Spica 1989 NSS - Limited Edition No. 2

Overall rating
86.67/100
votes
180
Whiskybase ID
WB128798
Category
Blend
Bottler
North Star Spirits (NSS)
Vintage
1989
Bottled
2019
Stated Age
29 years old
Casktype
European & American Oak Barrels
Number of bottles
1000
Strength
45.5 % Vol.
Size
700 ml
Added on
02 apr 2019 9:11 am by Whisky-Maniac-DE
UncoloredNon-chillfilteredCask Strength
Spica 1989 NSS - Limited Edition No. 2
Photo by Ras Mazunga
Spica 1989 NSS - Limited Edition No. 2
Photo by LukeFive

Average value

€ 99.10

Found 3 online shops. Lowest price:

€ 92.50
Germany Whisky-Maniac € 99.90
Germany Whiskybottle.de € 104.90
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Whisky reviews for Spica 1989 NSS - Limited Edition No. 2

48 users have left 48 reviews for this whisky. Average rating is 86.67 points.

  1. LDB scored this whisky 86 points Connoisseur

    A drinkable but rather unspectacular blend.
    Still not bad.
    • Nose
      87 87
      Initially a clear glue note, but with a temporal and spatial distance it becomes nice: beeswax chalk, Bavarian block malt and dark yellow fruit compote.
    • Taste
      85 85
      Grandmother's plum rum stew, oily and smooth in the mouth at first - delicious! However, the whole thing is not particularly complex.
    • Finish
      85 85
      Tannins are noticeable in the further development, with white pepper and dried mint.

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  3. Cubey666 scored this whisky 84 points Connoisseur

    • Nose
      85 85
      honey, vanilla, cake, light and fruity, citrus fruit, wax, flowers, slight leather edge.
    • Taste
      83 83
      sweet, honey, vanilla, yellow fruits, citrus fruits, oranges, tangerines, cookies, bread.
    • Finish
      84 84
      mineral, honey, citrus fruit, lemon peel, vanilla, waxy, sugared cookies, flowers, bit of wood.

  4. maltandgrains scored this whisky 87 points Expert Senior

    • Nose
      87 87
      Very nice balance, dried fruits, a hint of mango, coffee grounds.
    • Taste
      88 88
      Smooth and full-bodied. Great fruitiness, sweet dates, raisins.
    • Finish
      87 87
      Medium-long. Some tannins and oakiness, but fairly limited. Spice and heat, though not overpowering. Coffee grounds and dark chocolate.

  5. FeydRautha scored this whisky 88 points Expert Senior

    • Nose
      88 88
    • Taste
      88 88
    • Finish
      87 87

  6. SebStar scored this whisky 88 points Expert Senior

    • Nose
      87 87
    • Taste
      89 89
    • Finish
      88 88

  7. markjedi1 scored this whisky 86 points Connoisseur

    Cherries & Fudge
    I tasted the 20-year-old version of the Spica from North Star Spirits, a very nice and tasteful blend of this bottler that won prizes again in 2021. But today we go a step further and taste a 29-year-old, all components of which were distilled in 1989.

    Beautiful nose! Baked apples with cinnamon, cherries and fudge, with some brown sugar in the background. You have to have some patience for it, but it's worth it. Then there are notes of strawberry and autumn leaves. There's a fresh sour touch to it too. Think grapefruit. Pleasant, absolutely.

    Oily, almost creamy. That's undoubtedly the grain component, although I can hardly find it on the palate. That's an advantage, of course. Nice and sweet on chewing tobacco, orange peels, caramel, red fruit and raisins. It's hard to find a flaw in this. Nice and spicy, too. Cloves and nutmeg. Hint of pepper.

    The finish is medium-long, warm and spicy, but above all sweet with red fruit and cinnamon, overdrawn fruit tea and soft notes of the oak.

    This can easily stand next to a modern Macallan. Thank you for the sample, Manny.

  8. maltaholic scored this whisky 88 points Connoisseur

    gold colored.
    Nice.

    Very pleasant aroma.
    Yes, sweet, but not sherry.
    Rather fruits.
    wood, alcohol, vanilla.

    Very tastefull!
    The barrel aromas emerge.
    I only taste pleasant wood notes.
    Alcohol very round - not too much, not too weak.

    A light spice on the finish.
    Very nice blend!
    • Nose
      87 87
    • Taste
      89 89
    • Finish
      88 88

  9. Willum scored this whisky 87 points Connoisseur

    • Nose
      87 87
    • Taste
      87 87
    • Finish
      88 88

  10. Dre73 scored this whisky 84 points Connoisseur

    Had this one in a blind tasting, and for me this is an example of why I like blind tastings so much. Because it forces you to really judge things honestly.
    I knew of the existence of this whisky, I certainly wanted to taste it once, some pretty high expectations. But now tasting this blind, I can say I'm a little disappointed afterwards.
    Okay, it's certainly not a bad whisky, but it didn't blast me at all. Especially the finish was rather short and left not much to discover. I was really surprised about the age, I thought it was an old one as in 'older bottling', not in age itself.
    But nevertheless a great one to experience in this way.
    • Nose
      85 85
      Fruity, apples. Then citrus, honey, floral. Old leather, appears to be an older style of whisky. Oily, honey, licorice.
    • Taste
      84 84
      Smooth, fruity, sour edge underneath. Honey sweetness. Thick, oily.
    • Finish
      82 82
      More sparkling now, licorice, honey. Pretty short finish actually, some wood.

  11. rpvdwel scored this whisky 85 points Connoisseur

    • Nose
      86 86
    • Taste
      85 85
    • Finish
      85 85

  12. JacobaEd scored this whisky 84 points Connoisseur

    • Nose
      84 84
    • Taste
      84 84
    • Finish
      83 83

  13. MrYens scored this whisky 85 points Expert Senior

  14. Pattybourb scored this whisky 82 points Newbie

    Oaky, some chocolate, galiamelon, some sugar coated apples, medium/long aftertaste

  15. Martyy scored this whisky 82 points Newbie

    Cherry, strawberry, sherry wood influence, drying oak in the end. Milk chocolate. Medium long aftertaste. Would enjoy again!

  16. Totolino scored this whisky 85 points Expert Junior

    Very interesting blend. Lots of aroma on the nose. Unfortunately, it lags behind in taste. Very clear alcohol note despite only 45%.
    • Nose
      87 87
    • Taste
      84 84
    • Finish
      85 85

  17. man2392 scored this whisky 85 points Expert Senior

    Nose: dark rye bread and brown sugar, chervil and blackcurrant leaf
    Palate: macerated strawberries with balsamic vinegar and black pepper, seeded strawberry jam and aji amarillo
    Finish: Violet Crumble, strawberry shoelaces, grated nutmeg

    With water
    Nose: crystallised rose petals and strawberry milkshake, fuchsia
    Palate: more muted- clotted cream, Crunch Creams, Cherryheads and redcurrant jelly
    Finish: breakfast cereal-Cinnamon Grahams, Golden Nuggets and blueberry skin

    Not as hot as the Spica 20yo

  18. Fat Bastard! scored this whisky 88 points Connoisseur

    • Nose
      88 88
    • Taste
      89 89
    • Finish
      88 88

  19. Dramming Dutchman scored this whisky 88 points Connoisseur

    Very nice dram which I got from a friend. For it's price of under the 100 euro at the moment I think this is "bang for your buck".
    • Nose
      88 88
    • Taste
      89 89
    • Finish
      88 88

  20. 3_243F6 scored this whisky 87 points Expert Senior

    • Nose
      88 88
      Sweet red fruits and oak. The grain manifests as youthful alcohol and isn't integrated well - it really could have done without this. Still, there is a maltiness, and the grain doesn't hurt the whisky too much. Slightly vegetative. I think there's a touch of sulphur, but it's okay. Improves with time in the glass revealing some peat and less grain.
    • Taste
      88 88
      Sweet red fruits, slightly caramelised. Some peat maybe? Spice and a good freshness.
    • Finish
      86 86
      Spicy and fruity. It appears a bit youthful due to the grain - I certainly wouldn't attribute this finish to a 29yo whisky. Nonetheless, I still like it.

  21. mothers_finest scored this whisky 88 points Expert Senior

    Better than expected… as a non-grainer i think its very nice to drink, and a good one for it’s price!
    • Nose
      86 86
    • Taste
      89 89
    • Finish
      88 88

  22. Eilean a' Cheo scored this whisky 88 points Expert Senior

    • Nose
      89 89
    • Taste
      88 88
    • Finish
      86 86

  23. valasios scored this whisky 86 points Connoisseur

    • Nose
      84 84
    • Taste
      87 87
    • Finish
      86 86

  24. Danlow scored this whisky 88 points Expert Senior

    A very good whiskey with 88 points. From 90 points the world class starts with me.
    Compared to Glendronach 18 (2019), which I used for comparison, it is clearly inferior. The aromas go in the direction of a dark fruit basket. But there is also a lot of honey and apricots here. Despite its age, it has a very strong, tannin-driven heat. The whiskey doesn't look 29 years old, maybe more like 18 or at best 20.
    Despite all the criticism, the whiskey has a special feature: diluted with water to approx. 40%, you can taste heavy, dark, old oak (European oak) that has been soaked in sherry for a long time. I don't want to miss this experience for the € 80 paid in the offer at the time! You can still spend up to 90-95 € for this without hesitation today.

  25. Cipidos scored this whisky 88 points Expert Senior

    • Nose
      87 87
    • Taste
      89 89
    • Finish
      88 88

  26. Vis2020 scored this whisky 88 points Expert Junior

    • Nose
      87 87
    • Taste
      88 88
    • Finish
      88 88

  27. kimmosuo scored this whisky 82 points Connoisseur

    • Nose
      83 83
    • Taste
      82 82
    • Finish
      82 82

  28. DharmaDrifter scored this whisky 90 points Member Senior

    Great flavours and body, not extremely complex but easily one of the best blends I have ever had especially for the price. Great cask integration.
    • Nose
      Wine gums, orange cream vanilla, baking spices, cinnamon, ginger, can't notice much grain at all, a little dunnage, sweet grapefruit, leather polish.
    • Taste
      Luscious fruit arrival, candied and dried, strawberry drops, bursts of fruit carried by gentle spice, juicy orange vanilla cream, milk chocolate, light cinnamon, nutmeg, chilies, custard (nearly cheesy).

  29. EvilAFI scored this whisky 86 points Expert Senior

    No hint of its age, this may contain more grain than malt. Soft and easy drinking with fruit, vanilla and light spice as the center. A good blend
    • Nose
      87 87
      Subtle. Fruity, red berries, fruit salad, funky malt, orange marmalade, hint of oak hidden
    • Taste
      87 87
      Soft, sweet entry, light fruits, vanilla, malt, herbaceous, again just a hint of oak
    • Finish
      84 84
      Fruits are dried now, floral, slightly drying, shorter

  30. hs305 scored this whisky 83 points Connoisseur

    [October, 2020] I had this dram during a local community tasting "blends only".

    In my old rating system (ten scales that translate into WB points: 50 - 66 - 75 - 80 - 82,5 - 85 - 87,5 - 90 - 92,5 - 95) I scored it 82,5. My notes state a fruity profile with firm wooden notes and some sulphur on the palate which is bearable (at last), obviously some sherry casks of this batch were treated with sulphur candles. Without the sulphurous off-notes I would score it 87,5.

  31. KyotoLefty scored this whisky 87 points Expert Senior

    Appearance: Medium to deep gold with some orange.

    Nose: Oak. Vanilla, caramel. Grain spirits. Bit of campfire smoke. Cinnamon. Bit of pineapple. Vanilla. Citrus and stoen fruit.

    Palate: Tannic wood, age. Candied pineapple. Vanilla. Nice dried fruits. Lightly tropical. Dried mango.

    Finish: Slightly harsh grain spirits, pineapple, honey, wood.

    With Water: Very nice. Brings down the spikes, brings out the deep, dried fruits. Barley sugar comes out more.

    Overall: Great age showing. Rich and mellow, but definitely some harsh grain edges left. Lovely strange dried fruitiness is lovely.

  32. Opeth83 scored this whisky 85 points Expert Senior

    Nice whisky but not my preferred style.

  33. Steven79 scored this whisky 88 points Expert Senior

    • Nose
      88 88
    • Taste
      89 89
    • Finish
      87 87

  34. the_muskox scored this whisky 82 points Expert Senior

    A nice late-fall dram! It’s getting a bit late in the season up here in the frozen Canadian wastes, but a warming, spicy, well-matured whisky is always welcome for me. That’s what this is: it’s almost rum-like in its spice character. The grain component works quite well, and adds some nice sweetness. I might have liked it better if it was a bit more robust and a bit less oaky, but it’s very solid and something I certainly wouldn’t mind sipping on a chilly evening.

    Nose: A bit shy, but fruity and warm. Spiced baked apples, dates, cherries, strawberries, honey, brown sugar, and butterscotch fudge. There’s a distinct mushroomy earthy note, as well as some sweet dusty grain. Some more earthiness emerges as it rests: roasted pumpkin, wet dead leaves, and a hint of fennel. It’s spiced with cinnamon, allspice, and sweet milk chocolate.

    Palate: Warm and spicy. More sherry influence here: rum-soaked dried fruits, brown sugar, and candied nuts. Heavy tobacco, bourbon-soaked oak, and earth in the midddle.
    This needed another full hour of rest to really get going. Now there’s candied orange peel and cocoa powder on the arrival, followed by a warm floral and vanilla sweetness through the middle. The oak, while still present, has mellowed somewhat. Caramelized mushrooms, black pepper, and cinnamon towards the back end.

    Finish: Medium length. Earthy and very lightly smoky. Dark-chocolate-chip banana bread and pears. Cooling mint and herbal tea with lots of honey. Some lingering oak.
    The extra rest brings out lots of sweet cinnamon and toasted cream, as well as sweet corn.

  35. Arquebus scored this whisky 90 points Expert Senior

    The bottle has been open for 3/4 weeks now - just a measure or two each weekend and taking my time - it’s starting to shine! In a line; to me this Spica is about grain whisky and wood, which is providing a perfect vehicle for the malts in the blend. On first opening, the grain whisky dominates the nose as does the oak. I get glue from the grain and damp wood/ bitters from the casks. Later on - the malts start to emerge - but the combination of the three elements ( Wood, grain and malt whiskies) is really where the 29yrs+ start to show off. This is playful dynamic whisky. It develops a ‘perfume’ - difficult to pin down: - polishes, waxes, linseed oil, old leather - all playing hide and seek with the bitter nip of wood, And further in sit sweeter things - vanilla, dark honey, more familiar sherry notes, some fruit ( orchard fruits; pear and peaches - more suggestive perhaps of some bourbon casks?) plus a twist of ephemeral peat smoke, which reminds me of Highland Park. The oak spices sit in bucket loads (like dill oil without the grassy notes or cedar wood pencils in a case) particularly in the arrival, which is sweet at first then becoming savoury, dry and bitter - some walnuts are thrown in for good measure right at the end.

  36. EnjoyLife89 scored this whisky 86 points Expert Senior

    • Nose
      significantly more powerful than the 20 Spica; more seasoning; more leather; more barrel (well, it was in there 9 years longer); lovely buttery sweetness; Raisins and dried fruits; but also light vanilla; always fresh, herbal notes, but also a bit of glue; light, sulphured dried fruits
    • Taste
      sweet; then nice and spicy; strong leather; delicate tart chocolate; some cinnamon; some herbs and citrus; now I have the hazelnut in my mouth too; malty sweetness; a hint of vanilla
    • Finish
      bitter oak; becoming a bit bitter, but pleasant; Raisins; Nut (hazelnut and toasted almond); afterwards adds a distinct spice and nuttiness. Overall, I like it very much

  37. stefsel111 scored this whisky 87 points Connoisseur

    • Nose
      88 88
    • Taste
      87 87
    • Finish
      86 86

  38. Wtrstrnghlt scored this whisky 88 points Expert Senior

    Delicate but thick. Chocolate, moka, raisins, dates.
    • Nose
      88 88
    • Taste
      88 88
    • Finish
      87 87

  39. lincolnimp scored this whisky 88 points Connoisseur

    I really like the nose on this one it smells rich & spicy and it gets even better with a little water.
    Plenty of fruit & spice on the palate also but its a little unbalanced being a little hot for the relatively low abv but I still like it, really tasty but the palate cannot live up to the nose, sadly.
    • Nose
      91 91
    • Taste
      87 87
    • Finish
      86 86

  40. RobbievdB scored this whisky 87 points Expert Senior

    Much more balanced Spica compared to the earlier released younger version which was quite on the burned caramel side. I do think it misses some power but it makes up with decent complexity and lots of aromas to be discovered. Nice one!

  41. Defeatless scored this whisky 89 points Expert Senior

    A top of the range blended whisky. Very well made!
    • Nose
      90 90
      Very nice integrated nose. It is an blend, but you hardly smell it. It has rather good notes of raisins, bread and speculaas (Dutch cookie). The sherry influences are clear, but very well integrated.
    • Taste
      89 89
      Sweet, nice sherry influences, again some bread notes. Lovely texture, well integrated with the alcohol.
    • Finish
      88 88
      Long length. Again raisins and bread. A hint of speculaas, fice spices and some wood notes. A little dry, but that is forgiven.

  42. mer1973 scored this whisky 87 points Connoisseur

    • Nose
      86 86
    • Taste
      88 88
    • Finish
      88 88

  43. Demasy scored this whisky 86 points Member Senior

    Lots of flavors and good depth in the nose. For me loses some points as i think the structure seems a little thin in the mouth.

    In the nose an interesting earthy note.. Dried mushrooms or something?
    Whisky itself seems nicely balanced with wood sugars mixing with sherried notes. Medium to Long after taste.
    Tasted from a sample

  44. dhillworth scored this whisky 87 points Expert Junior

    • Nose
      86 86
      a bit subdued, but enjoyable hints of old leather and sherry
    • Taste
      87 87
      nice taste develops after a few seconds in the mouth
    • Finish
      89 89
      Impressive, long-lasting finish

  45. Rien scored this whisky 88 points Connoisseur

    • Nose
      87 87
    • Taste
      89 89
    • Finish
      88 88

  46. Hvdree scored this whisky 88 points Connoisseur

    • Nose
      87 87
    • Taste
      88 88
    • Finish
      88 88

  47. grinface scored this whisky 87 points Expert Senior

    Cherries, thick plum jam and leather. Dark chocolate, really smooth and some nice spicy touches. Not bad at all. Full review (in german): https://keinehalbendrinks.de/2019/05/26/unterwegs-zu-den-sternen/

  48. mema82 scored this whisky 87 points Connoisseur

    • Nose
      87 87
    • Taste
      87 87
    • Finish
      86 86

  49. Whiskydudes scored this whisky 89 points Expert Senior

    I didn't had the 1997 Spica, I heared from people that one was too grainy; well, the good news is this isn't! North Star nailed it again, this is a great whisky and I can't imagine this will be on the shelf for a long time. I know there are lots of self named experts avoiding blends as some kind of desease, for this one that is a mistake. I'm pretty sure this one will get even better when times goes by, but there is a big sherry cask influence on both nose and palate, but not overpowering. Fortunately it's age gives both nose and palate a somewhat old skool feeling, you can tell you're nipping a respectable aged whisky.
    So, dark fruits, some raisins and vigs, blueberry pie and that hard to discribe old skool feeling on nose. Palate; lot's of the same with a nice peppery mouthfeel. Finish doesn't dissapoint either, long lasting, as one might expect from a 29 yo. North Star either made a choice to have the level of grain minimized, had a grain that was simply great, or a grain that is way older than 29 yo, or they used a grain that matured on ex sherry wood. Anyhow; great stuff!

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