Teaninch | Whisky Lady

We began our evening of “Second Chances” with an independent bottler Chorlton from the May 2022 releases of David’s La Nouvelle Vague series.

For those not familiar with Teaninich, it is part of the Diageo “workhorses” stable of whiskies that largely go into blends. For the technical trivia buffs, it also uses no mash tun:

In 2000 a hammer mill and mash filter – the only one operational in a Scottish malt distillery – was installed at Teaninich. The use of the technology, which removes the need for a mash tun, was to produce ultra-clear wort, giving a clue as to the Teaninich distillery character: a fragrant exotic grassiness that brings to mind Japanese green tea and coumarin-rich bison grass. Fat stills also add a distinct oiliness to the texture while not blunting any of its penetrating acidity.

Trivia aside, I’ve had limited experience with whisky from this Highland distillery – only their official “Flora and Fauna” bottling and a cask strength mini from That Boutique-y Whisky Co. Neither made me a huge fan, however, as I am a big Chorlton buff, thought if there might be a cask to turn the opinion tide, this might be it!

We sampled it on two occasions – literally back-to-back in Bombay – first with the Bombay Malt & Cigar gents, then the next evening with the Whisky Ladies. In retrospect, it was a real pity we couldn’t combine the way we once did on an annual basis. Perhaps something to revisit in future!

However on to the serious business of whisky tasting, with a split by day as the experience differed… For the lads, we tried this bottle 1st whereas for the ladies, this was our 2nd whisky of the evening.

Teaninich 12 year 54.2%

Colour – Bright straw, almost golden
Nose
- Day 1: A promising start with citrus, pear drops, sweet hay, and floral nectar then it began to settle down in a less promising way with something a bit like limestone, granite, or chalk. Another got polish. Behind this was still some fruitiness but it was less and less appealing as it opened further…
- Day 2: We could tell it was bourbon matured, yet also had a bit of rum raisin thing going on initially. followed by milk chocolate, some pineapple, and peppermint candy cane… as the nose developed, it shifted from cocoa butter to vanilla
Palate
- Day 1: We could feel the hit of zero alcohol to full cask strength with this one. A lot of paprika spice, quite dry, some bitter hazelnut, perhaps a hint of ginger
- Day 2: Actually quite similar in impressions, just that we found it a bit more oily than dry with the balance tracking – especially the bitter hazelnut
Finish
- Day 1: Carries on with the bitterness
- Day 2: The peppermint we found on the palate lingered like slightly chalky peppermint toothpaste, yet at the same time there was a hint of over-roasted hazelnut and bitter cinnamon that closed on the remnants of Big Red chewing gum
Water
- Day 1: To be honest, I don’t recall our trying with water, which in retrospect seems curious indeed
- Day 2: Better with water, yet still more bitter than sweet

Overall we concluded this was unimposing, nothing outstanding, though interesting to try what likely DOES do well in blends. To put it mildly, this was not the star of the evening.

As I was the only one to experience both evenings, what struck me was that the floral and lightly fruity elements that made the nose promising when freshly opened were largely absent just a day later.

What did David have to say? The following is an extract from his email…

Next up we have a 12-year-old Teaninich. This is one of those under-the-radar distilleries that I suspect (along with Mannochmore) is due its moment in the sun.

I usually think of Teaninich as being a green, foresty whisky and there’s a bit of that on the nose (pine needles, watermelon skin, greenhouse tomato vines) but actually this one feels more “yellow” with peachy fruits and some nice sweetness from the cask. I also get malted milk biscuits, Sweet Ciceley, orange cordial and some little touches of soot and chalk (this is a Highland malt after all).

The palate has lovely citrussy syrups, a light waxiness, hazelnut and pear tart, tons of malty sweetness (cornflake cakes) and some sweet ginger. The moderately-active ex-bourbon wood has rounded this all off nicely. The finish is super-clean, malty, citrussy/peachy, with a fresh liquoricey herbal aftertaste. A drop of water adds orange liqueur, and some extra butterscotch/brown sugar sweetness.

Delicious stuff, this, with some proper personality, and just right for the time of year. Get in now before the Teaninich hype train gets underway!*

This hogshead produced 320 bottles at a cask strength of 54.2% and they are available for £75 each.

(* – Incipient Teaninich mania not guaranteed.)

I purchased this directly from Chorlton in May 2022, before it found its way from London to Mumbai, India to be opened in January 2024.

From this experience, there is no chance Teaninich will rival Mannochmore in my books. And apparently, I have company as it clearly LOST the glass vote. No one was tempted to return and sample more. In fact, after this picture was taken, the others were further depleted with the Teaninich remaining stubbornly at the same level. Sorry buddy, you may be offered as the sacrificial “offer to people who don’t know any better” category…