The Whisky Jury is 5 years previous. They’ve been teasing us for some time after which it turned on the market was one other Secret Speyside 1990. A sister cask of those they launched a while in the past. On the identical time there was one other undisclosed single malt, a Secret Islay 1989.
Secret Speyside 33 yo 1990 (51,2%, The Whisky Jury 2024, refill sherry cask, 159 btl.)
Nostril: relaxed sherry, not too heavy. There are purple apples, hints of cherry syrup and previous leather-based. Then some mocha and cinnamon, together with dried herbs. Some praline. Acacia honey, in addition to a lightweight greasy contact. There’s an underlying layer of previous wooden – the whole lot very effectively balanced.
Mouth: spicy, autumnal sherry with candy and bitter notes. Hints of eucalyptus and ginger, together with sultanas, purple plums and stewed peaches. Additionally orange peels and hints of cognac. Gentle waxy / resinous touches with leathery notes. Then cinnamon once more, with natural tea and a pinch of pepper.
End: lengthy, on candy spice, natural honey, raisins and leather-based.
In keeping with the earlier sister casks from the identical distillery. All in all a really mature, refined and stylish single malt. Complicated, extremely drinkable and an ideal profile for wintertime. Briefly, a becoming fifth anniversary bottling. Retailers may be discovered on the TWJ web site.
Secret Islay 34 yo 1989 (51,8%, The Whisky Jury 2024, refill bourbon cask, 248 btl.)
Nostril: loads of dried herbs, rapeseed oil, linoleum and creosote. Then seashells, bandages and a beautiful muddy / farmy sort of peat smoke. Barely sharper iodine and lemon peel within the background. Smoked almond and engine oil too.
Mouth: half fruity, half coastal. Seawater, smoked lemons and pink grapefruit. Vegetal peat, with tobacco and a touch of roasted espresso beans. Oysters with pepper, together with inexperienced olives, inexperienced herbs and leathery notes. Then some umami notes combined with grilled pineapple – a lovely combine.
End: pretty lengthy, with liquorice, mentholated fruits and medicinal notes.
Admittedly not a giant shock, this one. It reaches the identical heights because the Islay Malt 1989 bottled for the third anniversary. We’ve already praised the complexity and refined Islay profile: wonderful stuff. Rating: 92/100
