Teeling Small Batch
Teeling Whiskey Company (est. 2012) · Teeling Distillery, The Liberties, Dublin 8, Ireland
The Teelings’ terroir isn’t soil — it’s Dublin itself. Jack and Stephen Teeling built their distillery in the Liberties, a neighborhood that had been the beating heart of Irish whiskey for two centuries before the industry collapsed. The Liberties once held more distilleries per square mile than anywhere on earth. The Teelings’ bet was that Dublin’s whiskey DNA still mattered — that making whiskey in the city, near the original water sources and in the cultural context that shaped Irish whiskey, would produce something different from the industrial parks where most Irish whiskey is now made. The Small Batch expression showcases their innovation: finishing in Central American rum barrels adds a tropical sweetness that no other Irish whiskey offers, while bottling at 46% ABV (non-chill filtered) preserves the full texture. It’s a whiskey that tastes like a city reclaiming its birthright.
Nose
Vanilla, ripe banana, cinnamon, toasted coconut, dried apricot, and a rum-sweetness that lifts the traditional Irish grain character.
Palate
Smooth and layered — brown sugar, tropical fruit, clove, toasted oak, citrus zest, and a spiced warmth from the rum cask influence that builds without overwhelming the grain backbone.
Finish
Medium-long with lingering caramel, dried tropical fruit, gentle spice, and a dry grain note that anchors the rum cask sweetness.
- Distillation
- Triple distilled in copper pot stills
- Maturation
- Aged in ex-bourbon barrels, finished in Central American rum casks
Cocktail Suggestion
Cocktail — The Liberties Rum Punch: 2 oz Teeling Small Batch · 1 oz fresh lime juice · ¾ oz pineapple juice · ½ oz orgeat · 2 dashes Angostura bitters. Shake with ice, strain over crushed ice. Garnish with a pineapple leaf and grated nutmeg. The rum cask finish makes this Irish whiskey sing in a tropical cocktail.
Food Pairing
Pair with: Glazed ham with pineapple and clove. The whiskey’s rum cask sweetness and tropical fruit echo the glaze, while the clove note in the finish mirrors the studded ham.
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