Today is the 11th anniversary of Words of Whisky. Upon deciding which distillery to represent my year in whisky, there really was only one obvious choice. You’ll have noticed me wax lyrically about Thy Whisky multiple times in 2024. This Danish distillery has quickly moved up the ranks, for me at least.
I’m not planning on repeating myself. Should you want to learn about Thy, just check out this article. If you want to read more about my personal fondness for the distillery, this is a blog post I’d highly recommend. (As well as the whisky featured in it.)
In a nutshell, Thy is a family-run distillery located on an estate that has been farmed for eight generations. They do everything themselves, from growing grains to bottling the finished product. Yes, they even have their own drum maltings.
This was the year Thy finally had sufficient stock to create a core range. It was also the year of their very first festival. (Don’t hesitate to join me and many others next year.) And just recently the distillery launched a series of limited releases, a number of which we’ll review below.
It’s been a banner year for Thy, but also a banner year for Words of Whisky. Visitor numbers are at an all-time high, and I’ve had many, MANY fun whisky adventures this year, both personally and professionally. There were trips with friends, holidays with my partner, events in the Netherlands and abroad, press trips.
That’s not even taking into account all the wonderful whiskies I’ve been fortunate to taste this year. Now let’s add the below threesome to that list as well.
Thy Whisky PX & Oloroso (49.5%, OB, 2024)
- Grain variety: Odyssey barley
- Made from Pale malt, Beechwood-smoked malt
- Cask types: PX and Oloroso sherry casks
- Distilled: 2019 – 2020
- Bottled: Oct 2024
- Available bottles: 1268
- Even more information
Nose: Rich, malty and earthy. Notes of a damp forest floor, a gentle tinge of beech, whispers of dark chocolate and finally hints of tobacco. Then a sliver of dried apricots and nougat, even a touch of soy, before ending with rose petals and tablet.
Taste: An oily mouthfeel with more earthiness, maltiness and a slight herbaceous element as well. Think fennel. Or maybe aniseed. There’s also a gentle note of wood smoke, some teak, sweet caramel and a rootiness that I quite like. Pretty singular.
Finish: Medium length. Slightly dry. Hints of liquorice, barley husks and dried fruits linger.
Thy Whisky Heritage Barley (56%, OB, 2024)
- Grain variety: Imperial heritage barley
- Cask types: Oloroso and bourbon
- Distilled: Oct 2019
- Bottled: Nov 2024
- Available bottles: 931
- Even more information
Nose: Delightfully fresh, yet with a rich maltiness and generous sweetness as well. A sliver of ozone alongside orange zest, cattle feed and apple sauce. Also touches of lawn clippings, sponge cake and tart red berries.
Taste: This is where the Imperial barley shines particularly. It’s so thick and envelops the inside of your mouth. And the malty, hay-like influences are undeniable. Also a sliver of tobacco leaves, cocoa butter and creamy Macadamia nuts.
Finish: Medium length. Hints of toffee, nectarines and breakfast cereals.
Thy Whisky Caramel Malt (57.8%, OB, 2024)
- Grain variety: Odyssey barley
- Made from Pale Malt, Caramel Malt, Beechwood Smoked Malt
- Cask types: PX, Oloroso, Bourbon
- Distilled: Aug 2019 – Jan 2021
- Bottled: Oct 2024
- Available bottles: 365
- Even more information
Nose: Opening up with an aroma that’s not too dissimilar from Frisian rye bread. Next we’re getting into dark chocolate, strong breakfast tea and rice pudding. There’s a tinge of liquorice, plenty of maltiness and some coffee grounds as well.
Taste: A combination of the trademark Thy maltiness with dark caramel notes, accompanied by just a sliver of aniseed. That’s followed by molasses, Madeira cake, toffee and cocoa powder. But undeniable earthy elements are never far away.
Finish: Medium length. Gentle herbs. A tinge molasses too.
Congratulations on 11 years. I read you, Serge and Ruben daily (well, on weekdays), and have been urging all my whisky friends who know about Serge + Ruben to add you as well. The top 3, for sure. Keep up the good work!
Cheers, you’re too kind!