
I've only been drinking whisky, regularly, for about a year. This was my first tweet tasting and also, apart from Redbreast, my first taste of Irish whiskey, so these notes are musings of a very amateur whisky enthusiast!
The hardest part, of the whole thing, was that the samples arrived about 5 days before the event, so a lot of self-restraint was needed, not to open them and take a sniff, beforehand!
We spent about ½ an hour on each whiskey, 15 minutes nosing, then 15 minutes tasting. This gave us plenty of time, to fully appreciate the complexities of each one.

46% ABV. Double distilled from maize and full matured in Californian Cabarnet Sauvignon casks.
Nose: spicy, citrus start, that warmed to a very pleasant buttery, vanilla and cherry.
Palate: spicy citrusness, rounded out by creamy toffee flavours and a slight sweetness.
Finish: long and pleasant.
A well balanced mix of subtle flavours, this would be a good introductory dram, into the world of
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Small batch:
46% ABV. Hand selected casks of grain and malt, left to mature together in ex-Flor de Cana casks
for over 6 months.
Nose: acidic, salt & vinegar crisps, mellowing to a rum & raisin ice cream sweetness.
Palate: fizzy fruit, Refresher sweets, with a softer, more buttery finish
Finish: pleasant and zesty
Another very nice 'sipping whiskey', very easy drinking.
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21yr old single malt, Silver Reserve:
46% ABV. Small batch bottling of only 5,000 bottles. Matured first in ex-Bourbon casks, then
finished in Sauterne wine casks.
Nose: initial whiff of smelly socks, developed into smokey bacon, pear drops and apricot.
Palate: apricots, smooth, creamy toffee, with a pipe smoke finish at the back of the mouth.
Finish: long and smooth
Definitely a whiskey to be savoured, as you contemplate the meaning of life, by a roaring fire!
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26yr old single malt, Gold Reserve:
Not released until 2014. 1000 bottles only, which will retail for about €500 (£415). Finished in
White Burgundy casks.
Nose: seaside pebble, salt and a slight undertone of acetone, develop into caramel and fruit.
Palate: taste explosion! fruit, spice, jelly sweets, mixed fruit jam, slight wood shavings finish.
Finish: long and smooth
Summary
I could easily drink any of these again, but the 21yr old was definitely my favourite. For more information about these whiskies, go to www.teelingwhiskey.com
Jo Lawson
Stroud Whisky Club