Today I’m writing a review of the Thalassa Whisky Blair Athol. A ten year old bottling from King Cask in 2022 that took a very special journey to get to the Netherlands. The Thalassa Whisky’s are all dynamically aged aboard the Tallship Thalassa. The same ship that takes whisky lovers on once in a lifetime experiences, sailing on a three-masted tallship from distillery to distillery. In the next issue of Whisky Passion I’m diving deep into the dynamic ageing with a special focus on Dam Dranken (the company behind these stunning releases). To keep that all a bit of a surprise I won’t dive deep into that here, but trust me it’s worth a read!
So instead, let’s get back to the whisky at hand. What I’m finding in my glass is a 10 year old Ardmore matured in a bourbon hogshead and then transfered into an ex-cognac cask for an extra maturation of more than 6 months aboard the deck of the Thalassa, sailing across europe. For the cognac geeks out there, the cognac came from a house active since 1715! Which leads me to believe this is an ex-Martell cask! Withouth a doubt this is a whisky you don’t get to taste everyday. But can the flavour keep up with the amazing story that comes along with this whisky? Let’s find out in today’s review!
Tasting Notes: King Cask Thalassa Whisky Ardmore
Stats:
ABV: 55% (110 Proof)
Age: 10 Years Old
Distillery: Ardmore
Bottled By: King Cask
Chill-Filtered: No
Natural Colour: Yes
Nose:
On the nose the presence of the Cognac cask is very cleary noticeable on this Thalassa Whisky Ardmore. It’s a good showcase of what an immense effect a few months aboard the ship can do to the whisky. Notes of cognac pair nicely with the Blair Athol flavours underneath, with hints of sultana’s, grape soda, and molasses.
Palate:
A big punch awaits on the palate as well, with heaps of sultana’s like on the nose. But some smoked haddock, salted caramel and baking spices as well. There’s also loads of freshly brewed espresso and dark chocolate to be found here making this a wonderfully palate full of dark notes, and complexity. There’s also some trail mix elements, with dried fruits and nuts such as prunes, raisins, cashews and hazelnuts.
Finish:
The finish is long and what lingers is that trail mix found on the palate. A wonderful play on the nutty yet fruity character that this whisky showcases so well. Some molasses, honey from the comb, and even a hint of pancakes gives a lovely depth to the finish.
Food pairing:
Pancakes with molasses and bacon!! (or “Spekpannekoeken met stroop” as we say in Dutch). Yes, that’s the first thing that came to mind and it works amazingly with this dram! Since it’s a sweet and savoury option as well, I will add a vegetarian option as well though. (Without making it easy on myself by suggesting regular pancakes). For a veggie option I would personally pair this with that trail mix mentioned in the notes, see if you can find some of the notes there!
Verdict:
This Thalassa Whisky Blair Athol was a very exciting and very tasty dram. I love the story behind it, but aside from that it’s just an excellent sip as well. This is a great whisky and it’s very fun to see the cognac finish so well pronounced here. It might proof hard to still find one of these bottles, as it was a release of only 270 bottles back in 2022. But if you do find it somewhere, I highly recommend picking up a bottle for yourself!
