Best Spanish Whisky

The first one – or Number 1 if you like, is DYC 15 Years Old Single Malt with 40% Alc. Vol. It won GOLD at this years Whisky Magazine’s WORLD WHISKIES AWARDS and is rated 81.67/100 on Whiskybase.com. It sells at an average price of EURO 40.93. DYC is the oldest whisky distillery in Spain and also the biggest by a long shot.

DYC 15 was first released as a limited edition of only 12.857 bottles. And the quality of this single malt whisky was immediately recognized with the Double Gold award of the prestigious international competition: Sip Awards 2018.

It is a unique Spanish whiskey that belongs to the Master Distillers Collection, a selection of exclusive whiskeys that reveals, through its flavor and note, all the care and attention of its elaborate process. 

Tasting notes: A fragrant, clean odor with cereal and malt. On the palate we find the long aging in oak barrels. Notes of vanilla, caramel, nuts and marzipan fill your mouth. The finish is long, with complexity, roundness and intense flavor of wood and malt. A whisky that can compete with Scottish single malt, but has an individual character. A very cool bottle and a nice and well balanced whisky.

Here are some additional info from WIKIPEDIA: Destilerías y Crianza del Whisky S.A. (or Whisky DYC) is a Spanish whisky company formed by businessman Nicomedes García Gómez in 1958. It is currently a subsidiary of Beam Suntory. The first distillery, built in Palazuelos de Eresma in Segovia, began operation in February 1959. In March 1963, it started to produce Whisky DYC, the first Spanish whisky. The initial production of one million liters per year climbed to twenty million per year in the 1980s. The distillery is still capable of producing this much whisky, but recently output has only been a fraction of its capacity.

That brings us to the second whisky or No. 2 if you like on our list for the Best Spanish Whiskey 2024. But before we go there, I like to talk a little about this small but amazing whisky distillery in the Northern part of Spain. And YES; it’s totally the opposite to DYC because this is Spain’s smallest single malt distillery also known as Basque Moonshiners. Jose, which is a personal friend of mine and a total whisky nerd, has in a few years showed his great talent. His first international release AGOT – also known as the Basque Single Malt Pioneer Edition received GOLD at the WORLD WHISKIES AWARDS in 2020.

Here is what Whisky Magazine was writing about Basque Moonshiners in July 2021; “There was a still in the village where we grew up, built during the Spanish Civil War,” explains managing director and co-founder José Luis Navarro. “The locals built it to learn from Italian soldiers stationed there how to distil alcohol from potato scraps. It fascinated us and was an inspiration for the distillery.” and Whisky Magazine(click link for full article) goes on to write; Basque Moonshiners focuses on using local ingredients for its whisky, which is branded as AGOT. Its maltster is located 90km from the distillery and most of its spirit is matured in red wine casks brought in from a nearby producer of Rioja in the region of Alavés. Jose also explains his future plans to the magazine “Basque Moonshiners is planning something new as well. It will import whisky from other countries to mix with its own stock for a new brand. The first release will use unpeated and peated Scotch whisky, and further Spanish-Irish and Spanish-US whisky combinations are in the pipeline”.

Ladies and Gentlemen, here it is, we give you BIKKUN as this years No 2. So now let’s talk about what this new whisky from Jose at Basque Moonshiners is and why we chose that as the second whisky on this years list of Best Spanish Whiskey 2024. As described in the “Taste of Spain” article from Whisky Magazine (in the link above – with a list and history of the few Spanish whisky distilleries) Then Jose wanted to go new ways and he certainly did. This is experimental VATTED (Blended) Malt Whisky of the highest level with 46% Alc. Vol. And again because the Basque Moonshiners are so small, it’s of course limited. BIKKUN is rated 82.6/100 on Whiskybase.com, so the highest rated of the three whiskies we are presenting to you this year! It sells at an average price of EURO 40.90 so less than a euro more than Number 1 on our list.

One review on Whiskybase goes on to write: Campfire smoke meets grainy sweetness with licorice. Very drinkable whiskey that should definitely be tried, especially since the combination of blending Scottish whisky with Spanish whisky is not an everyday occurrence. 

But it does not stop here is what THE WHISKER REVIWER had to say: If I liked Agot’s design, Bikkun’s style fascinates me. A combination in white, black, and gold with a split label. In the glass, the whiskey is light gold. The first hit on the nose is pure peat, but not explosive, but rather that aroma of smoke that mixes with notes of toasted oak. There are also notes of malt, minced biscuit, and butter. That touch of fresh yeast and pastries with hints of candied fruit. Some nuts: hazelnut, walnut. A touch of sour apple towards the end.

On the palate, it is lighter than expected, although somewhat unctuous. It starts with intense notes of peat and a slightly spicy point. It is followed by a sherry touch, with more chocolate notes and some raisins. There is some licorice in the background, which gives it a slight minty touch. It maintains the sweet notes of cereal and butter, with some nuts, mainly hazelnuts. It is spicy, with intense notes of black pepper and a touch of dark chocolate and coffee. The finish is quite long, with a hint of smoke and honey.

This is only one small part of the full page review from The Whisky Reviewer. I recommend you click here to read his full article, then you will clearly understand why its chosen as the second whiskey on our list this year.

NEXT UP; BORN IN SCOTLAND AND AGED IN SPAIN by Richard Paterson & Gonzalez-Bayss

I guess you are now ready for the 3rd and final whisky on Best Spanish Whiskey 2024 – It’s almost a movie script this spectacular co-operation between Patterson and Gonzales-Byass in Jerez, (diagonal in the other end of Spain from where Basque Moonshiners are), Gonzales-Byass is located in the “Golden Triangle” of Sherry wines in Andalucía from where also the world famous Sherry casks are coming (do spend a little time to learn about Sherry casks – (click on the link), it’s not always what it’s supposed to be!

With No. 3 you are in for a treat which only comes around a few times in life. NOMAD OUTLAND WHISKY boost a quintessential Scottish character and a soul that is truly Jerezano. This Spanish whiskey is the work of a unique collaboration of Antonio Flores, master blender at Gonzalez-Byass and Mr. Richard Paterson, which I guess need no introduction to whiskey aficionados, but in case you know who he is, you can click on his name and read all about his amazing history and work in the whiskey industry.

This premium blend is made from up of 40% Malt Whisky from over 30 different casks and aged for 5-8 years before it travels to Jerez. The whisky is then aged in American oak casks which previously contained very old Pedro Ximenez Sherry in the historic Gonzalez-Byass cellars. It’s bottled at 41.3% and rated 79.49 on Whiskybase.com. It sells at an average price of EURO 37.13 so a little less than the two others on our list in both rating and price.

The additional 12 month aging in these barrels is what make this Spanish whiskey unique. The century old winery in Jerez is subject to changing temperatures, humidity and maritime influences and imbued with the natural yeast, that are so unique to the cellars gives Nomad its particular and incomparable personality.

Nomad reviewers wrote: This is surprisingly good! A very nice bottle and presentation is met with a heavily influenced Sherry nose and taste.  It is somewhat sweeter than I anticipated, and very viscous, but actually this smacks of Sherry, notes of honey and well chosen blended whiskies. TheWineStaker wrote: FRIGGIN’ AWESOME and it is so godddamn smooth going down. This has just become one of my favorite whiskies and an absolute steal. When this bottle is gone I’m going to find away to get another one. 

Another reviewer wrote: Nose: Raisins, walnuts and orange peel – Sherry heaven. Another again wrote: Sweet and sticky; pairs beautifully with dark, full-bodied cigars. And so we could continue, but try for yourself and tell me if this was the right pick as No. 3 on the list of Best Spanish Whiskey 2024.