The Whisky Trail got a makeover since Elixir Distillers separated from The Whisky Exchange. The series exists since 2019, with some new releases in 2021, always as a quartet. Then Elixir became an independent company and the range went silent for a couple of years, until now.
It’s actually a wider series, now called The Elixir Trails, because they’re also including rum now and possibly other spirits in the future. Today we’re looking at the first batch of the new Whisky Trail, which includes Danish, American, Japanese and English whisky.
Thy 4 yo 2020 – Spelt Rye (50,5%, Elixir Distillers ‘The Whisky Trail’ 2025, virgin oak quarter casks #537-540, 645 btl.)
Nose: ginger and pepper up front, along with pine refreshener, rye bread and some hints of dusty cupboards. Bright lemon notes. It becomes sweeter over time, with some unbaked buttery dough, spiced honey and light hints of banana. Then it moves back towards rosemary twigs and juniper.
Mouth: the typical rye spice (ginger, pepper) is not too pronounced and mixed with sweetness again. Green banana, honeysuckle and apple. Rye bread, obviously. Later also vanilla and brighter notes of mint, aniseed and rosemary. Then subtle nutty notes, drops of lemon oil and burnt orange.
Finish: medium to long. More aniseed and peppermint, with a warming caramelized note in the background.
I think the spicy notes and typical raw grains are well balanced here, incorporating some nice Nordic herbs and sweetness underneath. I prefer other (malt) expressions from Thy but really good for a rye, better than the standard Thy Spelt-Rye I tried before. Available from The Whisky Exchange and other retailers.
White Peak 7 yo 2018 (52,4%, Elixir Distillers ‘The Whisky Trail’ 2025, first-fill bourbon barrels #148 + 152 + 164 + 167, 1254 btl.)
Nose: youngish hints of pear drops, lots of green apples and hints of melons. Plenty of custard notes and butter biscuits at its base, some beer notes and vanilla. Leaning towards a dessert whisky but there’s also a lemony top note and a nice echo of smoke in the distance.
Mouth: even sweeter now, going straight to stewed peaches, more pear candy, apple tarts and crème brûlée. Hints of honey. Back to lemon (sweets) and mint cordial, while there’s a noticeable layer of cask char and smoke as well.
Finish: not too long, now relying heavily on the wood influence. Sweet malt, plain oaky notes and a little white pepper.
This English whisky combined brewer’s yeast with distiller’s yeast, something that Elixir Distillers are now doing at Tormore. Indeed also a bit of peated malt was used. Not an exceptional profile but an interesting choice for those with a sweet tooth. Available from Tyndrum Whisky or The Whisky Exchange for example. Score: 83/100
Chichibu 10 yo 2014 (55%, Elixir Distillers ‘The Whisky Trail’ 2025, Far East Imperial IPA barrel #11044, 240 btl.)
Nose: some cheesy whiffs at first, or at least lactic hints, mixed with caramelized banana and a touch of earthiness. Then a prominent IPA theme appears: mango and pink grapefruit, including the hoppy notes. Bay leaves and honey. Faded rose petals and a little rice milk too. Quite a quirky combination and certainly not subtle.
Mouth: similar mango, pineapple and grapefruit with an unmistakable hoppy / floral note. Seville oranges and orange blossoms, some grassiness and a big green leafiness. Then also stewed apple, light pastry notes and a gentle bitterness. Still an aromatic rose / raspberry character.
Finish: medium, still fruity but also having a light medicinal touch, some ginger and plain citrus.
This is becoming a semi-continuous expression – we tried a sister cask in the 2022 Martial Arts series for TWE. These specific fruity notes along with hoppy notes and a little potpourri make it stand out from the crowd. I prefer a more classical Japanese whisky but this is definitely unique. Sold out. Score: 87/100
Westland 9 yo (56,5%, Elixir Distillers ‘The Whisky Trail’ 2025, single malt, first-fill + second-fill bourbon barrels, 817 btl.)
Nose: hints of marshmellow sweetness and milk chocolate, but also a sharper resinous side, juniper and a faint metallic edge. Fresh oak shavings and just a little vanilla custard. Then back to peppermint, citrus green tea and mild earthy smoke.
Mouth: sweetness and sharpness again. Granny Smith apple and nectarine, peppermint, white flowers and lemon peels. A little caramel sweetness, sweet grains and clove oil, along with roasted walnuts, light ashes and toasted oak. The woody side gets quite firm towards the end.
Finish: quite long, with dark chocolate, all-spice, leafy peat notes and some zesty citrus.
A nice dram, far more elegant than what I’ve had from other American single malts. The subtle peaty hint is a nice asset as well. Available from The Whisky Exchange. Score: 85/100
All of these whiskies from around the world were very young, of course, so I wasn’t really expecting extraordinary scores. Still the results are really interesting and offering plenty of variation. A nice idea for a series as well.