Whiskey for the Weekend - Just Arrived!

Teeling Blackpitts Peated Single Malt Irish Whiskey, 92 proof …$85 per bottle

The triple-distilled single malt is made with peated barley — reportedly the only peated whiskey being made in Dublin today. The triple distillation keeps the peat influence at bay, as does aging in a combination of ex-bourbon and Sauternes wine casks. The result? Inventive and delightful.

Crisp and malty on the nose, the whiskey pours on notes of black tea, almond, and sesame, smeared with brown butter and a sprinkle of salt. It’s evocative but never smoky, with a lush savoriness to it. Nougat and almond appear quickly on the palate, offering a surprising sweetness that seemingly comes from nowhere. Caramel sauce gives the palate a creamy lushness, with notes of apple peel and grapefruit pulp adding some fruit. Plenty of ruddy spices linger as the whiskey develops on the tongue until, at last, some smokiness — tempered by salinity — comes into focus on the finish.

Barrell 'A Tale of Two Islands' Cask Strength Bourbon Whiskey, 118.22 proof …$95 per bottle

Barrell Bourbon Cask Finish Series: Tale of Two Islands Edition 001 rides on the coattails of one of their lesser-known releases, 2018’s Tale of Two Islands Rum. That was a rum finished in peated Islay single malt barrels. For their latest release, Barrell took those used barrels and finished a newly concocted blend of bourbons in them. The result is just as unique as it sounds.

The bourbon’s nose features a big aroma filled with strong notes of bootstrap molasses, sharp cinnamon spice, a bit of shoe polish, and a nice but fleeting coconut macaroon accent. The palate is where things start to buck expectations. It’s very nut forward, with a rich dark chocolate, roasted coffee beans, and not-very-sweet cola base. Likewise, the finish features roasted malt, barrel tannins, barrel char, and mild smokiness

WhisltlePig 10 year Old PiggyBank 110 proof…$300 per bottle

Like the 2022 expression, this 2023 version is a bold and grassy rye, biting on the nose with green grass and pepper, but it lacks the fruit on the nose that the 2022 holds in abundance. Some time in glass helps open things up a bit, but notes of black cherry and a clove quality do come forward eventually. The palate is both immersive and bold — aggressive with heavily herbal notes of tobacco, green grass, and some leather. Notes of orange peel, cranberry, and winter spices soon perk up, adding some more interesting secondary character while giving the finish an aggressive, rye-forward punch that is punctuated with spearmint and eucalyptus notes.

It’s a more aggressive whiskey than the 2022 version that lacks some of the former bottling’s balance and nuance, though it’s still a delight to sip on. While the 2022 didn’t need it, a touch of water is probably in order this time around. That’ll do, pig.

Wild Turkey 'Rare Breed' Barrel Proof Rye, 112.2 proof …$65 per bottle

Spice quickly ramps up downplaying the whiskey’s sweeter side. A bit of cinnamon rolls in, along with black pepper, nutmeg, and charred oak. Some dryness also creeps in and lingers. It’s a serviceable finish that mainly works best by contrasting the whiskey’s sweeter palate