Teeling Trinity - Single Grain, Small Batch & Single Malt review

Teeling are something of an elder statements of the Irish whiskey renaissance now as it’s been over 10 years since the stills in The Liberties first came back to life. Much has changed in not only the local but global whiskey environment since then.

It’s a rocky time globally for whiskey right now with distilleries going into bankruptcy or pausing production, sales slumping as consumers choose other products such as THC infused drinks or edibles or indeed are just intent on getting healthier, production costs have stayed stubbornly high and of course we have the little problem of tariffs and the turmoil and uncertainty that has caused.

The Teeling brand has definitely been affected by these circumstances with The Spirits Business reporting in January that profits had fallen a stunning 91% from 2024 to year end of 2025. Falling sales within Ireland and the markets outside of Europe were counterbalanced partially by increased sales within Europe.

Thankfully however the visitors centre continued to draw in the crowds with the distillery welcoming its one millionth visitor in May 2025.

Today I’m finally getting round to reviewing the Teeling ‘Trinity’ sample pack I bought an age ago which gives a little insight into their core range products of their Single Grain, Small Batch Blend and Single Malt.

Let’s Taste

Teeling Single Grain 46% abv 

Sourced from Cooley distillery with full maturation in California Cabernet Sauvignon wine barrels. It has a 95% corn/5% malted barley mash bill and is around 5 years old.

Available from Master of Malt for £34.96/$47.88/€40.36

Nose: Definitely spirity with pronounced corn and perfume shop notes. Vanilla, fudge, marshmallow and some sawn wood. Orange boiled sweets. A simple straight forward nose.

Palate: Quite oily on the mouthfeel with a butterscotch creaminess, vanilla, tinned pears in syrup plus nutmeg and clove. Orange again plus toasted oak.

Finish: A short finish that is sweet and buttery with some red berries and then lots of tannic oak.

Score: 4 out of 10

 

Teeling Small Batch Blend 46% abv 

Both grain & malt matured in bourbon casks before 6 months in rum casks. Also said to be around 5 years old.

Available from Master of Malt for £31.62/$43.32 of IrishMalts for €38.95

Nose: Again quite spirity – once settled then we get pear, muted honeysuckle and banana. Some almond paste notes as well as coconut, orange syrup, cinnamon and vanilla.

Palate: The mouthfeel is a little thin with a sharp spirity arrival followed by mead, caramelised banana & vanilla ice cream. Green apples too. There’s a little pepper kick with some mild chilli heat too as well as tart lemon peel.

Finish: Short with that chilli heat remaining, tart citrus and some mild honey.

Score: 4 out of 10

 

Teeling Single Malt 46% abv

Consists of malts up to 23 years old with 5 different maturation types – Sherry, Port, Madeira, White Burgundy and Cabernet Sauvignon

Available from Master of Malt for £43.29/$59.30 or IrishMalts for €54.95

Nose: Sweet & fruity – ripe apples & melon mixed with lemon slices. Honey, malt, vanilla and fresh cream. Nutmeg & cinnamon, marzipan and a little milk chocolate.

Palate: Quite oak forward, spicy and tannic – again the mouthfeel is a little thin considering the abv. Spiced, stewed apples & pears, unripe melon. Lemon, cayenne pepper, clove and oak. Chocolate coloured digestive biscuits.

Finish: Short to medium in length with a lot of spice and oak.

Score: 5 out of 10

 

Overall: An interesting exploration of a few different Irish whiskey styles. The single grain does come across as a little young and unbalanced. Funnily enough the palate was better than the nose but I do feel there are better grain whiskey expressions available such as the Method & Madness grain or the JJ Corry ‘The Hanson’.

The Small Batch felt similar to the Single Grain with perhaps a little extra going on in both the nose and palate but I did feel it ran a bit hot & rough so it wasn’t better enough to take it into 5 territory.

The Single Malt is definitely the best of the trio. A solid sipper that has presence but is perhaps a little confused with those 5 cask types that overwhelm the distillate.

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