Thy Whisky – Bøg – Core Range Edition 2024

Thy Whisky produces a whisky called “Bøg,” which can be said to be a true testament to Danish tradition and craftsmanship.

Smoking with beechwood or beech chips has been a tradition in Denmark for many years, providing a pleasant smoke flavor to whatever is being smoked, whether it’s sausages for the grill, salami for the lunch table, or fish and cheese. Smoke has been used to preserve food through the ages and is still used as a natural preservative.

Beech smoke offers a unique profile that is warm, sweet, and lightly charred, adding a pleasant depth to the whisky without the harsher, earthy tones of peat smoke. This type of smoke gives the whisky a delicate sweetness and a rich, rounded smoky flavor, which also complements the sherry notes from the barrels. The flavor lingers gently on the palate.

“Bøg” whisky is a new core range whisky made from organic Odyssey barley grown in the fields around Gyrup farm in Thy.

The barley is malted and smoked at the distillery’s own drum malting facility using beech smoke. This process gives the whisky warm, malty, and smoky notes, creating a rich and full-bodied flavor.

Aging in old sherry casks, specifically Oloroso and PX, gives “Bøg” a warm and smoky character balanced with the mild sweetness of baked fruits and deep, dried fruit notes.

By using beechwood instead of peat, Thy Whisky brings a sustainable twist to traditional smoking methods, as peat is a less sustainable option compared to wood. This is a topic we could discuss at length, but that won’t be elaborated in this post.

“Bøg” was distilled in 2020 and matured using 14 casks: 10 first-fill Oloroso casks, 3 first-fill PX casks, and a special cask that isn’t often mentioned. It’s a first-fill 60-liter Palo Cortado cask that was also filled in 2020, and its influence can be sensed in the whisky.

This has resulted in 3,100 bottles, and when all the casks were blended and bottled in 2024, this whisky is a little over 3 years old. Its youth does not detract in any way; rather, it gives a very good smoky flavor and overall power in taste.

🆅🅴🆁🅻🅻:

A lovely dram that will appeal to most. The smoke is present and waves gently but is not overpowering, pleasantly coating the mouth. The different sherries complement the smoke and give a “Feel Good” sensation.

In previous releases from Fary Lochan where the rum casks have dominated, there has been a kick of sweetness, and even though Fary Lochan doesn’t make overly sweet whisky, we get a more subdued sweetness in this Distillery Edition 08. This is, of course, due to the use of a 2nd fill rum cask.

The sherry cask used is a 3rd fill and slightly larger, so it doesn’t impart as much flavor as some of the other sherry cask-matured whiskies that have been released.

That being said, they have achieved a good combination and balance between rum and sherry. They complement each other well, and with Fary Lochan’s well-crafted new make, it results in a rather good whisky.

🆅🅴🆁 🅻🅻
Another exciting whisky from Fary Lochan, a whisky that plays with your senses of smell and taste. Fary Lochan’s DNA is recognizable, and neither the rum nor sherry casks overpower, but they complement each other well.

Glendronach is sherry cask matured whisky and you are in no doubt at any time. If we’re talking about sherry bombs, then Glendronach needs to be in the conversation.

There are many that have favorite distilleries, and it could be fun to do a tasting with Macallan, Aberlour, Glenfarclas and Glendronach just to name a few and taste the difference – They all have a 12 year old in the core range bottlings.
I know there is a difference, but can we taste it?

Glendronach, like several other distilleries, was challenged in the 1980s and 90s, but has recovered well.
In 1996, the distillery was shut down and started production up again in 2002.
In 2005, production is shut down for a period to upgrade from direct coal fire under the pot stills to indirect steam heating.

In 2009, Glendronach is ready to relaunch their 12, 15 and 18 year bottlings. The distillery changed owners in 2008 and now the owners of the Benriach distillery are making more different whiskies to the range, including peated editions, until 2016 when Brown Forman buys the distillery and they are keeping up the good taste og Glendronach.

Pyha, it became a bit of a history lesson just to say that this is a wonderful whisky with a good sherry taste.

Glendronach is one of the whiskies one should have in the home bar.

𝙄 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙜𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙨𝙠𝙮: (4/6)

🅼🆈 🆁🆃🅸🅽🅶 🆂🆈🆂🆃🅴🅼

– 𝙀𝙭𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙧𝙮 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙨𝙠𝙮 – 𝙙𝙚𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙮 𝙖 𝙠𝙚𝙚𝙥𝙚𝙧
– 𝘼 𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙛𝙪𝙡 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙨𝙠𝙮 – 𝙊𝙣𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙛
– 𝙂𝙤𝙤𝙙 – 𝙈𝙖𝙮𝙗𝙚 𝙢𝙮 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙙𝙖𝙮 𝙙𝙧𝙖𝙢
– 𝙉𝙤𝙩 𝙗𝙖𝙙 – 𝙄’𝙡𝙡 𝙙𝙤 𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙙𝙖𝙮
– 𝙄𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙛𝙪𝙣 𝙩𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙄 𝙢𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙙𝙤 𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣
– 𝙇𝙚𝙩’𝙨 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙨𝙖𝙮 𝙄 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙩

From North Star Spirits back in 2018, a thick and bright star – Spica, the 16th brightest star and part of the zodiac sign Virgo.

This is definitely a shining star in the blended whisky sky.

It’s been a long time since I’ve enjoyed such a rich blended whisky.
I will refrain from figuring out the comparisons between zodiac signs and whisky, as well as how far out in the universe they are, but my taste buds have a good experience.
It is an amazing desert whisky in my eyes. It has fullness like a heavy port wine, sweetness as a vanilla ice cream and brownie desert and warmth for a cool evening.

I can not find anything on the casks used, but the sherry is so dominant that it has to have been maturing in some kind of sherry casks. It can be both Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez (PX) but I think the dominant casks used are the PX. American oak can also have been used. That is were I think we get the vanilla sweetnes from.

I spoke about Spica 20 years old, having it in the evenings line up at a tasting. Several were surprised that it was a blended whisky and not a single malt, but fortunately it shows that there is more between heaven and earth, meaning that you cheat yourself by not also exploring blended whisky (if you don’t of course )

An excellent dram, maybe in the sweet end for me, but the bottle is empty now, so it can not have been completely bad

𝙄 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙜𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙨𝙠𝙮: (4/6)
I will actually give it 4.5/6 because it has an extra desert touch, the dram you would have with a good vanilla ice cream desert.

🅼🆈 🆁🆃🅸🅽🅶 🆂🆈🆂🆃🅴🅼

– 𝙀𝙭𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙧𝙮 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙨𝙠𝙮 – 𝙙𝙚𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙮 𝙖 𝙠𝙚𝙚𝙥𝙚𝙧
– 𝘼 𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙛𝙪𝙡 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙨𝙠𝙮 – 𝙊𝙣𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙛
– 𝙂𝙤𝙤𝙙 – 𝙈𝙖𝙮𝙗𝙚 𝙢𝙮 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙙𝙖𝙮 𝙙𝙧𝙖𝙢
– 𝙉𝙤𝙩 𝙗𝙖𝙙 – 𝙄’𝙡𝙡 𝙙𝙤 𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙙𝙖𝙮
– 𝙄𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙛𝙪𝙣 𝙩𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙄 𝙢𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙙𝙤 𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣
– 𝙇𝙚𝙩’𝙨 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙨𝙖𝙮 𝙄 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙩

The new casks from Jerez in Spain have contained Oloroso sherry in some casks and PX (Pedro Ximenez) Sherry in other of the casks. The sherry has been in the casks for one year.

Tasting Elements – Single Malt – Sherry Cask I must admit it surprised me quite a bit.

I am having a hard time finding the classic sherry notes and it behaves like Gin in the taste.
A surprisingly different sherry whisky but still at pleasant and interesting whisky.

𝙄 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙜𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙨𝙠𝙮: (3/6)

🅼🆈 🆁🆃🅸🅽🅶 🆂🆈🆂🆃🅴🅼

– 𝙀𝙭𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙧𝙮 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙨𝙠𝙮 – 𝙙𝙚𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙮 𝙖 𝙠𝙚𝙚𝙥𝙚𝙧
– 𝘼 𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙛𝙪𝙡 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙨𝙠𝙮 – 𝙊𝙣𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙛
– 𝙂𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙄 𝙙𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙠 – 𝙈𝙮 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙙𝙖𝙮 𝙙𝙧𝙖𝙢 𝙢𝙖𝙮𝙗𝙚
– 𝙉𝙤𝙩 𝙗𝙖𝙙 – 𝙄’𝙡𝙡 𝙙𝙤 𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙙𝙖𝙮
– 𝙄𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙛𝙪𝙣 𝙩𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙄 𝙢𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙙𝙤 𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣
– 𝙇𝙚𝙩’𝙨 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙨𝙖𝙮 𝙄 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙩

You can not compare the 22 year old and the 23 year old as they are of different cask maturation and two very different whiskies.
If I had to choose between the two tho, my choice would fall on the 23 year old. Not because of the age but I really enjoy the combination of the sweetness from the sherry and the smoke.

Thank you Jesper Søberg for a lovely experience with two lovely Ardbeg whiskies.

𝙄 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙜𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙨𝙠𝙮: (6/6)

🅼🆈 🆁🆃🅸🅽🅶 🆂🆈🆂🆃🅴🅼

– 𝙀𝙭𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙧𝙮 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙨𝙠𝙮 – 𝙙𝙚𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙮 𝙖 𝙠𝙚𝙚𝙥𝙚𝙧
– 𝘼 𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙛𝙪𝙡 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙨𝙠𝙮 – 𝙊𝙣𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙛
– 𝙂𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙄 𝙙𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙠 – 𝙈𝙮 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙙𝙖𝙮 𝙙𝙧𝙖𝙢 𝙢𝙖𝙮𝙗𝙚
– 𝙉𝙤𝙩 𝙗𝙖𝙙 – 𝙄’𝙡𝙡 𝙙𝙤 𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙙𝙖𝙮
– 𝙄𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙛𝙪𝙣 𝙩𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙄 𝙢𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙙𝙤 𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣
– 𝙇𝙚𝙩’𝙨 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙨𝙖𝙮 𝙄 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙩

This is CES No.1 from Mosgaard Distillery.
CES is short for Cask Experiment Serie.

In this case it has been more than just mixing different casks from the distillery.

Jes Mosgaard the owner and Master blender of Mosgaard Distillery invited 4 others people to join him in this experiment. I was one of the 4.

All 5 of us got samples from 7 different casks and was challenged to make the best whisky.

At a virtual tasting last week (October 29th, 2020) we presented our whisky and at the end of the tasting all participants voted for the best whisky – this was exciting….

My whisky ended up on second place and I am happy

The winning whisky was blended by Thomas Rydberg the owner of the Danish magazine; Whisky & Rom magasinet @whiskyromdk

His whisky was blended and bottled for the marked and it is this one, The CES No.1 – Congratulations Thomas, a fantastic whisky!

A single malt mixed of 5 different casks and has a great taste and has a fine balance.

It is consisting of whisky matured in a ex-bourbon cask, a PX finish that startet in af French oak cask, a fully matured in a PX cask, a fully matured in a French oak cask and fully matured Oloroso cask. It is a young whisky. The youngest of the whiskies used i 3 years and 2 months old. The oldest is 3 years and 9 months old, so the term of this whisky would be a 3 year old. All the casks used are only 50 liter casks, which give more contact with the wood and matures faster. This means that the aging in a 50 liter cask is equivalent to a 3 years old whisky would a have a maturation similar to a 12 year old whisky that has matured in a 200-250 liter cask.

You get tast of vanilla, raisin, spices, nuts and dark chocolate.

This has been a fantastic adventure. Thank you so much Jes Mosgaard for inviting me to join the Cask Experiment.

𝙄 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙜𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙨𝙠𝙮: (5/6)

🅼🆈 🆁🆃🅸🅽🅶 🆂🆈🆂🆃🅴🅼

– 𝙀𝙭𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙧𝙮 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙨𝙠𝙮 – 𝙙𝙚𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙮 𝙖 𝙠𝙚𝙚𝙥𝙚𝙧
– 𝘼 𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙛𝙪𝙡 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙨𝙠𝙮 – 𝙊𝙣𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙛
– 𝙂𝙤𝙤𝙙 – 𝙈𝙖𝙮𝙗𝙚 𝙢𝙮 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙙𝙖𝙮 𝙙𝙧𝙖𝙢
– 𝙉𝙤𝙩 𝙗𝙖𝙙 – 𝙄’𝙡𝙡 𝙙𝙤 𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙙𝙖𝙮
– 𝙄𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙛𝙪𝙣 𝙩𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙄 𝙢𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙙𝙤 𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣
– 𝙇𝙚𝙩’𝙨 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙨𝙖𝙮 𝙄 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙩