If you’re a beer lover, then the name Duvel won’t need an introduction. This devilish beer is one of the benchmark Belgian strong ales. Duvel is produced by the Moortgat family in Breendonk, at merely 3 km from my house. This family brewery has a rich history going back over 150 years.
Since a few years Irish distillery Teeling has a two-way partnership with Duvel. One the one hand they provided whiskey barrels used to mature Batch 7 of the Duvel Barrel Aged beer. This beer was sold in 2022 after spending 8 months in the wood. One of the most successful editions of the series.
Teeling Small Batch with a Duvel beer finish
After that the batch of 400 casks (each 200-litre) moved in the opposite direction, ending up in Dublin. Teeling used the ex-Duvel barrels to finish the base spirit of its Teeling Small Batch whiskey. In 2024 this becomes Teeling Duvel Cask. It is actually the third edition of this collab already, but it wasn’t made clear how they differ exactly. The end result is around 6-7 years old.
Two weeks ago I was invited to the Duvel brewery for a tour and a tasting. Teeling Master Distiller Alex Chasko flew over for the occasion. As a beer brewer who became a whiskey distiller, he is quite passionate about working with Duvel.
Teeling Duvel Cask is a joint bottling limited to 18.000 bottles. It will only be available in the Benelux countries and the Nordics. It is available as we speak, for around € 50.
Teeling Belgian Ale Casks – Duvel (46%, OB 2024, Batch #3, 18.000 btl.)
Nose: a fruity sourness and tangy lemon stands out, with apple aromas and hints of orange marmalade. Then plenty of light malty / bready notes, a hint of vanilla and whiffs of white pepper. Lighter and slightly more high-pitched than the standard Small Batch, which is clearly richer and sweeter in comparison.
Mouth: I know the beer, but without the name on the label I wouldn’t recognize it. Plenty of lemons up front, with some white nectarines and a generous amount of grainy notes again. Then a light hint of coconut and vanilla, before it moves towards grapefruit and mild oak spice. Subtle white pepper and herbal notes.
Finish: rather short, with more malty sweetness but also a tangy astringency. Light gingerbread in the end.
Beer finishes are often a little problematic in my opinion. Everyone seems to agree it suits whisk(e)y well because both drinks share the same raw materials. To me that’s often what makes the end result too overlapping and uninspiring. Of course Teeling has some experience with cask management, so I have to agree the end result is well balanced in itself.
However, the other problem is the fact that the standard Small Batch is already finished (in rum casks). Once you put the Duvel edition next to it, it feels as if the beer finish was subtractive rather than additive. With the usual rummy sweetness missing, you get a more neutral and lean take on Teeling’s spirit. Contrary to a Stout or an IPA (used in previous beer finishes from this distillery) Duvel itself is a rather neutral and grainy beer, making the whiskey smoother but not necessarily more exciting. Overall nice to try this whiskey with very little make-up, but in my opinion it’s not the most exciting Teeling ever.