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.
