Teeling - Revival Volume II - Review

Well over a year ago Irish whiskey lovers were treated to something special from the Teeling Whiskey Company as they released their first ever "Revival" bottling. 

This first release was a 15 year old single malt, matured exclusively in rum casks, and was introduced to mark the opening of the new Teeling Whiskey Distillery in Dublin city centre.

Moving on to the end of last year and we witnessed as Teeling released "The Revival - Volume II" to mark the one year anniversary of the Teeling Whiskey Distillery.

This "Second Coming" is a 13 year old single malt that was distilled in 2002 before being initially matured for about 12 years in ex-bourbon casks.  It was then finished for a further 12 months in an ex-Calvados, French apple brandy, cask.

It has then been bottled at 46% ABV and without chill filtration.

Onto my notes:

Nose - Orange, lemon, cut grass, honeyed lemon with lovely wafts of sweet malt barley.  Clean and distinct.  A little tropical banana with a nod towards banana ice cream.  Orange marmalade, dried orange, candied lemon peel.  Not a lot of spice going on here which allows it to come across as a fruit explosion.  Green and red apple which come across both as fresh and stewed.  Beautiful mix of sweet fruit salad.

Palate - Rich malt with a seriously rich citrus undertone.  Sweet orange and lemon combine with a little spice which arrives with the feeling that it's more from the casks than the spirit.  Apart from that the oak influence is restrained with the flavours from the Calvados having a lot more of a say.  Ripe red apples and a little more of the green, cut grass note from the nose.  The sweetness is almost overpowering on the palate but the savoury green element, along with a minor amount of spice, just about hold it all together.

Finish - Long and juicy with a little hint of dry wood spice.  This then disappears into a heady blast of ripe red apples.

Overall I have to say, I prefer this much more to the first release.  This is one fruit beast of a whiskey.

A full fruit salad is on display with top notch sweet malt.  Cask influence is restrained but having just enough of a say to bind everything together with a little cream from the oak.

This is a seriously good Irish whiskey and has classic notes which are now found regularly throughout the Teeling range.

Think I may have to splash the cash on a bottle of this, very impressive.

Until next time,

Sláinte

SI