Interview: Alex Chasko about Teeling Whiskey

Ten years ago, Teeling Whiskey Co, founded in 2012, began bringing Irish whiskey back to the heart of Dublin with the opening of its own distillery in the Liberties district. The focus is on modern, quality-driven whiskey styles. On board since day one: Alex Chasko. The master distiller and master blender shapes the brand’s signature style with unusual mashbills, special casks and a strong commitment to innovation.

In this interview, he talks about how it all began, why pot still whiskey is the most exciting development of recent years for him, what’s behind the limited edition ‘Birthday Batch’ and what role the German market plays for Teeling.

Alex, the Teeling Whiskey Distillery has been around for 10 years now. Tell us about how it all started and the idea behind it!

Alex Chasko: The Teeling Whiskey co was founded by Jack and Stephen Teeling in 2012 and I was brought on as the first employee in June of 2012. The idea was to bring Irish Whiskey back to Dublin and the city center with a new look modern context for premium whiskey. We shared a desire to make whiskey in the location that was the assessorial home of Irish Whiskey and to do it in a way that appealed to modern consumers. The distillery was built in 2015 and marks a return of the family name to the Liberties area of Dublin. It also allows us to make whiskey in a very traditional way but with innovations that point the way forward for Irish Whiskies future.

You have been involved as Master Distiller and Master Blender since the beginning. What have been the highlights and milestones of the last decade for you?

Alex Chasko: The building of the distillery was a major milestone for me in the development of Teeling Whiskey over the years. I think the opportunity to bring distilling back to Dublin and be the first new distillery in the city after so many years is an honor. I am also proud of all of the unique and different mashbills that we have distilled in the copper stills over the last 10 years. We have used unusual and unique grains and yeast that have pushed the boundaries of what is an Irish whiskey.

What innovations has Teeling produced over the years?

Alex Chasko: If there is one thing that Teeling Whiskey is known for it is innovation. I would not know the exact number of innovations that we have done over the years. One thing that I am sure about is that we have always focused on flavor. We are whiskey enthusiast just like our customers and we have approached new whiskies from the point of view of a whiskey fan. So if it is a wine cask, beer casks, virgin wood, unique spirit, unusual grain, new yeast, or just a classic well aged single malt we have had quality and flavor as the first things that must be achieved.

How important is it to constantly reinvent yourself? How have consumer trends and behaviour changed?

Alex Chasko: I don’t think you need to reinvent yourself. I think you need to stay hungry for the next new thing that is going to amaze yourself and hopefully someone else. Consumers are always looking for the next new thing. As long as you are also looking and excited by the new opportunity then I think you are on the right path.

How do you see the current developments in the Irish whiskey landscape – in Ireland, internationally and specifically in Germany?

Alex Chasko: On the distilling side, we’ve seen real growth in the production of Pot Still whiskey – a mash bill of malted and unmalted barley – in Ireland over the past few years. Most distilleries now carry a pot still in their core range, and many others are even going a step further and only producer pot still whiskeys in their distilleries. We’ve seen the category grow significantly since Teeling launched its own Single Pot Still whiskey in 2019 – our very first release from our new distillery in Dublin – and this was a big success when it launched in Germany.

We’ve since gone on to release a number of Pot Still innovations in Germany, including Pot Still single casks (most recently a Sherry cask for Kirsch as part of their Awaking Series – launched at Whiskey Live Hamburg) and our award-winning Wonders of Wood series (all three editions released in Germany to date). So Pot Still Whiskey has arrived, and is here to stay.

There has also been an understandable pivot away from the more premium priced whiskeys across all international markets over the past couple of years. This is explained by many as a “post COVID hangover” and it has impacted discretionary spending across more than just whiskey. With that in mind, we have been conscious of making sure that our core range remains affordable (no price increases in the past three years) to the average whiskey drinker, and equally that our new innovations are also accessible. For example, our Small Batch collaboration series, where we partner with other premium and often maverick producers of wines, distillates and beer.

To mark your 10th anniversary, you launched a strictly limited special edition – the Teeling ‘Birthday Batch’. Tell us about it!

Alex Chasko: We have an annual celebration of the distilleries birthday. I guess it is a bit strange to celebrate a distilleries birthday but it is what we do. Each year it is a chance for us to push the boat out a bit further and see what we can do to surprise ourselves. Every year is different and there is something special and unique in each batch. The thing that I like about it is that the proceeds from the sale all go to local charities and try to give something back to the local community. I think it is important to be good members of the community and to try to remember to help one another.

Let’s take a look at the Teeling portfolio: what products are available and what makes them special?

Alex Chasko: Our core range is available in Germany. Small Batch is a premium blend, matured in Ex-Bourbon barrels, before being finished in Ex-Rum barrels for a beautiful rum raisin and tropical fruit notes. Our Single Grain whiskey is uniquely fully matured in new world cabernet sauvignon red wine barrels from California and matured in French oaks barrels. Teeling Single Malt boats a combination of two yeast types, two grain types, as well as a combination of wine casks and virgin oak casks to impact flavour and complexity.

Our Single Pot Still is a combination of two grain styles and creates a unique but balanced whiskey with both a sweet and fruity element from the malted barley contrasted with a spicy peppery taste profile from the unmalted barley. Finally, our Blackpitts Peated Single Malt whiskey benefits from a triple distilled peated malted barley matured in both Ex-Bourbon and Ex-Sauternes white wine casks. The result is an intriguing BBQ smoke forward whiskey, that remains very approachable as the intense peat is mellowed and softened by the lovely, sweet fruit undertones of the sauternes maturation.

Who is your target audience? Who are your products aimed at?

Alex Chasko: The target is very wide. We are looking for anyone who is looking for a good quality drink. And if that is not wide enough I would also include anyone who wasn’t looking for a drink but is willing to give it a try. I want to make whiskey that exceeds people’s expectations of what an Irish Whiskey can be. The greatest compliment that I can get is “Wow, that was not what I was expecting from an Irish whiskey!” I don’t always get it but when we do they usually go on to say that they don’t drink that often but “this is good, I like it”. That is my target. Someone who wants to be surprised at how much they can like a Teeling Whiskey.

The next year is just around the corner: do you already have plans for 2026?

Alex Chasko: We do not just have plans for 2026. We have a warehouse full of casks for the next 10 years. The whiskey game is a very long game and we have ideas, and hopes, and aspirations and maybe a few prayers for a very long future. The challenge is that everything is in the warehouse and we just need to pick it at the right time and find the customer for it.

Finally: which of your whiskeys do you like to drink best and how?

Alex Chasko: They are all my children so it is hard to say which one is my favorite. But at the end of the day the one that I will reach for is the single malt. I spent 9 months developing that whiskey and it almost drove me crazy. I think it is a prety good whiskey if I do say so myself.

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+++ We would like to thank Alex Chasko for the open and very interesting interview! If you also have an interesting brand, then we should talk. Just send us an e-mail with the subject “about-drinks interview” to redaktion@about-drinks.com – we look forward to hearing from you! +++