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Whiskey Review: Teeling 30-Year-Old Single Malt

We review Teeling 30-Year-Old Single Malt. It's among the oldest (so far) in the Irish brand's award-winning Vintage Reserve Collection.

OVERALL RATING

9
$2.00
  • Scott Bernard Nelson is a writer, actor, and whiskey reviewer.
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Teeling 30-Year-Old Single Malt Whiskey

Tasting Notes

About:

Appearance:
Light amber, sort of a yellow-orange color. Legs stick solidly to the side of the Glencairn.
Nose:
My wife, who doesn’t drink whiskey, has a habit of nosing glasses I pour when I’m working at the kitchen table. She walked by, picked this one up and smelled it without knowing what I was reviewing. “Oh wow, that smells really good,” was her non-technical analysis. She’s not wrong. I picked up juicy peaches and white chocolate, and a hint of smoke that suggests this whiskey included at least some peated malt. Oaky vanilla and butterscotch are also present, which isn’t entirely surprising after three decades in wood.
Palate:
After the easily approachable fruity sweetness of the nose, the initial taste came as a bit of a shock. This whiskey is a complicated mistress, it turns out. The first thing that hit my tongue was a velvety, but distinct, flavor of cashews. Underneath the nuttiness, you’ll find apricots, Fig Newtons, honey, and just the tiniest dash of cloves. The finish is long, and settles warmly in the back of your throat.
Finish:
Comments:
Teeling acquired the lots of whiskey that became this release in 2009. The same batches led to the recent 24-year-old and 28-year-old releases. Even older releases are possible for the years ahead. Wherever they acquired the barrels, it’s quality whiskey. The “dual maturation” – 21 years in ex-bourbon and then nine more in Sauternes casks – has also done a lot to influence what Teeling ultimately put into bottles. rnrnThe bottom line is that this is one of the most interesting whiskies I’ve tasted; the cashew-forward flavor was not at all what I expected. On the other hand, if I’m paying $2,200 for a bottle of 30-year-old whiskey, then I probably want it to be distinctive. On that count, Teeling has delivered in spades.rn

Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by The Whiskey Wash or provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. Per our editorial policies, this in no way influenced the outcome of this review.

Scott Bernard Nelson

Scott Bernard Nelson is a writer, actor, and whiskey reviewer based in Portland, Oregon. While currently working in higher education, he previously dedicated 22 years to journalism, covering impactful events such as 9/11 in Manhattan, crossing into Iraq with U.S. Marines, and contributing to The Boston Globe's Pulitzer Prize-winning coverage of abuse in the Catholic Church, which inspired the film "Spotlight." Since 2019, Scott has shared his insights as a whiskey reviewer for The Whiskey Wash.  

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