Review: Teeling Single Malt Irish Whiskey Phoenix Legends #2 16 Years Old Marsala Cask

A second edition of Teeling’s Phoenix Legends single malt Irish whiskey is upon us, and this one sees a big shift from Legends #1. But before we get to that, let’s talk about the inspiration. Like Legends #1, this whiskey honors the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, but this edition celebrates “the legendary 1977 Trojan Horse Green Jersey Game.” Per Teeling: “In this game, the team warmed up in signature blue jerseys, but when the team came out of the locker room, they shocked fans by wearing green jerseys. They were accompanied by a massive wooden Trojan horse built by students and greeted by a thunderous reception. They went on to beat USC 49-19 on the way to the program’s 10th consensus national championship.”

In the bottle is a 16 year old single malt — 14 years in bourbon barrels and two years finishing in Marsala casks.

Teeling Single Malt Irish Whiskey Phoenix Legends #2 16 Years Old Marsala Cask Review

The Marsala is strong with this one, intensely oxidized notes vivid on the nose. Candied cherries and candied orange peel offer some lightness, but dark sherry notes, akin to PX, quickly come rumbling in. With time, the aroma approximates dark roast coffee, with ample notes of torched wood, anise, and smudged sage.

The palate is heavy on Marsala to a fault — to the point where it’s difficult to taste much of anything else. Intensely oxidized as it develops, the flavors of well-aged sherry, polished wood, and crushed walnut shells dominate a racy, biting, and moderately bitter palate that never lets up. Marsala dominates, through and through, the finish eventually landing on a green, almost unripe quality.

Definitely a pale alternative to the original.

92 proof. 1500 bottles produced.

B / $350 (700ml)

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