Mystery Malt #5 from Thompson Bros. once again takes us away with the safety net of labels, ages, and distillery names. This fifth batch is drawn from one of 38 Scottish distilleries and represents a deliberately broad sweep of styles, ages, and cask types.
Bottled in opaque black glass, this blind single malt keeps its secrets under the capsule, revealed only once you crack it open and scan the QR code. Until then, it is just you, the whisky, and your own judgement. No crib notes. No spoilers.
It could be a youthful, characterful dram you rarely see bottled alone, or a genuinely old, stately whisky. Something rich in coastal peat or sweet and fruity, aged in refill hogsheads and butts, or first-fill bourbon, PX and sherry wood, red wine barriques, Tawny Port finishes, Montilla seasoned casks, even rye casks from Woodford Reserve... In short, it is a proper rummage through the Thompson Brothers playbook.
If you want to see the full list of possibilities, head here.
It depends on which whisky you get...
