ABV: 50% (100 proof)
Type: Heritage Wheat Whisky
Cask: New Oak
Malts: Malted emmer & spelt (30%), unmalted øland (20%), malted rye (20%), barley malt (30%).
Nose:
Freshly ground coffee, dark chocolate and burnt caramel. The nose of this Thy Cask 376 release finds itself snugly in a dark & intense flavour profile. Vanilla, nutmeg, and dried red fruit notes come through as well and lastly I’m picking up on some rye bread notes.
Palate:
As dark and intense as the nose, the palate gives me espresso notes paired with mocha beans, brown sugar, liquorice root, nutmeg and salmiak. There’s a faint bitterness here, but it’s very well integrated in the dram. Some pinetree, molasses, and cigar ashes come through as well.
Finish:
There’s a medium long finish here, but one with a high intensity of flavours. An almost sticky mouthfeel let’s the sweeter elements found on the palate linger nicely. But it gets paired with a more bitter agave note that eventually even turns a bit sour. Especially lime comes to mind. Unexpected, but very funky!
Verdict:
Recently I visited Waterford in Ireland where “terroir” is king. And though I do believe there are slight differences in the eventual product, personally I notice a much bigger impact in the types of grains used over their terroir. That’s why I always get very excited about the heritage grain projects of Waterford and seeing that Thy has picked up the mantle as well is something I wholeheartedly applaud! And the results are immediately noticeable as well! This dram is different, it’s funky, and above all very intriguing. One to sit with, sip slowly, and explore!