Wednesday 7 July 2021

Teeling "Blackpitts" Peated Irish Whiskey [Tasted #528]

My enjoyment of Teeling Whiskey is well documented on this blog, having first tried their whiskey way back in 2013 (a year after brothers Jack & Stephen Teeling started operations), and many times since - including some incredible single casks from the early 1990s, with their trademark Irish tropical fruitiness.

The thing is, those whiskies weren't actually distilled at the Teeling Distillery in Dublin (which only opened in 2015, a year before the brand's Hong Kong launch), but rather at the Cooley Distillery, which was started by Stephen & Jack's father John, but sold to Beam in 2011. 

Things changed in 2018, when Teeling's Dublin Distillery released their first Dublin-distilled whiskey (Pot Still, which I shamefully still haven't tried), and last year the distillery released their second Dublin-distilled whiskey, in the form of this peated "Blackpitts".


Aged in a mixture of Sauternes (1/3) and ex-Bourbon (2/3) casks, the triple-distilled whiskey takes its name from the area located behind the distillery, previously home to some of the largest barley malting houses in Ireland.

It ticks a lot of the same boxes that Teeling's first "Small Batch" did all those years ago (46%, NCF, well-priced, matured in an interesting mix of casks etc..) but let's see how it tastes shall we? 


Teeling "Blackpitts" (46% ABV, NAS, Dublin, Ireland, $729HKD$94.99AUD)
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Colour: Light orange straw.

Nose: A lighter, funkier style of peat than your typical Islay peated whisky. Tangy BBQ sauce, white pepper and a slight hint of oak.

Palate:
 Apple chips, honey toast, peach and subtle pineapple. A delightful funk, with some subtle caramel undertones.

Finish: Fairly short, with some spiced oak and milk chocolate.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 87/100. I enjoyed this - it's an unusual style of peat (no doubt the triple distillation is part of the reason), but with some delicious complementary notes. A great addition to the range.

A big thanks to Teeling Whiskey Co & Summergate Hong Kong for this bottle, which is available for $729HKD from Summergate's Website in Hong Kong.

Cheers,
Martin.

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