German bottler The Whisky Agency is certainly capable of releasing impressive whiskies, even at a time when independent bottlers are supposedly having lots of difficulties acquiring quality casks. No problem at all for TWA, as they released this Teaninich 1973 43 Years Old earlier this year.
It has matured in an ex-sherry butt, and was part of an impressive series called ‘Art Nouveau Ladies’, released just in time for The Whisky Fair in Limburg this past April. It included, among others, one of those old undisclosed Speysiders from 1973, but also a great, fruity Irish single malt from 1990. Both highly sought after releases and quite possibly future classics.
Anyway, enough on that. Time to take a closer look at this Teaninich.
Teaninich 1973 43 Years Old (48,8%, The Whisky Agency, 140 bts.)
Nose: Light and gentle, yet rich and full. Beeswax accompanied by lots of soft fruity notes like orange, peach and nectarines. A whiff of pine sap and icing sugar. Finally some brown sugar and Earl Grey tea.
Taste: Vibrant and very much still alive. Ginger, white pepper and pink grapefruit, with a fair amount of tannins too. Quite aggressive. Some light fruits. Cherries, berries and the such. A touch of smoke. Water mellows it slightly, and makes it a bit more herbal.
Finish: Hint of menthol, soft fruity notes. Long.
Rating: 90
A lot to love here. The nose is complex and balanced, for instance. The palate a little less so. I am however nitpicking, as I’d happily add this bottle to my collection (except for, you know, it is sold out and was very expensive to begin with). Just a sample was great too. Thanks, Norbert!
Photo: Whiskybase
