Barack Obama Celebrates Dublin Honor with a Bottle of Teeling 30-Year-Old

Monday, 29 September 2025 at 07:02

Barack Obama, former president of the United States, recently received a significant honor in Dublin. He was presented with the Freedom of the City, and something that is inextricably linked to the city: a bottle of Teeling Whiskey.

The Ceremony in Dublin

During a special ceremony, Obama and his wife were granted honorary citizenship of Dublin by Lord Ray McAdam. This included the Freedom of the City, the highest honor citizens in Dublin can receive.

The ceremony took place at the Shelbourne Hotel in Dublin; it is not the first time it has been arranged. Prior recipients include John F. Kennedy, Nelson Mandela and Bill Clinton.

The recognition for Obama had been planned for some time, dating back to 2017. A vote was held then and the majority favored the former president (with 30 votes in favor and 23 against). What Obama received in addition to the award, however, was unplanned.

A Special Teeling Whiskey for Obama

In addition to the award, Obama was also presented with a quintessentially Irish gift. The former president received a Teeling 30 Year Old Irish Whiskey. This whiskey is firmly associated with Dublin.

Teeling has been distilling for decades in the city, and has now become the symbol of the Irish whiskey revival. But what kind of whiskey is it, actually?

This is the Teeling 30 Year Old Whiskey

The Teeling 30 Year Old Whiskey is aged in bourbon casks and finished in ex-Sauternes casks. This Irish whiskey is crafted in batches of 4000 bottles, each of which must wait 30 years before being bottled.

The whiskey has the following tasting notes:

Nose: Orchard fruits, roasted nuts, and chocolate.
Palate: Peach, apricot, citrus, smoke and spicy wood.
Finish: Long, with oak, fruit, and a hint of smoked sea salt.

Despite its uniqueness, Teeling whiskey is not so rare that you can't buy it. In fact, it can sometimes be found on the shelves of better liquor stores. But be prepared to invest. A bottle of Teeling 30 Year Old is priced at just under 1000 euros.