Elsburn The Journey 12 yo

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 46% | Chill filtration: No | Colouring: No

Special Features:

The Journey 12 is a German single malt from the Harz region, matured entirely in first-fill casks. These previously held sherry, port, Marsala and Málaga before being used for whisky maturation for the first time. The whiskies matured in these casks are married for this edition. Around 30–40% of the cask contents evaporate during the twelve years of maturation in the Harz. The twelve-year-old release introduced a fixed age statement to The Journey for the first time, alongside its annually changing editions. The first batch was released in 2024 with 1,000 bottles; the whisky is offered at 46% in a wooden box.

The sweet wine casks give the whisky notes of dried fruit, sherry and nuts. Malt, spices and oak complement its fruity sweetness, with coffee and caramel adding further depth. The whisky is lightly smoky, with no added colouring and no chill filtration.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: The nose is intense and fruity, with sweet wine and dried fruit alongside a restrained malt note. Dry oak notes develop into spice, followed by malty impressions with espresso, dark caramel and a little toffee. Raisins and a hint of vanilla round out the aromas.
• Palate: The whisky is full-bodied on the palate, opening gently with dried fruit, oak, mocha and a little orange. Vanilla, dark toffee and caramel then develop. Malt and spices accompany the pronounced cask influence, while bold sherry notes unite fruity sweetness with savoury nutty tones.
• Finish: The finish reveals hints of mandarin and dark chocolate.

Distillery/Bottler:

The Hercynian Distilling Co. whisky project began in 2002 at the old Hammerschmiede in Wieda. A later move to the Elsbach valley in Zorge led to the name The Glen Els; new bottlings have carried the Elsburn name since 2019. Karl Theodor Buchholz is the company's owner and strategic adviser. Anna Katariina Buchholz is responsible for operations and distillation.

The distillery ferments its wort in French oak washbacks, then distils it twice in wood-fired pot stills. During the second distillation, Anna Buchholz or an experienced distiller determines the cuts between the heads, heart and tails. The house predominantly uses first-fill oak casks for maturation. Bottling, closing, sealing and labelling are also carried out by hand. The Journey is produced and bottled by Hercynian Distilling Co.

Facts: