Teeling Single Malt

Teeling Single Malt is an Irish whiskey made entirely from malted barley, which sets it apart from the pot still and blended Irish whiskeys that dominate the shelf. Irish single malt styles usually run softer and fruitier than Scotch malts. Expect barley sweetness, orchard fruit and vanilla from the oak, with a gentle spice on the finish and little to no smoke. Teeling is also known for finishing its whiskey in different cask types, so check the label for the exact cask and bottling details of the expression you have. Because the profile is on the light, fruit-forward side, this is a whiskey to taste neat first. Pour about an ounce and a half and let it sit for a minute so the barley and vanilla come forward. If the alcohol feels sharp, add a few drops of room-temperature water. Water loosens the aromatics and often brings out the floral and fruit notes. Ice is best used sparingly: one large cube chills the whiskey and dilutes it slowly. Small, fast-melting cubes can flatten a malt this delicate. For glassware, a Glencairn is the better choice for nosing. Its tapered rim concentrates the aroma, which helps with the subtler fruit and cereal notes. When you would rather sip it slowly over a large cube, use a rocks glass. In cocktails, a single malt like this works best where the whiskey stays audible. An Old Fashioned made with a small measure of demerara syrup and two dashes of Angostura lets the barley and vanilla come through without the heavy rye spice. It also works well in a Highball: pour two ounces over ice, top with three to four ounces of cold soda water, and finish with a lemon peel, which keeps the fruit character clear. A Whiskey Sour is a good use for it, since the malt's natural sweetness handles the lemon well. A Manhattan is possible, but the lighter body means a softer sweet vermouth suits it better than a bold one. For anything beyond the neat pour, there's usually no need to reach for the most expensive bottle, but this one is gentle enough that you should keep the other ingredients restrained.