4x Teaninich 2008/2009/2010

Around 2011-2013 we had a wave of really old Teaninich bottlings distilled in the 1970s. Some of them were really wonderful (a 1983 from Signatory Vintage for instance). Most modern releases were a little middle-of-the-road though, and felt like blenders malts.

Today we have Teaninich whisky from a wide range of casks types, all filled between 2008 and 2010. There are two classic hogshead but also a Bolgheri Super Tuscan finish and a PX octave finish.

 

Teaninich 13 yo 2009 (46%, Signatory Vintage ‘Un-Chillfiltered Collection’ 2023, first fill Bolgheri finish #8-17-18-19, 1501 btl.)

Nose: rosé wine with a higher strength. Strawberries, blackberries and other forest fruits. Wine-infused peaches. Then hints of milk chocolate, a little hay and pepper. Subtle herbal touches.

Mouth: rather sour now, with citrusy notes alongside poached pears, tangy berries and salted caramel. Old wood. Blackberry leaves. Then nutmeg, ginger and pepper comes out, with a slightly bitter tannic note towards the end. Liquorice as well.

Finish: shortish, with earthy notes and spice.

Not exactly my style, but fair enough, the balance is good. I have to say I tend to like these red wine finishes better at lower strength. With ice cubes in the sun. Still available from a series of shops in Germany.

 

 

Teaninich 13 yo 2008 (53,6%, The Whisky Blues + Lola Macau 2021, refill hogshead #706296, 248btl.)

Nose: ah, clearly whisky now. Bready notes, subtle hints of ink, broken branches and hints of chalk. Also grassy notes. Then lemons and a hint of unripe pineapple. Subtle vanilla, as well as white pepper and hay.

Mouth: very clean, with a nice mix of lemons and oranges, evolvings towards pineapple and tangerine. Also almonds, grass and minty oak. A subtle dusty herbal note too, which is a nice touch.

Finish: quite long, with some beer notes, chalk and a greener, slightly bitter end point.

Not the most talkative whisky but it starts with nice chalky / grassy notes and combines them with bright and slightly tropical fruits. Simply good Teaninich. Sold out. Score: 86/100

 

 

Teaninich 12 yo 2010 (54,2%, Chorlton Whisky 2022, bourbon hogshead, 320 btl.)

Nose: starts a little neutral again, but opens up on nicely. Sweeter, with more vanilla biscuits than the Whisky Blues version. Apricots, even hints of marshmallows and custard. Then buttery brioche, almonds and creamy nutty notes (walnuts, almonds).

Mouth: plenty of orchard fruits again (peaches, apples, tangerines) in a rather candied way. White pepper and some ginger comes forward. Then back to vanilla biscuits, custard and lemon zest towards the end.

Finish: medium length, with a malty core, green fruits and mild oak spice.

A little more accessible and at the same time more forthcoming than the previous Teaninich. Again a good spirit in a good bourbon cask. Still available in a few Italian shops like Whiskyshop.it. Score: 88/100

 

 

Teaninich 11 yo 2010 (54,3%, Thompson Bros for Dornoch Castle Hotel Bar 2022, refill hogshead + PX quarter cask finish, 152 btl.)

Nose: this is all about the Pedro Ximénez. Sticky toffee, chocolate pudding, mocha and hazelnut cream. Sultanas obviously. Blackberries, cinnamon and fruitcake.

Mouth: more fruitcake, black cherries, milk chocolate dessert and hints of all-spice. There’s a woody sourness that balances out the sweetness. Never too sticky actually. Then plenty of caramelized nuts and a little gingery oak.

Finish: pretty long, on caramel notes, pepper, with apple peels and a very subtle meaty hint.

Active wood with the PX all over it, but never cloying. It feels like an experiment (“let’s see what we can achieve with a cask from supplier X”) but I understand it was a really affordable offering for bar clients. Sold out. Score: 85/100