Teaninich distillery is located in the Highland region at Alness, Ross-shire and just outside Inverness.

It was founded in 1817 by Captain Hugh Munro, owner of the Teaninich Estate but he sold the Estate to his younger brother John in 1830. As a Lieutenant-General he left for service in India in 1850 and leased the distillery to Robert Pattison.

In 1869 the distillery changed hands again as the lease was passed to John McGilchrist Ross, brother of Balblair's James Ross.

In 1895 a partnership including John Munro (spirit merchant) and Robert Innes Cameron (whisky broker) took control of the distillery before acquiring all the assets and capital in 1898 and then, in 1904 Robert Innes Cameron took full control of the distillery as sole proprietor. He remained as such until his death in 1932.

DCL (Distillers Company Ltd) bought Teaninich in 1933. The distillery was closed between 1939-46 due to barley shortages but afterwards it continued to run asis until 1970 when DCL built a large new complex containing six new stills alongside the old buildings. For a while they ran the four old stills and six new ones together.

1973 Saw the rebuilding of the milling, mashing and fermentation sections of the old distillery and then in 1975 a dark grains plant was constructed to produce cattle fodder from the distillery waste.

The four old stills were finally closed down in 1984 and then Teaninich as a whole was mothballed between 1985 and 1991 when UDV, the successor of DCL reopened the 'new' part of Teaninich.

Diageo, the successor of UDV own and run Teaninich today.

My thanks to Alan Jamieson for permission to copy & use the photo

More great distillery info here, thanks to Malt Madness

Teaninich (OB)

General whisky characteristics: Dry grass and floral toffee

Teaninich, 10y, Flora & Fauna, 43% ABV

Typical cost of this bottle; €€€€€

Nose: This is initially quite light and difficult to ascertain, but a little time produces some light floral notes interspersed with dry grass and an extremely faint hint of aniseed.

Palate: The floral notes are the first to filter across the palate with the hint of aniseed following in the aftertaste.

Overall impression: I had to revisit this whisky as my initial attempts to make sensible tasting notes were totally unsuccessful. This is a reasonably light whisky but still carries plenty of flavours if you give it time and patience.

Author's note: I revisited this same bottle on two further occasions at later dates. On the first of these occasions I was bitterly disappointed and my notes of the time suggest "antiseptic skin cream, hazelnuts and popcorn smothering an alpine meadow" with a conclusion borrowed from a certain galactic traveller "it almost completely fails to arouse the senses".

Fortunately, it would seem that the miscreant on that occasion was my own palate, as when I visited it again a few days later my notes pretty much matched my original ones above, with the whisky being slow to develop, but when it did it offered dry grass and floral notes with no hints of anything untoward.

So, an enjoyable and worthwhile dram!

Independent Bottlers (IB)

The First Editions, Teaninich, 28y, 1982-2011, 49.5% ABV

Single Cask No.ES004/01

Typical cost of this bottle; €€€€€

Glass: Finest Spirits / Munich Whisky Fair

Colour: Pale yellow gold

Nose: Light furniture polish with oak and banana stem. In fact it's quite complex with a cocktail of aromas that I just can't quite fully identify, but it's a good nose and very interesting.

Palate: Definitely a suggestion of furniture polish here alongside an oakiness and lightly perfumed cereal. Perhaps slightly dry as it leads into the finish.

Finish: Long and slightly dry.

Overall impression: A very interesting whisky from a distillery one doesn't come across often enough. This is light and enjoyable and would make a very good aperitif dram.