TEELING Small batch Trois Rivières 46%

On this St. Patrick's Day we could not do any less than taste a whiskey. It will be a Teeling live from Dublin. 

How could I not mention a whiskey without thinking about Titi and Steph (who unfortunately didn't have the same chance as me to come out of hell alive in November 2015) and with whom I had been able to discover the first drop of Teeling at the Slatterys bar in Dublin. At the time, at the beginning of 2015, the distillery was not yet open in the golden triangle of Dublin whiskey and we were pioneers! Strength and honor, guys!

So today we will taste one of Teeling Company's precious experiences. A finish of his usual small batch (6 years in bourbon barrels) with an additional 6 years in a rum barrel (often from Nicaragua). But this time the particularity comes from the fact that the barrels chosen by the bottler come from the French West Indies and contained agricultural rum from Trois Rivière.

This finish will further enhance the whiskey's fruity and fresh notes.

The liquid in the glass already shows the influence of the rum barrel because it is darker than normal. We will no longer be here on a slightly dark gold whereas in general the Teeling are lighter.

On the nose, the first ones are as often fresh as the grass of Irish pastures. We will also add the strength of the Teeling at 46°. On the second pass of the nose, the Caribbean influence is a little more marked with vanilla notes and a melon base. But make no mistake about it, we're staying on a gourmet Irish whisky. Only one desire...to taste.

In the mouth this whisky is only a delicacy, even at 46° it remains sweet as any good whiskey with here very fruity aromas of tropical fruits, toasted notes and even a spice base. But above all, it produces notes that are sweeter than usual (obvious influence of the barrel).

The finish of this whiskey is long and clearly sweet. It leaves fruit sweetness in the mouth.

We have here once again the proof that the ties between Ireland and France are not limited to a defeat of the blues on the rugby field but can give magnificent sensations!

Happy St. Patrick's Day, guys!