Hercynian The Alrik PX Quarter Cask - Cherry

Volume: 0.5 litres | Alcohol content: 55.1% | Chill filtration: No | Colouring: No

Special Features:

The Alrik is the deliberately bold, smoky range from Hercynian Distilling Co. For this release, limited to 650 bottles, the Harz single malt matured in small first-fill Quarter Casks of European oak that had previously held Pedro Ximénez sherry. Smaller casks have a larger internal wood surface relative to the volume of liquid, giving the whisky comparatively greater contact with the cask wood.

The whisky was bottled on 14 February 2024 at 55.1%, without chill filtration or added colouring. Its character combines malt smoked over beech and alder wood with maturation in first-fill PX sherry Quarter Casks. Wood smoke and barbecue notes meet a little banana, orange and raisin, while nougat and dark caramel complement the sweet fruit notes.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: Intense wood smoke and barbecue notes lead on the nose. Raisins, oranges, nougat and dark caramel accompany this smoky character.
• Palate: The whisky is full-bodied on the palate. Delicate sweetness, dried fruit, citrus fruit and dark chocolate combine with spicy oak and a smoky background.
• Finish: The long finish remains smoky and carries the characteristic sweetness of Pedro Ximénez sherry.

Distillery/Bottler:

Hercynian Distilling Co. / Hammerschmiede makes its whisky in the southern Harz. Karl-Theodor and Anna Buchholz founded the business in 1985 in an old hammer forge in Wieda. Single malt has been part of its range since 2002, and its single malts are made by hand. In 2005, production moved to the former spa building in Zorge; the old hammer forge has served as a cask warehouse ever since. The distillery uses pot stills and water from the Staufenberg spring.

The Alrik has been produced since 2007 as a bold counterpart to the traditionally mild whisky of the Harz, and its first official release followed in 2012. The range uses malt smoked entirely over beech and alder wood. Its experimental bottlings are released exclusively as Very Small Batch or Single Cask. The team led by Anna Buchholz produces just 600 to 1,500 bottles of this range each year.

Facts: