How much can using a pineapple rum barrel improve and change an Irish whiskey? Let's start by defining what this pineapple rum is and why it exists. Then we'll discuss how much it can improve an Irish whiskey, and finally, we'll taste this aberration.

The people of Plantation (today Planteray makes a pineapple rum. It's a well-made infusion, not just a flavored rum, and the result is a different kind of rum that still tastes like rum. Fortunately, Planteray doesn't have a category of flavored rums, and this pineapple rum is a unique expression. It's a rum made by infusing the peel of certain pineapples with the Plantation 3 Stars and then redistilling. Separately, they infuse the pineapple fruit (without the peel) with a rum called Plantation Original Dark. Finally, these two products are combined to create the pineapple rum they bottle.

Teeling has been doing small collaborations with other brands for a while now, but they're not whiskey brands. They have whiskeys finished in rye whiskey barrels, pinot noir wine, beer, and now rum. It's not... its first completion Aged in rum barrels, it's perhaps the most unique in the industry. This version is essentially the same Teeling Small Batch, but aged in a pineapple rum barrel instead of the Nicaraguan rum I'd previously tasted. This version is bottled at 49.2% ABV.

Tasting notes

On the nose, there's a clear influence of rum and pineapple. But there are also strong notes of pot-still rum, while still maintaining a strong whiskey character. There are fruity and cereal notes, cinnamon, and, of course, pineapple. Even that grilled and caramelized pineapple. Softer hints of vanilla are also present.

On the palate, the rum is even more pronounced, with flavors of brown sugar and raisins, but of course, the pineapple flavor is dominant. There are also some notes of sourdough bread and cinnamon, peppercorns, and honeyed lemon zest. The aftertaste is pineapple, of course, but also includes sweet, spicy notes, like cinnamon.

But is a whiskey like this really necessary? I don't think so. It's a fun whiskey, an interesting blend that highlights the flavors and variations of rum, whiskey, and pineapple. But it's not much more than that. It's not a whiskey to drink neat or with others, or at least I didn't see it that way. It's simply a whiskey to try and say, "Look, yeah, there's the rum, the pineapple, and the whiskey."