For this review, we’re heading to Denmark’s Thy region to explore the whiskies of Thy Distillery. This family-owned, single-estate distillery grows and malts its own cereals, including heritage varieties, and uses an unusual single-distillation process. We’ll be comparing the 2024 and 2025 editions of its Single Malt and Bøg expressions, alongside the 2024 Spelt-Rye. Five bottlings to explore how Thy’s distinctive production methods translate into the glass.
Thy Distillery
Thy Distillery is a family-owned Danish whisky distillery located on the Gyrup estate, near Snedsted in the Thy region of northwestern Jutland. The estate has been farmed by the same family since 1773 and is now managed by its eighth generation. Whisky production began experimentally in 2010, with the first cask filled using barley grown on the farm. The first release, Thy Whisky No. 1 – Kræn Klit, was bottled in 2014, while the purpose-built distillery officially opened in 2019.
Thy operates according to a single-estate production model, with the entire process, from grain cultivation and malting to distillation, maturation and bottling, carried out on the farm. The estate covers approximately 500 hectares of organically managed agricultural land. The distillery grows both modern and heritage cereal varieties, including barley, rye and spelt. Among these is Imperial barley, a historical Danish variety reintroduced from seeds preserved in the Nordic gene bank.
Unlike most whisky distilleries, Thy produces its own malt using three custom-designed malting drums, each capable of handling approximately six tonnes of barley. The malting process lasts around nine days, including germination and kilning. For its smoked whiskies, the distillery uses beechwood rather than peat, following traditional Danish smoking practices.
Mashing takes place in relatively small batches, using approximately 240 kg of malt and an initial addition of 740 litres of hot water at around 64 or 65 °C. Each batch produces approximately 1,000 litres of wort. Fermentation takes place in open stainless-steel washbacks with a capacity of 1,000 litres, using Fermentis SafSpirit M1 yeast. Fermentation lasts between four and six days, considerably longer than the minimum periods commonly encountered in Scotch whisky production.
One of Thy’s most distinctive technical characteristics is its single-distillation process. Rather than using the conventional double or triple distillation employed by most malt whisky distilleries, Thy operates a 1,000-litre copper Müller AROMAT still fitted with an additional condenser functioning as a purifier. This increases reflux by returning condensed vapours and heavier compounds to the boiler, allowing the distillery to obtain its final new make spirit in a single distillation run. The system is designed to retain cereal-derived aromatic compounds while achieving sufficient separation and purification.
Maturation takes place in warehouses on the estate, including a purpose-designed building with a perforated façade that allows natural ventilation. The casks are therefore exposed to seasonal variations in temperature and humidity. Thy uses several types of oak casks, including ex-bourbon barrels, sherry casks, wine casks and virgin oak, with the selection depending on the whisky being produced.
The distillery produces single malt and rye whiskies, alongside expressions incorporating different cereal varieties and smoking techniques. Its releases include both single cask bottlings and small-batch expressions, generally bottled at strengths of 47% ABV or higher. Thy’s production approach places particular emphasis on grain selection, on-site malting and the influence of different cereals on the resulting spirit, rather than relying exclusively on cask maturation to differentiate its whiskies.
Thy Single Malt (2024) Review
Thy Single Malt 2024 is the inaugural edition of the distillery’s core-range single malt, released in 2024 at 48% ABV. It is a non-age-statement Danish whisky made entirely from organically grown barley, using 99% Odyssey barley harvested in 2018 and 2019, and 1% Babushka barley harvested in 2019. The malt bill consists of 88% pale malt and 12% beechwood-smoked malt, with the producer describing the overall smoke intensity as very low.
The whisky combines spirit distilled in 2019 and 2020, matured in first-fill bourbon barrels, Oloroso sherry casks and Pedro Ximénez sherry casks. The distillery provides an unusually detailed list of the casks used, ranging from 60-litre sherry casks to 500-litre PX casks, with some casks only partially emptied for the batch. Although no age statement is provided, the documented distillation years and 2024 bottling date indicate a relatively young whisky, broadly around four to five years old, with some variation between components.
The release comprises 4,800 bottles of 70 cl, bottled without chill filtration or added colouring. It is certified organic. Expect to pay around €60 a bottle: a little less in Germany, a bit more in the Netherlands, for instance.
Colour:
Deep copper.
Nose:
Neat: A distinctly cereal-driven opening, with fresh barley, dusty grain and bread dough. Fresh apple juice brings a fruity dimension, followed by raisins, sultanas and orange peel. Honey and natural vanilla provide sweetness without entirely covering the grain character. There is a slightly herbal side, with rosemary, aniseed and dried herbs, alongside a woody impression reminiscent of a carpenter’s workshop, walnut oil and a little charred oak. The smoke is restrained.
Palate:
Neat: A creamy, fairly substantial mouthfeel, with a sweet arrival of honey, crème brûlée, caramel and buttery pastry. The malt character remains prominent, bringing dark cereal notes and a slightly bready quality. The sherry casks become more apparent here, contributing raisins, toffee and dark cocoa, while cinnamon, nutmeg, black pepper and ginger introduce a noticeable spicy dimension. The beechwood smoke is more evident than on the nose, bringing a warm, dry, lightly charred character without dominating the sweeter flavours.
Finish:
Medium in length, the initial sweetness of toffee, honey and roasted nuts gradually gives way to black pepper, nutmeg and drying oak spice. A little lingering malt sweetness, with the beechwood smoke continuing as a subtle aftertaste.
Comments:
This Thy Inaugural Release is a real success: their whisky is flavourful, not too youthful, and with an impressive attention to detail. Their master blender must have been quite busy trying to assemble something coherent from all those casks and the several malts, and I think he was quite successful, as this Thy Single Malt is really nice. Maybe slightly too sweet, but that’s just my opinion and taste.
Rating: 6/10
Thy Single Malt (2025) Review
The Thy Single Malt 2025 is the second annual edition of the Danish distillery’s core-range single malt, following the inaugural 2024 release. Launched in May 2025, it was bottled at 48% ABV, with an outturn of 5,400 bottles, compared with 4,800 bottles for the previous edition. It is presented without an age statement, is certified organic, and is bottled without chill filtration or artificial colouring.
The whisky is produced entirely from organically grown Odyssey barley harvested in 2018, 2019 and 2020. Its malt bill consists of 94% pale malt and 6% beechwood-smoked malt, compared with 88% pale malt and 12% smoked malt in the 2024 edition. The previous batch also contained a small proportion of Babushka barley, which has been removed from the 2025 recipe. The distillery classifies the smoke intensity as very low.
The batch combines distillates produced in 2019, 2020 and 2021, with fermentation periods ranging from four to fifteen days. Maturation took place in a combination of first-fill bourbon barrels, first-fill Oloroso sherry casks and first-fill Pedro Ximénez sherry casks. The distillery identifies 18 casks in its batch records, including bourbon barrels of 125 and 200 litres, Oloroso casks ranging from 60 to 250 litres, and 500-litre PX casks. Some were only partially emptied for this release. The exact proportions contributed by each cask type are not specified.
The inclusion of younger 2021 distillate, the reduction in smoked malt and the revised cask composition make this a distinct batch rather than a simple repeat of the 2024 expression.
Colour:
Burnished.
Nose:
Neat: The nose opens again on cereals, with honeyed breakfast cereals, fresh barley husks and a slightly earthy character. Raisins and a little dried fruit introduce a sweeter dimension, accompanied by walnuts, rock candy and a touch of vanilla. The fruit gradually becomes fresher, with a citrus note recalling sweet lemon liqueur, while sandalwood adds a gentle woody and aromatic quality. The beechwood smoke is once again particularly restrained.
Palate:
Neat: The palate shows a pleasantly oily mouthfeel, with a pronounced fruity maltiness continuing from the nose. Sweet cereals and vanilla custard provide a creamy foundation, accompanied by sweet pastries, raisins and a touch of orange zest and pith. Walnuts introduce a slightly bitter nuttiness, while liquorice, aniseed and cinnamon contribute a more herbal and spicy dimension. Teakwood adds a dry woody note, contrasting with the sweeter flavours. The beechwood smoke becomes more noticeable than on the nose.
Finish:
Medium in length, with lingering honey, sweet vanilla and a gentle woody character reminiscent of teak. The cereal sweetness gradually fades, leaving a little dry oak and a subtle continuation of the herbal and spicy notes from the palate.
Comments:
There’s a real progression from the 2024 release to this one, and if there are similarities, this is not a copy-paste of the inaugural release. This Thy Single Malt 2025 edition is deeper, less sweet and more balanced than the 2024 edition; it feels more mature.
Rating: 6.5/10
Thy Bøg (2024) Review
Thy Bøg 2024 is the first edition of the distillery’s beechwood-smoked core-range single malt, released in May 2024 alongside Thy Single Malt and Spelt-Rye. Bottled at 50% ABV, it was produced in a batch of 3,100 bottles of 70 cl, without an age statement. It is certified organic, non-chill-filtered and naturally coloured.
The whisky was made exclusively from organically grown Odyssey barley harvested in 2019. Its malt bill consists of 95% beechwood-smoked malt and 5% unpeated pale malt. Unlike the Thy Single Malt 2024, which contains just 12% beechwood-smoked malt, Bøg uses smoked malt as its principal ingredient. The distillery categorises its smoke intensity as medium.
The batch combines spirit distilled in 2020, matured in a selection of first-fill sherry casks. Although the main maturation description identifies Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez, the distillery’s detailed batch records also include a 60-litre first-fill Palo Cortado cask. The cask selection comprises ten Oloroso casks of 60 and 250 litres, one 60-litre Palo Cortado cask and three PX casks of 60 and 500 litres, with the two larger PX casks only partially emptied. The filling dates range from February to October 2020, except for one Oloroso cask recorded as filled in March 2019. That earlier date is inconsistent with the listed 2020 distillation batches and should be treated as an unresolved discrepancy rather than evidence of older spirit.
The fermentation periods are recorded as ranging from four to fourteen days, using M1 Distillers Yeast. The distillery provides eight distillation batch references for the release, all identified as 2020 production. The combination of first-fill sherry casks, including relatively small 60-litre vessels, and a high proportion of smoked malt distinguishes this expression from the less heavily smoked Thy Single Malt. However, the precise volume contributed by each cask has not been published.
Colour:
Deep copper.
Nose:
Neat: A warm, gently smoky opening, with beechwood smoke bringing an unusual combination of floral, citrusy and lightly toasted aromas. Lemon peel and orange zest accompany fresh berries, followed by ripe apples and a little stone fruit. The sherry influence introduces dried fruits and a softer sweetness, while honey, vanilla and caramel remain in the background. There are also more savoury notes of worn leather and a faint suggestion of coastal air. The smoke is clearly identifiable but not particularly aggressive.
With water: Reduction brings more smoke as well as beechwood bark, baking spices, and drying sea water on rocks.
Palate:
Neat: A fairly rich, sweet arrival, with yellow plums, ripe pears, golden raisins and a mixture of red and dark berries. The sherry casks contribute caramel and brown sugar, accompanied by dark chocolate, cocoa and a slightly confectionery-like sweetness. The malt remains noticeable, with wholewheat bread and a lightly toasted cereal character. Candied ginger, aniseed and pine needles introduce a more aromatic, spicy dimension, while caramelised nuts and pecans add richness. The beechwood smoke becomes more pronounced than on the nose, bringing toasted wood, a little smoked fish and a slightly savoury character.
With water: A few drops of water provide more sweetness, which disappears after a few moments to leave an oaky bitterness and peppercorns.
Finish:
Medium to long, with lingering citrus zest, green apples and raisins, followed by blueberries and a touch of caramel sweetness. The beechwood smoke gradually fades, leaving a light toasted and slightly savoury impression.
Comments:
This Thy Bøg is quite a very good whisky, with its own character, and something really different, separating it from the majority of whiskies. Blind, you’d quickly guess this is not a Scotch whisky. It manages to bring a good balance, less sweetness than the ‘classic’ single malt, especially when enjoyed neat, which, at 50% ABV, is really enjoyable.
Rating: 7/10
Thy Bøg (2025) Review
Thy Bøg 2025 is the second annual edition of the distillery’s core-range beechwood-smoked single malt, released in April 2025. Bottled at 50% ABV, it was produced in a batch of 4,200 bottles of 70 cl, compared with 3,100 bottles for the inaugural 2024 edition. The whisky is certified organic and presented without an age statement.
The whisky is made entirely from organically grown Odyssey barley harvested in 2018, 2019 and 2020. Its malt bill comprises 90% beechwood-smoked malt and 10% unpeated pale malt, compared with 95% smoked malt and 5% pale malt in the previous edition. Despite the slightly reduced proportion of smoked malt, the distillery continues to classify its smoke intensity as medium. Fermentation lasted between four and fifteen days, using M1 Distillers Yeast.
The batch combines spirit distilled in 2019, 2020 and 2021, and matured exclusively in first-fill Oloroso sherry casks. The distillery identifies thirteen casks: nine 250-litre casks, one 120-litre cask and three 60-litre casks, with their filling dates rangeing from August 2019 to May 2021. The exact proportions contributed by each cask are not specified, although the published batch information identifies the individual casks used.
This represents a notable change from the 2024 edition, which combined first-fill Oloroso, Palo Cortado and Pedro Ximénez casks. The 2025 edition therefore uses a simpler maturation recipe, relying entirely on Oloroso-seasoned wood. The distillation years also differ, with the inclusion of 2019 and 2021 spirits rather than exclusively 2020 production.
Thy Bøg 2025 is listed as non-chill-filtered and naturally coloured in the product information for the range.
Colour:
Burnished.
Nose:
Neat: The nose shows a combination of sweet wood smoke, damp grass and hay, with a fresh herbal character reminiscent of pine resin and dried herbs. Gooseberries and rhubarb bring a slightly tart, green-fruit dimension, contrasting with sweeter notes of maple syrup, milk chocolate and caramelised apples. Raisins and a touch of melted butter introduce a richer, rounder character. The beechwood smoke is noticeable without once again being particularly aggressive.
With water: Reduction brings out more smoke and more sweet wood bark, resin and maple syrup. A little bit of glue and solvent give a light chemical feeling.
Palate:
Neat: The palate starts with a sweet arrival, with maple syrup, sultanas, figs and ripe oranges, followed by toffee and dark treacle. The texture is oily and mouth-coating, while milk chocolate and dark rye bread contribute richness and a pronounced cereal character. The beechwood smoke becomes more apparent than on the nose, bringing a combination of smouldering wood, smoked apples and a slightly meaty quality. Fennel, liquorice and dried herbs introduce a distinctly herbal dimension, accompanied by black pepper and a little resinous woodiness.
With water: Orange peel and dark chocolate give an orangette feeling, before a strong presence of roasted malted barley reinforces the cereal character, in a more empyreumatic way.
Finish:
Medium to long, with the initial sweetness gradually giving way to a drier, more herbal character. Smoked apples, honey and dried fruit linger alongside cured meats, gentle wood smoke and a touch of resin. A little pepper remains in the background, while the beechwood smoke persists after much of the sweetness has disappeared.
Comments:
Like its predecessor, this Thy Bøg 2025 edition is very good. The 2025 edition preserves the combination of fruit sweetness, savoury beechwood smoke and oily texture found in the 2024 release, despite the change in casks.
Rating: 7/10
Thy Spelt-Rye (2024) Review
Thy Spelt-Rye 2024 is the inaugural core-range edition of the Danish distillery’s malted rye whisky, released in May 2024 alongside Thy Single Malt and Bøg. Bottled at 48.5% ABV, it was produced in a batch of 2,900 bottles of 70 cl, without an age statement. It is certified organic, non-chill-filtered and naturally coloured.
The whisky is made entirely from organically grown cereals harvested in 2019, with a mash bill comprising 60% rye, 30% Odyssey barley and 10% spelt. All three cereals were malted, with no smoked malt used in the recipe. The rye and spelt were grown at Gyrup, alongside the barley, and the whisky was produced using the distillery’s M1 Distillers Yeast, with fermentation periods ranging from six to eight days.
The batch combines three distillation runs from 2019, identified as 2019-21, 2019-22 and 2019-23. The maturation took place exclusively in fourteen new American oak casks, comprising two 250-litre casks and twelve 125-litre casks. All are recorded as having been filled on 15 January 2020, indicating approximately four years of maturation.
Unlike the Thy Single Malt and Bøg expressions, which incorporate bourbon or sherry cask maturation, Spelt-Rye relies entirely on virgin oak.
Colour:
Cider.
Nose:
Neat: A distinctly grain-forward opening, with freshly baked rye bread, dusty cereals and a slightly sour, dough-like character. Vanilla and honey introduce sweetness, accompanied by dried herbs, heather flowers and a touch of caramel. The herbal notes gradually become more pronounced, with juniper berries, mint and bay leaves, alongside a little green tea. There is also a fresh citrus element, with orange peel and a hint of lemon, contrasting with the warmer, sweeter oak influence.
Palate:
Neat: A substantial rye character, with dark rye bread, toasted grains and a pronounced combination of spices and herbs. Black pepper, ginger, fennel and aniseed provide warmth, while aromatic herbs introduce a distinctly savoury, herbal dimension. Juniper, eucalyptus and pine needles add a fresh, resinous quality, accompanied by lemon oil and a slightly green fruitiness reminiscent of unripe bananas. Vanilla, honey, caramel and dark brown sugar contribute sweetness, while toasted linseed, walnuts and liquorice provide a nuttier, slightly bitter counterpoint.
Finish:
Medium to long, with persistent rye bread, malted cereals and warming spices. Black pepper, ginger and aniseed remain prominent, accompanied by lingering pine and herbal notes. A little vanilla and honey sweetness continues beneath the spices, while the oak gradually introduces a drier, woody character.
Comments:
Among the three 2024 Thy expressions, Spelt-Rye offers the clearest departure in both grain composition and maturation. Its 60% rye mash bill, 10% spelt component and exclusive use of virgin American oak produce a substantially different set of variables from the barley-based Single Malt and Bøg releases. It has a more herbal, spicy and wood-driven profile, with less emphasis on fruit sweetness.