Normally you would only hear about a whisky from me AFTER it has been tasted. However  with my recent jaunts to Munich, I’ve gathered a few German whiskies yet confess I know very little about the industry there…

What surprised me most in this recent Munich visit was just how many German brands putting out “single malts”. Even more remarkable to learn there are approx 23 distilleries producing some variation of “whisky”… No wonder I saw distilleries like “Stork”, St Kilian, Höhler, Hammerschmiede with The Glen Els as just a few vying for space with Slyrs.

So decided to do a little “Pre-Cursor” post to explore a bit more about the whiskies I did pick up… call it an appetizer before the tastings to come…

Slyrs is the best known Bavarian single malt. While the first whisky was distilled using stills from the traditional Lantenhammer distillery in 1999, by 2007 Slyrs whisky had a new home at a newly erected distillery in Neuhaus. From there I have sitting in my cupboard 3 whiskies:

• Slyrs Classic New American Oak 43% – A mini just to check out their 3 year old “base” style
• Slyrs Marsala Finish L1140 46% – Selected as an option for an upcoming session exploring more unusual finishes, it is part of a series of finish experiments from Slyrs that explores rum, Sauternes, Madeira, Port plus PX and Olorosso Sherry
• Sild “Crannog” 3 year Single Malt 48% – While the new make spirit is technically from Slyrs, the SILD brand is the genius of Alexander Sievers who took converted the challenge of storage space on land to water in the historic restored cutter “The Angel’s Share”

What else did I pick up?

• From Ziegler distillery, I picked the “basic” Aureum Single Malt 43% rather than their experiments maturing in Chestnut barrels, guitar wood in barrels, ex plum brandy or cognac barrels.
• And from Finch, their Finch Classic 40% which is matured for 5-6 years in ex Bourbon then  wine casks.

We’ve had quite a few European whiskies over the years, here are a few German ones we’ve managed to sample:

• DeCavo NAS Batch 10, Cask 92 46% – I was searching for something more from this distillery… without any luck! This particular one was a delicious desert wrapped up in a tasty easy to enjoy dram
• Slyrs 51 51% – Direct, intense with a nutty bitterness competing with banana caramel
• Thousand Mountains McRaven Single Malt Whisky 46.2% – A surprise addition to a European evening, young, uncomplicated, light and fruity

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