Teaninich 13 Years Old 2008 First Cask (Whisky Import Nederland)

A Teaninich single malt, chosen and bottled by Whisky Import Nederland, a 13 year old Highland malt from 2008 and bottled at 56.1%. Teaninich was established in 1817 in the northern Highlands at Alness, and it has long been prized by blenders. It was founded by Blind Captain Hugh Munro, a Napoleonic veteran, on his Teaninich estate.

The spirit was run from a clear wort through the distillery's tall stills, to build a clean, waxy, grassy character. A refill American oak cask held it, keeping the green character to the fore. Around the mid teens the malt gains a fuller, oilier body over the grass. The ultra clear wort from the mash filter is the source of the green, grassy character. By the 1970s Teaninich was already one of the largest distilleries in Scotland. The River Averon runs beside the distillery on its way to the firth. A long fermentation builds the fresh, green fruit the blenders prize.

At a full 56.1% it is intense yet fresh. Green tea, lemon and a soft spice sit alongside soft vanilla and honey from the cask. The mouthfeel is waxy, the citrus carried on a grassy body. The finish runs fresh, green and oily. This is a Johnnie Walker workhorse from the Highlands.