Stauning Smoke - Danish Whisky

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 47% | Chill filtration: No | Colouring: No

Special Features:

Stauning Smoke takes its smoky character from peat and heather gathered near the distillery. All of the locally grown barley is malted on the distillery's own malting floors before being dried with this smoke. The heather comes from the landscape around Ringkøbing Fjord and contributes to the mild, aromatic smoke. Double distillation then takes place in small, direct-fired copper stills.

Maturation takes place in first-fill casks that previously held bourbon, Madeira or Jamaican rum, alongside heavily charred virgin American white oak casks. The whisky spends five to six years in this selection of casks. Its character brings together fresh, crisp orchard fruit followed by gentle smoke. It is bottled at 47% alcohol without chill filtration or added colouring, so natural sediment may occur.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: Gentle campfire smoke emerges on the nose, accompanied by citrus notes and the sweetness of honey.
• Palate: Pronounced notes of tobacco, liquorice, walnuts and vanilla unfold on the palate.
• Finish: Fresh herbal notes mingle with sweet wood smoke on the finish.

Distillery/Bottler:

Stauning is situated on Denmark's west coast in Jutland. The distillery sources barley and rye from fields just a few kilometres away and malts both grains itself. In the distillery building opened in 2018, both steeping and germination take place on the floor. A machine designed by the team and built by a local blacksmith turns and moistens the grain.

Its production methods include a four-day fermentation and double distillation in small copper stills heated directly by gas flames. When expanding production, Stauning retained the size and shape of its stills and instead increased their number to 24 to preserve the existing spirit character. Bottling also takes place on site, with local residents, friends and family helping on the manual bottling line.

Facts: