than used oak.)
We got a sample and were excited to see what the Ireland-Sweden connection might bring. Let’s dig in.
The nose is big and burly, a much more wood-focused expression than Teeling’s standard single pot still release. The sweet honey grahams of the original whiskey’s nose are tempered here by a significant note of chimney smoke and eucalyptus. A floral element builds with time in glass, but it’s hard to place: elderflower, perhaps, with touches of lilac.
On the palate, a smoky, wood-driven punch kicks things off, but with time in glass this sees some tempering, allowing more mint, chocolate, and a bright cherry note to come through. Increasingly nutty and chewy as it develops, the whiskey slides toward a viscous finish that recalls molasses, walnut oil, and raisiny prunes — all tempered with a bit of drying tannin. Hints of sweet tea and a pinch of baking spice wrap it all up.
I enjoyed last year’s Portuguese Oak release more fully, but this one remains another wholly unique winner that’s worth seeking out.
100 proof.
A- / $99 / teelingwhiskey.com [BUY IT NOW FROM RESERVEBAR]
Teeling Single Pot Still Virgin Swedish Oak Irish Whiskey
$99
