Teeling 21 Year Rising Reserve No. 1

The Rising Reserve series features a 21-Year-Old Single Malt initially matured in ex-Bourbon barrels for over 18 years, then finished in premium Marsala casks, a fortified wine from Sicily, for 3 years. This double maturation process, especially the extended period in Marsala casks, imparts distinct notes of dark fruits and orchard fruits combined with a brown sugar cinnamon-like spice. The most recent addition to these limited and distinctive bottlings recently earned the highest honor, Masters, in the highly competitive Single Malt category at the Irish Whiskey Masters Awards 2023, truly demonstrating the impact of different cask types on crafting unique expressions of aged Irish Single Malt. With a limited release of only 6,000 bottles, the resulting Single Malt is bottled at 46% ABV without chill filtration. Nose: A gentle vanilla sweetness is complemented by toasted apricots, tobacco, and rich spiced fruits, alongside a subtle hint of sweet Seville oranges and toasted almonds. Palate: A creamy, warming sensation with bursts of brown sugar and stewed fruits, followed by oak tannins and cinnamon spice. Finish: A long, warming conclusion with notes of honeysuckle, rich demerara sugar, citrus, and spice. It has a lovely shortbread quality, likely one of the finest Irish whiskeys I've encountered. It's pricey, which is why I only purchased a half bottle... is it worth it?... Yes, probably!!!!

Amazing pour. Prefer this over the Teeling 24. Full of honeyed, citrus, and yellow fruit sweetness. Smell: Honey, Luxardo Cherries, Lemon Meringue Pie, Lychees, Apricots, Sultanas, Almonds, Pineapples, Salted Caramel Blondies, Figs, Date Syrup, Butter Cake Taste: Honey, Sultanas, Apple Pie, Ginger, Cinnamon, Lavender, Pears, Peaches, White Chocolate, Papayas, Mangoes, Figs, Dates, Yellow Plums, Golden Syrup, Coconuts Aftertaste: Lemon Meringue Pie, Gingerbread, Apricot Jam, Caramel Apples, Honey, Golden Syrup, Orgeat, Orange Peels, Butterscotch, Yellow Plums

Nose: vanilla, stone fruit, baked fruit Taste: caramel, fruit, and spice

This note is actually for #2.