Teeling Hybrid No. 1 Edition

It appears a surprisingly large quantity of this spirit ended up on shelves in Alberta, Canada, where it remains available in some places for $50 or less per bottle. It's an unusual spirit. Reportedly conceived by Bruichladdich, who faced opposition from the Scotch Whisky Association regarding their initial release. Subsequent batches were aged in a vat for 8 years before Teeling Irish Whiskey acquired the spirit, circumvented the Scotch Whisky Association by bottling it in Ireland. It has a rather pale color. The flavor isn't exactly 'big Islay.' However, the nose is recognizably Bruichladdich, with notes of buttered popcorn/diacetyl and floral characteristics, alongside iodine, peat, smoke, licorice, sea salt, buttered toast, apple skins, wood sap, butterscotch, and light citrus. The taste is warm, with white pepper, light smoke, peat, vegetal notes, butterscotch, pancake syrup, licorice, ginger, and clove. The finish is dry, leaning towards bitter. It's enjoyable and an interesting experience. It's not worth overpaying for, but if you find an older bottle at a fair price, it might actually be superior to some of the newer, non-age-stated official Bruichladdich bottlings (and at a lower cost).