The Teelings Wonders of Wood second edition aims to build on its stellar reputation for flavour, personality and texture in its single pot stills
A bartender in one of Dublin’s newest whiskey bars, Moss Lane on Pearse Street, mentioned recently that since Teeling’s Wonders of Wood launched, it has rocketed to the top of their whiskey menu. So much so that they find it hard to keep the bottle in stock behind the bar.
It’s not surprising that a new release from Teeling Distillery would become a sure-fire hit in its hometown, but the exclusivity of this release does make it an interesting headline act. The praise across a Dublin bar-top was for the first edition, which was a Chinquapin finish. This second edition has to work a little harder since it is matured in what sounds like a more ordinary cask but, in fact, delivers great flavour that marries wonderfully with the Teeling single pot still whiskey.
The second edition is finished in a new Portuguese oak cask. This oak variant is indigenous to the Iberian peninsula and was chosen for its high tannin content, relative to other European oak. Teeling say they were seeking out a marmalade flavour with hints of tobacco and pepper that this wood offers in a casking and that they hoped would marry well with their single pot still. Bottled at 50% ABV, this really interesting bottling is a fantastic example of where Teeling are leading the single pot still category – a uniquely Irish whiskey that combines 50% malted and 50% unmalted barley in its mash bill.
SPS Character
The distinguishing character of SPS is a strong spice element as well as a creamy mouthfeel that is often absent from other whiskey types. It’s a rich and complex taste experience that explains its popularity with fans. The inclusion of the 50% unmalted barley, or so-called green barley, changes the makeup of the whiskey, bringing cereal favours and a heavier barley-feel to the mouth. Fans claim SPS is a more layered, deeper taste experience than single malt. The other aspect is that it’s most-often triple distilled and this approach, plus the green barley, allows it to stand apart from single malt and grain.
Wonders of Wood
Produced in partnership with the Tree Council of Ireland, the series aims to fund the planting of an acre of native Irish woodland in nearby Co Wicklow. It’s a popular initiative given the rise in recognition of the low levels of native tree planting occurring around Ireland currently. But it also speaks to the Teeling approach to partnership, reaching out to diverse groups and bringing them into the Irish whiskey conversation. A similar approach was taken when establishing the beehives on the roof of the distillery.
Teeling have worn a much-lauded path to success with their experiments in wood types and bottlings and this second series celebrates that. On the nose you can expect lots of pot still spices, citrus and cloves. The palate offers lots of that marmalade element with black pepper and honey while the finish drives plenty of warmth through layers of vanilla and creamy spice.
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