Madeira cask whisky got off to a very good start on Monday with an Inchmurrin 13 bottled by the SMWS. It took a step back on Wednesday with a 5 yo Kilchoman. Today I have for you a review of a whiskey as old as the other two put together. Will it end the week on a high note? On the one hand it was a Binny’s selection—usually a good sign. On the other hand, it’s a Teeling and my recent experiences with Teeling were not positive (see here, here, and here). Of course, those three whiskies from their core range have no necessary relationship with this one. Most of these Teeling releases are sourced whiskies. Well, I’m not sure about the miniature of the Single Malt that I reviewed: their own malt whiskey is of age to be bottled. But this 18 yo is definitely sourced as there was no Teeling distillery 18 (or 21) years ago (this was bottled in 2020 from a single cask). Nor do I know if this was a full-term maturation or a finish. I can tell you, though, what I think of it.

Teeling 18, Madeira Cask (54%; for Binny’s; cask 39728; from a bottle split)

Nose: A mix of polished oak and rich fruit (apricot jam, orange peel, caramelized pineapple); damp leaves in the background. The fruit dominates as it sits. A few drops of water push the oak back, pull out some cream and generally soften the whole.

Palate: Comes in as advertised by the nose. Very approachable at full strength; rich texture. On subsequent sips the oak expands just a bit too much for my liking but there’s also more fruit to compensate (more of the caramelized pineapple). With more time there’s more citrus and also a metallic note. Water amplifies the metallic note

Finish: Long. Nothing new develops here past a little more oak spice (cinnamon) at the end. More citrus here with time and then sweeter with water (that metallic note lingers as well).

Comments: This is very pleasant whiskey but seems hard to tell apart from mild Scottish single malt matured in madeira casks. Which is to say, the madeira dominates. Anyway, I preferred it neat.

Rating: 85 points.