The fourth (or third, depending on how you look at it) of Michiel Wigman’s own whisky bottlings. Anyway, it was part of the second batch of two whiskies.

Another of these secret distilleries that are so popular currently, with every bottler doing them someway or another. Not that I’m complaining, although in general the ‘the name is not on it so it’s a lot cheaper’ tendency of a few years ago seems to have passed completely.

Anyway, any secret Speyside veers directly in the direction of Glenfarclas, but I’m not sure about that. At least not 100%, since it’s not certain that it’s not either.

Contrary to the bourbon cask used for the Teaninich and the Croftengea, this is from a sherry cask. I had to look it up since I missed the first on with Winston Churchill on the label, but that’s from a sherry cask too. Is it a thing to have ‘secret’ distilleries from sherry casks nowadays?

Sniff:
Pretty fierce for the ABV and the age. Lots of dried fruit, but on the bitter edge. Not a very sweet sherry’d whisky. Almonds, dates with stones, apricots. Some flint and brimstone, even a hint of unripe banana.

Sip:
The palate is slightly dry, and not hot at all. A very gentle dram, with quite a lot of soft wood notes, dried fruit and some nuts. Hazelnuts, some milk chocolate, apricots and dates. The bitterness is still present, and only highlights the lack of sweetness.

Swallow:
A very gentle finish, that lingers quite long with slightly spicy sherry, and hints of dried fruit. Peaches, apricots and raisins.

I love that this is a not-sweet sherry whisky. That would have been the easy choice, but instead there’s added depth because of the lack of that direction. It gives room to gentle notes of fruit, nuts and wood.

In a recent interview Michiel Wigman said that they’re not making whiskies like they used to, but his palate is formed by these drams. As you can very well see at his stand if whisky festival ever become a thing again. This one fits in that register. It’s not one of those modern whiskies with too much sweetness and the wood forced onto it. A great selection!

90/100

Secret Speyside 1993-2020, They Inspired I, by Michiel Wigman, 47.7%. Still available through Dutch Whisky Connection for € 174