TEELING WHISKEY, 'BLACKPITTS' PEATED SINGLE MALT WHISKEY
DUBLIN, IRELAND
Listen, folks: I would love for you to read all the way through to the end, but truly, time is of the essence here, so allow me to deliver the TL;DR —
Whisky Advocate named this peated single malt the #3 whiskey in its Top 20 Whiskies of 2021 — the highest-scoring Irish whiskey in the history of the Top 20 list — while Drinks International declared it one of "The World's Most Admired Whiskies 2021," keeping company on that vaunted Top 20 list with releases from Yamazaki, Lagavulin, Michter's, and Macallan.
In short, this is gonna go real, real fast — possibly within the next several hours.
You don't want to miss your chance to obtain this one-of-a-kind dram, so run, don’t walk …you can always return to this email later, when you have secured your bottle or bottles, and read up on just what makes Teeling Blackpitts so unique (and why we’re so pumped to have gotten our hands on this last allocation).
In a phrase: triple distillation.
Ordinarily, distilleries use smoke from peat to dry the barley during the malting process. The resultant peated malt takes on a distinctive smoky taste, which we all know is the great and defining characteristic of a peated single malt. Sometimes that smoky peat has a strong medicinal note, which can overpower the more complex flavors in the glass. Here, though, the triple distillation process subdues that medicinal quality, enabling the smoky campfire essence to speak loudly and clearly.
Teeling's Master Distiller, Alex Chasko, wisely understood that he would need a malt as intense and heavily peated as an Ardbeg to subject to this process. The goal, after all, was not to entirely eliminate the peat, only to make it less invasive and harsh. The beauty of Chasko's approach is that the dram retains the intensity and depth that so many of us look for in a single malt, while also delivering qualities that we rarely come across: softness and gentleness.
All by itself, that would make for a fine and memorable drink, but Chasko did not stop there. He matured the single malt in ex-bourbon barrels and ex-Sauternes wine casks, and bottled it at 46% ABV with no chill filtration.
Whisky Advocate hailed its "superb subtle smokiness," and gloried in its remarkable vibrance on the palate — a drink "alive with orchard fruit, panna cotta, and sweet floral notes, plus tangy marmalade and peppery spice."
Excellent notes all — to which I would just add that it is a beautiful, complex, and sophisticated whisky that can more than stand its ground with the greats of Islay.
As I said above: Run, don't walk.
*Offer NOT valid in-store. This offer is made pre-arrival, with wines estimated to be delivered to your preferred store in Spring/Summer 2022. All sale prices are the lowest available at Total Wine & More and ONLY valid through Concierge Sales. No further discounts or coupons may be applied. Offer only valid in AZ, CA, DE, FL, MD, MN, NJ, NV, SC, TX and WA. This offer is for ONE WEEK, or until sold out, and will expire on Tuesday, March 1, 2022.
