Behind the fourth window of That Boutique-y Whisky Company’s 2019 Advent Calendar we will be reviewing each day until the 24th of December was hidden a a Teaninich 11 year-old batch 2. Bottled at 47.9% abv, this single malt bottled by that Boutique-y Whisky Company is matured in ex-bourbon casks. Teaninich is a little-known and dull-looking Highland distillery owned by Diageo and mostly used for blends north of Inverness. While little known, it has a big capacity of production of 10.2 million litres of pure alcohol per year. I could find a German website selling the 50cl bottle for around 40€ but not shipping to UK.
Color:
Very pale colour, like a champagne. A swirl reveals fat heads that shortly evolve to legs that quickly descend along the glass.
Nose:
Coldorak: The initial nose is a bit citrusy. My nose is a bit blocked so it’s hard to nose much today, but I’d say orange or lemon peel, hay, freshly cut grass. Quite a bit spirity, you may think it’s younger than the declared age. I’m getting hints of smoke too.
Ainulindalë: Very spirity nose! For some reason I can’t fathom I smell berries underneath but this spirity nose is kind of overpowering, yet lets out a strong malty side, even hay-ish.
Palate:
Coldorak: Prickly mouthfeel, chilli-pepper, citrus, some oak, the texture is a bit oily. There’s a harshness quite surprising. Hints of mint, grapefruit and something I cannot pinpoint but between sourness and bitterness, not to my taste.
Ainulindalë: In the mouth, yet again this spirity side but a bit toned down, more hay and dust, with star anise and red berries fading to anise again, over a layer of vanilla .
Finish:
Coldorak: A bit astringent and spirity, slightly citrus-y, medium short.
Ainulindalë: The finish is medium length a bit too spirity for me
Rating:
Coldorak: 78/100
Ainulindalë: 80/100
