Teeling 15 Year Old Merlot Cask Finish

I have some cool friends who often send me samples and it sometimes happens that I do not remember if I already have it in my liquid library (at the time of writing some 160 samples are waiting on me). And so sometimes I get the same sample twice, like with this special Teeling that was bottled for the Belgian Tasting Tour 2019 and was finished on a Merlot wine cask.

Beautifully layered nose that at first reminds me of a very good bourbon, but soon shows its true colors. Honeysweet on dark fruit and freshly roasted coffee. Walnuts and gravy. It’s a bit umami, in fact. The typical light notes of Teeling are hard to detect, but who cares when it’s such a joy on the nose.

Oh, my! Good body with perfect alcohol integration. It’s almost as soft as a baby’s backside. Dark and sweet notes of plums and dried apricots precede a lovely spiciness of cloves and nutmeg, upholstered with some black pepper and a pinch of cinnamon. Leave it on your tongue for a few moments and it becomes quite grand. Succulent without becoming winey, but the cask has clearly put its foot down.

The finish is phenomenal. Dark and sweet, feisty on spices with some red and dark fruit and a wonderful trace of woodsmoke that lingers forever.

Grand nose, succulent on the palate and an everlasting finish. Do I need to draw you a map? Recommended. Oh, and will you look at that? It’s my 25th Teeling. Thanks, Gunter & Benny.