Teeling 1991 TWE exclusive #10568

Nose:

Outrageous tropical fruit juice. Immediately there’s a thick, ripe pineapple aroma and a deep sweetness. Noticeably, there is a complete lack of raw alcohol here; every drop is a vessel for pineapple cube sweets and luscious mango. There is plenty of sherry influence, too – some light clove and fruitcake character, dark molasses, nuts that have gone soft in Christmas pudding and a hint of flat cherry coke – but all of that just serves to provide a solid foundation from which that huge tropical aroma can leap out.

Palate:

Soft and smooth on the tongue, then bursts open to fill the mouth. Very light; nutty, woody and drier than the nose suggests. It becomes, all of a sudden, a mature, complex single malt whiskey. Full-figured toffee and creamy vanilla intertwine with old wood and dark, earthy loam.

Finish:

The finish feels short, but only because it’s so smooth – it slinks off, cat-like and quiet. Oak, earth and damp autumn leaves compete with sherry fruit: cherry and a little dry clove.