Teeling Single Barrel Carcavelos Finish is as tasty as it is unique and utilizes barrels of something I’ve never had before, white port. Taking a gander at online resources it looks like Carcavelos can be made from up to nine different varieties of grape but the primary six are Arinto, Boal, Galego Dourado, Negra Mole, Trincadeira and Torneiro.
To make Carcavelos some of the grape must is removed during the fermentation and after the high proof grape spirit is added, to halt the fermentation, the must is added back in to sweeten it up. The average aging for Carcavelos is around four years in an oak barrel and it’s those barrels that were used to finish this whiskey. The white port barrels give it a character that’s not readily found in other whiskeys, which we’ll get into more in-depth in the Teeling Single Barrel Carcavelos Finish review below.
Whiskey Review – Teeling Single Barrel Carcavelos Finish
In Teeling’s Words: Teeling Single Barrel Carcavelos Finish
“The 2016 U.S. Single Barrel release consists of 13 Year Old Single Malt Irish whiskey distilled in 2002, and initially matured in ex-bourbon barrels for the first 12 years before being finished exclusively in ex-White Port barrels from the Carcavelos region of Portugal famous for its beautiful light fragrant fruity flavor.
The Teeling Whiskey Company is the first whiskey producer to ever use this type of White Port barrels to age whiskey and deliver a truly unique taste that works perfectly with the underlying taste characteristics of Irish whiskey. Each bottle of Single Malt is numbered, hand filled and bottled in its most natural form at cask/barrel strength.”
Teeling Single Barrel Carcavelos Finish price, ABV, age and other details
Region: Ireland
Distiller: Teeling
Mash Bill: 100% Malted Barley
Cask: ex-Bourbon & ex-Carcavelos Casks
Age: 13 Years (02/2002 – 05/2016)
ABV: 55.7%
Cask Strength | Non-Chill Filtered | Natural Color
Barrel: 937
Price: $100
Teeling Single Barrel Carcavelos Finish Tasting Notes
EYE
Amber
NOSE
Caramel, malt, toffee, Chocolate Twizzlers, apples and a light bit of graham and toast.
PALATE
Complex orchard fruit, hay-like malt, toasted notes, honey, marmalade sweetness and light notes of oaky spice and Bananas Foster.
FINISH
Long -> Oaky spice, fruit, malt and waxy cocoa.
BALANCE, BODY & FEEL
Well balanced, round body and an oily slick feel.
OVERALL – Teeling Single Barrel Carcavelos Finish Review
Teeling Single Barrel Carcavelos Finish is darn good whiskey that deserves time and attention, much like the Brabazon 02. The aroma is dark and malty sweet like a fresh bag of Maltesers while the palate is more of a dark fruity sweetness with a touch of cocoa. The finish contains a nice mix of the two and I have a hard time finding any serious fault with this whiskey.
Water doesn’t unlock much with it and it’s not deep enough to hit that next level and its overall nature reminds me quite a bit of the ex-Bourbon The Arran Single Casks I’ve had with how much fruit comes across as it opens up. Teeling Single Barrel Carcavelos Finish is easily something I could drink every day and not complain. A great example of good Irish Whiskey!
SCORE: 89/100 (B+)
