Teeling 26 Year Old 1987 Gold Reserve

About a year ago I tried the Teeling 21 Silver Reserve. Today, let us up the ante with this Teeling 26 Year Old Gold Reserve. This Irish whiskey was double distilled in 1987 (the year Cooley was founded, by the way) and matured for 25 years on bourbon casks. Then it got a finish of a bit over a year on white (!) Burgundy wine casks. Only 1.000 bottles were produced.

The nose is amazingly aromatic with all kinds of fruity. Think Granny Smith apples, white grapefruit, green grapes, papaya and a hint of gooseberries. An overdose of honey and vanilla. Some earthy notes too. The wine has clearly put a stamp on it, making this nose a true party to the senses. I could smell this for hours.

It is oily and soft on the palate and offers an whole range of fruit, both European and tropical. Raisins, pineapple, banana, peach, grapefruit, pomelo, bergamot and some coconut. The spices are louder than on the nose. Pepper and a hint of liquorice. Some grasses underneath. Delicious!

The finish is long, spicy and remains nicely sweet. It offers some nuts at the death.

Outstanding! What a fantastic whiskey indeed! Only one downside: the price tag. Between 500 and 600 EUR. Ouch! Should not get much crazier than that. I think I would prefer to buy 4 bottles of the 21 Year Old then.