Spey's new Trilogia

I've not reviewed a whisky from @SpeySingleMalt for ages, let's put that right with their new Trilogia

A sample swap from my mate Cliff @KingsofYearron

Spey is produced at Speyside Distillery, nestled within the Cairngorm Mountains, near the River Spey. Founded in 1956 by George Christie, the construction of the distillery began in the 1960s. Taking two decades to complete, and the distillery officially opened in 1990.

Photo: Speyside Distillery

The distillery changed hands in 2000 and again in 2012, being acquired by the Harvey’s of Edinburgh, which soon revamped the range and started selling the malt as Spey, an old brand dating back to the 1815.

In 2021 Spey announced that their lease was up on the site and that a new distillery would be built in Laggan, near the Spey Dam.

Speyside use a 4.2 ton semi-lauter mash tun, 6 stainless steel washbacks with a fermentation time of up to 120 hours and a single pair of cooper pot stills.

Let's have a look at their new release:

Distillery notes: SPEY Trilogia is a distinctive limited edition blend of three exceptional SPEY single malts. It combines the Trutina, aged exclusively in bourbon casks, the Port cask-finished Tenné, and the peated Fumare, creating a unique and harmonious fusion brought together and finished in 1st fill Tawny Port casks. 

6,000 numbered bottles 46% ABV, Non Chill Filtered, No Added Colour

My thoughts:

Appearance: Pale gold, with a hint of pink, in the Glencairn, swirls cling as a thin line, bead up slowly and fall as slow thin legs.

 

Nose: gentle peat smoke, berries and vanilla. There's some mixed fruit jam notes, apples and pears alongside the blackberries, strawberries and blueberries. The smoke is gentle and distant. There's a little citrus, oak and hint's of spice to come.

Palate: thick sweet arrival, berries to the fore: the blackberries, strawberries and blueberries from the nose alongside a lovely cherry note. There's honey, toffee and drying apricot before the subtle smoke arrives with the spice: cinnamon and pepper. A tingle of citrus and a little minerality as the liquid disappears.

Finish: lingering berries, smoke and spice.

Thoughts: this is a very chewy, juicy dram, peated port - what more do you want? For me a little more ABV but I'm just picky! Would love a cask strength version of this. Well worth picking up a very reasonably priced bottle.