Teeling Distillery is an Irish whiskey distillery established in Dublin in 2015 by the Teeling Whiskey Company. It is notable for being the first new whiskey distillery to open in Dublin, once a global center for whiskey distilling, in over 125 years. With the last of the original Dublin distilleries having closed in 1976, Teeling is the first whiskey distillery to operate in Dublin in almost 40 years.

Founding and Location

The distillery was founded by Jack and Stephen Teeling, whose father, John Teeling, had previously established the Cooley Distillery in 1987, breaking a long-standing monopoly in the Irish whiskey industry. The distillery is located in the Liberties area of Dublin, close to where their ancestor, Walter Teeling, established a distillery on Marrowbone Lane in 1782. The brand's symbol, a phoenix rising from a pot still, represents the revival of the Teeling whiskey legacy.

Historical Background

Ancestral Activity

In 1782, Walter Teeling founded a distillery on Marrowbone Lane in the Liberties area of Dublin, an area known as the "golden triangle" due to its high concentration of distilleries. At the time, the Liberties was home to some of the largest distilleries in the world, including George Roe's Thomas Street Distillery.

Eventually, the Teeling Distillery was acquired by the neighboring William Jameson & Co., also based on Marrowbone Lane. However, William Jameson's distillery, managed by relatives of the famous John Jameson, closed in 1923 due to financial difficulties that affected many Irish distilleries in the early 20th century.

20th Century Developments

In 1987, John Teeling, a descendant of Walter Teeling, purchased a facility in Cooley, County Louth, which had been set up by the Irish Free State Government to produce industrial alcohol from potatoes. He converted this plant into Cooley Distillery, which reopened in 1989. This marked the first new distillery launch in Ireland following the industry's consolidation and closures in the 20th century.

Modern History

John Teeling's sons, Jack and Stephen, worked at Cooley Distillery until it was sold to Beam Inc. (now Beam Suntory) in 2011. After the sale, Jack Teeling negotiated the purchase of 16,000 casks of aged whiskey and launched the Teeling Whiskey brand in 2012. Stephen joined the venture soon after.

In 2015, the Teelings opened a new distillery in Newmarket Square in Dublin's south inner city, near the original distillery site on Marrowbone Lane. The distillery, which features a visitor center, café, and shop, now employs approximately 55 staff and exports to 44 countries.

In Popular Culture

The construction of the Teeling Distillery was the subject of a four-part documentary, "Whiskey Business," which aired on TV3 in 2015.

Product Range

Teeling Distillery produces a variety of whiskey styles, all bottled at 46% ABV and non-chill filtered:

• Teeling Small Batch: Finished in ex-Rum barrels.
• Teeling Single Grain: Matured in Californian Cabernet Sauvignon barrels.
• Teeling Single Malt: Vatted from whiskey finished in five different types of wine casks (Sherry, Port, Madeira, White Burgundy, Cabernet Sauvignon).
• Teeling Single Pot Still: Made from a mash bill of 50% malted and 50% unmalted barley, aged for three years in ex-Muscat barrels.
• Teeling The Revival 13-year-old: Matured in ex-Bourbon casks for 12 years and finished in an ex-Calvados cask for one year.
• Teeling Vintage Reserve 24-year-old Single Malt.
• Teeling Vintage Reserve 33-year-old Single Malt.

Additionally, Teeling produces a traditional Irish clear spirit:

• Teeling Spirit of Dublin Poitín: 50–52.5% ABV.

Accolades

Teeling whiskeys have received several prestigious awards. At the 2016 World Whiskies Awards, they won:

• Best Irish Single Malt: Teeling Whiskey 24 Year Old Single Malt.
• Best Irish Single Malt (no age statement): Teeling Single Malt.
• Best Irish Single Grain: Teeling Single Grain.