Teeling Single Pot Still vs. Teeling Small Batch
Teeling Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey
Next up for St. Patty’s Week is Teeling Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey.
Teeling Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey
We reviewed Teeling Small Batch a while back so now we will set our sights (tastes?) on another one of Teeling’s whiskeys, the Single Pot Still. This whiskey is made from 50% unmalted spring barley and 50% malted barley, which was then tripled distilled and aged in a variety of casks including ex-bourbon barrels, virgin American Oak barrels (new barrels), and sherry casks. This particular bottle was bottled in September of 2019.
ABV: 46%...I do appreciate Teeling for starting all of their bottles at 46% ABV, it really lets the flavors shine more than a 40% equivalent.
How it smells…cereal grains, lemon, raspberries, hay
How it tastes….light mouthfeel with cayenne pepper up front. Honeycomb sweetness and some orange citrus notes in the middle with chili chocolate at the end. The finish is long and peppery, making the tip of my tongue tingle.
Price..$63
Rating….🥃🥃🥃🥃
Final thoughts…..I’m starting to really like Teeling. The Small Batch we previously reviewed received a 5x 🥃 as it was delightful and extremely affordable. This one is a bit different, with big bright citrusy notes up front and some creamy malt at the end and peppery spice throughout. I like it enough to continue onward with my Teeling journey but given its higher price point, I’m going to keep it at a 4x 🥃.
Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey
The Small Batch is Teeling’s core product, which is a blend of both grain and malt whiskey each aged in ex-bourbon barrels. According to the website, this blend is then married in Central American rum casks for up to 12 months. However, the bottle I will be reviewing was bottled in November 2019 and states that it was finished in rum casks for 6 months so perhaps the newer releases have a little longer finish to them, I will have to find one and compare.
A few things are different when compared to the Single Pot Still. First, the Single Pot Still has a mash bill of malted and unmalted barley where the Small Batch is a blend of grain whiskey and malt whiskey. Second, the Single Pot Still was matured in a variety of casks where the Small Batch was aged solely in ex-Bourbon casks. Finally, the Small Batch was finished in a Rum Cask and the Single Pot Still was not finished in another cask type.
Since we have already reviewed the Small Batch I will focus the rest of this review on the differences between the two.
ABV: 46%. Same as Single Pot Still but I respect the proof so they both get a point (SPS: 1, SB: 1)
How it smells….the Small Batch is distinctly more boozy on the nose when you go from one to the other and a bit more sharp as well. Point to Single Pot Still. (SPS: 2, SB: 1)
How it tastes….the Small Batch is much lighter compared to the Single Pot Still. When lined up head-to-head, the latter has a lot more depth particularly with that chocolate malt at the end and the spiciness. That said, the Small Batch is much sweeter and more fruity. I’m a bit stuck as to which to award the points to as I like them both for different reasons… so I will defer to my wife for a tie-breaking half point, who preferred the Small Batch. Half Point to Small Batch. (SPS: 2, SB: 1.5)
Price….Small Batch: $30, Single Pot Still: $63. Point Small Batch (SPS: 2, SB: 2.5)
Verdict: Small Batch wins!
Final Final Thoughts….Ok, so this is an imperfect contest because they are two entirely different whiskey types (even within the Irish category) that are marketed at two different price points. But in this case, value wins the day by a small margin of victory. I honestly think you can’t go wrong with either. If you want something a bit more affordable and fruity, the Small Batch is your choice. If you want a bit more depth of flavor and spice and don’t mind shelling out the extra dollars, then the Single Pot Still is a solid pick.
