Category Archives: Sweden

2025 Whisky Show – Sweden’s Agitator

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The 2025 Whisky Show had a special zone devoted to the Nordics. It was an opportunity to showcase a range of whiskies from northern Europe. First on our Nordic tour was Sweden’s Agitator!

The Whishy Show had this to say about AGITATOR – SWEDEN

Agitator is the distillery behind Sweden’s most popular homegrown whisky as well as other spirits too. All spirits are vacuum distilled at low temperatures, to preserve more flavours, consume less energy and create better drinks. Their signature casks for ageing spirits is the chestnut cask, forbidden in Scottish whisky but enabling amazing results to any spirit.

As I had previously tried some of their expressions, we honed in on the limited editions with two whiskies and a rum!

  • Agitator The Swedish Blend 40% – 2025 Whisky Show GBP 32.95
  • Agitator Evidens Svatvete 55% – Sold out
  • Agitator Special Dry Rum 43% – No price

This was just a brief sniff and swish, so the tasting notes are scant, so I encourage you to read on what the distillery and others have to say too!

Agitator The Swedish Blend 40%

We were greeted by sponge cake and tropical fruits on the nose – like a pineapple upside-down cake! It was a happy, floral, and lightly fruity dram. On the palate, it was toffee sweet with a soft and sweet finish. Nothing complicated, just an easy drinking dram.

Here’s what Agitator has to say about this blend:

A smooth Swedish blended whisky that elegantly marries tradition with innovation, creating a whisky that is as flavourful as it is forward-thinking. We have combined carefully crafted grain whisky with whisky matured on American oak, chestnut, sherry and bourbon casks.

Overall, we found it worked! Even better, it is at an affordable price point.

Agitator Evidens Svatvete 55%

We found it very unique. Yes, there was a sherry influence; however, this was clearly not a standard malt made from barley. It was hard to describe, lots was going on, from fruits to nuts, woods, toast to herbs like bay leaf. It reminded me a bit of a Swedish sauna!

This was a new series for us. Here is what Agitator had to say:

The Evidens range aims to prove that a lower cask strength of 55% can produce a deeper and more complex whisky. Evidens Black Wheat is matured in quarter casks that previously held Oloroso Sherry, giving a unique and rich flavour profile. This method produces intense flavours and a smooth finish.

Our tasting guide shared that this expression is already out of stock.

Agitator Special Dry Rum 43%

Our tasting guide shared that this rum was matured for 6 months in Chestnut casks, which added a very different twist to a traditional rum!

We found it to be very different! Our first impression was that it was surprisingly citrusy and fresh on the nose! It also had caramel, vanilla, and a distinctive wood layer too – likely the chestnut? This carried through on the palate, joined by nuts too. It was both rummy sweet and peppery, again with that unique element. Very interesting indeed.

What did Agitator have to say?

What if there was a premium dry rum could with an innovative twist? Rather than having years of age from traditional casks, Agitator Special Dry Rum brings the fruity and nutty flavours from chestnut casks to add an entirely new style to a traditional dark, dry, rum. Vacuum distilled, made in Sweden, ethically certified.

And there you have it – a short tour through an interesting trio from Sweden at the 2025 Whisky Show!

Curious about our other Agitator tasting experiences? Read on…

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2024 London Whisky Show with Sweden’s Agitator

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Years ago with great enthusiasm, some early “pre-whisky” expressions from the founders of Agitator were shared with a friend. He brought them across borders from Sweden to UK to India to Germany for a special teaser into what was brewing at this new distillery.

Fast forward, and a Whisky Lady scored a trio of Agitator‘s to bring back for a special tasting in Mumbai. Cementing an overall positive impression of what’s going on!

So when my friend and I walked past the Whisky Exchange stand at London’s Whisky Show – featuring a pair of Agitators – we simply had to stop! Both for a photo op and tasting! 

The Agitator Single Malt 43% was for me a repeat so I skipped (too many drams to try at such events!). However, I simply had to check out their Agitator Single Chestnut 43%.

For those less familiar, the rules in Europe are considerably more relaxed than Scotland. Hence several distilleries in Germany and other countries rely on the judicious use of Chestnut casks for maturing whiskies. As the folks at Agitator explained:

Chestnut casks are secretly known to be amazing for aging whisky, yet they are forbidden in some places. At Agitator, we prioritize science over tradition, and our passion lies in experimenting with a diverse range of wood types, not just limiting ourselves to oak. Try our chestnut cask-aged whisky and tell us if great whisky shouldn’t come before old-fashioned rules.

What did we think?

Whilst we had a mere sniff and swish, we found a lovely fresh pine on the nose, chased by dried fruits and berries. On the palate, there was a hint of something heavier mixed with honey – perhaps some peat? And closed with sweet smoke. Really rather enjoyable.

And just to be a good friend, we had to capture a toast to the folks who made the commitment to bring Agitator into the world!

Whilst still an industry “newbie”, here are our previous brushes with Agitator whiskies:

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That Boutique-y Whisky Co – Cinema Expressions

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After exploring That Boutique-y Whisky Co’s new “core” range, a trip down under with their Australian “Return to Oz” range, we closed our explorations at London’s 2023 Whisky Show with their new Cinema expressions!

We didn’t get through them all, however, each was distinctive and worth sampling!

Here is what we tried:

  • Italy’s Puni 4 year old (2023) Batch 2 46.1% for GBP 75
  • Sweden’s Mackmyra 9 year old (2023) Batch 3 46.8% for GBP 100
  • Australia’s Corowa 4 year old (2023) Batch 2 46.8% for GBP 100
  • Scotland’s Aultmore 13 year old (2023) Batch 18, 50% for GBP 75

So where did we begin?

Puni 4 year old (2023) Batch 2 46.1%

My eye immediately spotted the Puni – it had been years since I sampled anything from this Italian distillery. Normally I’m meticulous about capturing some kind of impression – even if it is just a few words that trigger evoking some kind of memory weeks and sometimes months later when I take the time to write up what I found. In this case? Nothing! So you will just have to tolerate my sharing with the good folks at TBWC have this to say:

PUNI is the first Italian whisky distillery, located high in the Italian alps, in an environment well suited to growing cereal crops. The distillery takes its name from the local river, Puni. Their striking distillery design, a 13-metre tall red brick cube is unusual, as is the combination of three malted cereals in their mash bill recipe. This release uses their three malt mashbill, and has been matured in an ex-bourbon barrel and finished in a Pinot Noir Cask, which we’ve then finished in a Sherry cask, so this is a fruity little number

Recommended movie for watching while sipping this whisky: ‘The Good, Bad, and The Ugly’

And their official tasting notes?

  • N: Malty, Digestive biscuits topped with blackcurrant jam. More sweet notes follow, with hints of wild strawberries and some nutty, woody spices.
  • P: The malty biscuit notes are followed by a fruity sweetness, nicely balanced with some woody spices.
  • F: A medium length finish with some chilli chocolate.

Mackmyra 9 year old “Duka Upp Til Fika” (2023) Batch 3 46.8%

Thanks to a lovely Swedish whisky-tasting companion, I’ve had the pleasure to explore quite a few Mackmyra’s over the years and even go on a tour of the distillery. Whilst they have a real range – largely split between their “Elegant” (aka without peat) and “smokey” styles, they have quite a range of experimentation. If you really pushed me to describe, I would default to calling it a “Ccandi” style – thinking of minimalist wood furniture, with clean lines, something fresh producing an overall quite pleasing effect.

Then to explain this time it would be with roasted green tea? Hmm…. either it will completely work or be a total disaster! My reaction? It is worth trying. There was subtle fruitiness, fresh cedar or pine on the nose yet also something a bit bitter. On the palate, it was harder to describe. Some herbal elements and something else that could not be captured by a mere sniff and swish. 

What more do they have to say?

Now this is something very interesting for the original ‘Nordics’ distillery; Mackmyra were founded in 1999 and have really led the way in the Nordic whisky scene. This is a 9 Year Old Swedish Single Malt that has spent time in a cask that has been seasoned with Hojicha Green Tea. Hojicha is a Japanese green tea that originated in Kyoto 100 years ago. Unlike traditional green teas, Hojicha is roasted after the leaves are steamed.

Recommended movie for watching while sipping this whisky: ‘The Seventh Seal’

And TBWC official tasting notes:

  • N: Signature Mackmyra notes of banana and pear initially. This is quickly followed by an earthiness of petrichor and some fresh cedar notes.
  • P: Fresh and fruity. Light and nimble. A tropical fruit salad of papaya, not fully ripe banana and hints of coconut, vanilla, and caramel flavours, with some chilli spices.
  • F: As the spiciness fades some sweet, drying, herbal green tea notes come through.

Would I agree? Why certainly!

Corowa 4 year old (2023) Batch 2 46.8%

This was my first intro to Corowa distillery. Founded in 2010 in New South Wales, it is in the heart of prime Australian wine region! No surprise then that they chose to use local Australian wine casks to mature their whiskies. In this case – Muscat. 

My tasting notes are brief but clear! I found quite an organic “farm-like” quality to this whisky. Sweet yet also quite minerally. On the palate it was surprisingly smooth yet also came with a kick. Yes this sounds like a contradiction but that’s what I discovered! Bold fruity flavors and a lot more of that mineral element.

And what does TBWC have to say?

Our second cask from Australia’s Corowa distillery is a 4 Year Old Single Malt Whisky, that’s been matured in an ex-Muscat cask. Muscat vines have been cultivated in Australia for about 100 years. Several different types of Muscat grape are grown as wine grapes and several different wine styles have been developed ranging from crisp dry whites, to rich late harvest sweet wines and the unique and world renowned fortified Liqueur Muscats.

Recommended movie for watching while sipping this whisky: ‘Mad Max’

As for their official tasting notes, here you go!

  • N: Bitter chocolate, molasses, Medjool dates, figs, with hints of white pepper, flint, and wild fennel
  • P: Big, bold, and fruity! Dried fruits; raisins figs, dates. Malt loaf, and a mineral spice with a hint of ginger too. This is really tasty!
  • F: Longer than I was expecting, with that mineral flinty spice and some bitter chocolate nibs…

Well, I would certainly concur with all the mineral references! From a fuzzy memory, the balance also seems to jibe with my experience. 

Aultmore 13 year old (2023) Batch 18, 50% 

Aultmore’s can be quite summery drams yet with substance – this was no exception! It was fruity and citrusy fresh, throw in some baked goods – simply delicious on the nose. Whereas on the palate, the sweetness was there but also yes – call it the power of suggestion – something a bit soapy too! Then a hint of bitter – again just enough to remind you this dram is not a complete lightweight!

What do they have to say?

Aultmore malt has always been revered by blenders as the perfect whisky to build up a blend. Our 14 Year Old has spent 11 years in a refill ex-bourbon cask until we got our hands on it, and Dr. Whisky had this re-racked into a first-fill bourbon in 2019 for reasons that can only be disclosed in the secrecy of ‘Bath Night.’

Recommended movie for watching while sipping this whisky: ‘Fight Club’

And their tasting notes?

  • N: A soft oiliness; peanut oil perhaps? Panettone, macaroons, grist, digestive biscuits. Followed by some citrus notes; grapefruit and lime
  • P: Pilsner lager with a wedge of lime, summer grasses,a little green tea bitterness. I like this!
  • F: Medium length, chalky, grassy, with some pepper lingering.

Wow! And what fun! I love how they chose to not only introduce their new core range as a “constant” but to also have 3 distinct sessions throughout the day. Whilst we missed one, I figure catching 2 out of 3 isn’t bad! Can’t wait to see what these folks do next!

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Sweden’s Agitator’s early start

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Sometimes the whisky fabric leads to special ‘sneak peaks’ into what is coming on the horizon. When The Box whisky became High Coast and more changes in the Swedish whisky industry happened, it lead to Nordic Whisky Capital… from which Håkan Jarskog became CEO of a new venture – Agitator – together with Distillery Manager  Oskar Bruno. Enter a fellow whisky aficionado from London / Bombay who just so happens to know these folks and a couple of early experiments made their way to us… to finally be opened one fine day in 2022.

Truthfully we just did a light touch exploration however it was enough to get a sense of something rather promising indeed!

Agitator’s 7 months (2018 – 9/27/2019) “Ny am ek” 46%

  • Nose – Custard apple, hay, citrus
  • Palate – Hint of heat, light spice, sweet
  • Finish – Hot

And what happens with a few more months in the barrel – throwing in some Sherry and Peat?

Agitator’s 11 months (2018 – 05/19/2019) “Sherry” 30 ppm 46%

  • Nose – Wow! Clear sherry stamp, a hint of iodine, milky caramel
  • Palate – Smooth, toffee, tobacco peat
  • Finish – Light

A rather good start! Way more going on than one would expect from maturing for under 1 year! I couldn’t wait to see how Agitator is with a couple years in a barrel!

Thankfully, I didn’t need to wait so long… in December 2022, we could experience how Agitor evolved with the bottles brought from Sweden by a lovely Whisky Lady for sampling during our Whisky Ladies of Mumbai session! We tried two core expressions: Single Malt 43% and Rök 43% plus a limited edition small batch expression Argument: Småfat 46%.

Curious to know more about their process and approach? Check out this informative feature in Distiller magazine.

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Sweden’s Agitator Single Malt Rök 43%

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We closed our exploration of three expressions from a new Swedish distillery – Agitator – with the “smoky” one, anticipating it would overwhelm the other expressions. Turns out this had a much more subtle approach. Matured in a combination of ex-Islay and Chestnut casks, this smoky Agitator expression is worth checking out!

Agitator Single Malt Rök 43%

  • Nose – Smoked apples by the seaside, shifts into milk chocolate malt balls, light leather, fresh sea breeze, some herbal or vegetal elements… one lady described it as red cabbage and also found some bacon too!
  • Palate – Burnt sea wood, seawater, damp embers, walnut, dark chocolate, smooth and balanced, some vanilla custard in there too, followed by salt-water taffy
  • Finish – Nice walnut bitter then cinnamon candy, a hint of ginger

Overall this was yummy! This had the character of a friendly sailor… More of a ‘late night’ whisky with some “pep”! The more we sipped, the more it grew on us.

Interesting! We increasingly see the use of ex-Islay casks to add a gentle peat element. Whilst I couldn’t tell from the distillery information if they also used some peated barley, based on the character would suspect some (just don’t quote me on it!). Bottom line, there was a gentle “hand” at play – making this a balanced lightly smoked dram instead of a bold peat monster!

Here is what the folks at Agitator have to say (with the help of google translate from Swedish!):

In the aroma, a flattering smoky tone appears, which is accompanied by light herbalism and straw, as well as balanced fat notes. The taste, just like the smell, has a very balanced smokiness that lingers for a long time without becoming dominant. There are also notes of the vegetable found in the fragrance and a clear note of dried apricot. The finish has a certain saltiness, which probably comes from the fact that we used casks that had previously stored whiskey from Islay.

Pairing suggestion: Flavorful cheeses like blue mold, dark chocolate, oysters or smoked fish, such as salmon.

What an interesting trio! Our introduction to Agitator also included:

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Sweden’s Agitator Single Malt 43%

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Like other European whisky distilleries, Agitator turns to chestnut wood to augment the standard oak. For their “core” expression simply called “Agitator Single Malt” they have aged their whisky in four casks: ex-bourbon casks, new American oak casks, ex-sherry casks, and chestnut casks. It makes for an interesting combination…

Agitator Single Malt 43%

  • Nose – Quite spirited at 1st, then mellowed to reveal crunchy green apples and pears, joined by tart pomegranate or mosambi (sweet lime), some fresh-cut wood, slight hint of dried fruits, however overall it was summery – fruity and sweet. We also caught teasing tastes of tropical fruits every once and a while as a contrast with the orchard fruits.  And all this before the 1st sip! After quaffing, we also found vanilla custard, red apple strudel, a hint of bitter cinnamon
  • Palate – So soft, delicious apple sauce, with some spice burn at the back, that shifts into white peppercorns, silky smooth on the palate, joyfully fruity, some salt water taffy
  • Finish – A bit bitter, and resinous, yet also soft and creamy, closing quite sweetly

We could describe this as a Swedish summer – frolicking in the sunshine-kissed fields. When we returned to revisit after an hour – it was like sipping sweet honey water!

We tasted this after the complex small cask/batch Småfat so obviously found their Single Malt less complex. That didn’t stop us from enjoying its sweet, easy-drinking, uncomplicated happy character. We thought this would be the perfect whisky to ease into an evening.

For my part, I couldn’t help but wonder what if it was bottled at 46%? I suspect it would be even more interesting. However, given Agitator cask at a much lower ABV – only 55% instead of the more common approach in Scotland of casking at 63.5% – it must be more challenging to reliably produce higher ABV expressions. Additionally, playing around with four casks, yet still quite young (above three years but likely not too much above that!), means that some of the casks could still be quite “active”, hence achieving the smooth amiable character at a higher strength could also be tricky.

Here is what the folks at Agitator have to say (with the help of google translate from Swedish!):

The aroma has a lovely and light note of fruitiness which is dominated by citrus, red apple and pineapple together with some dried fruit which primarily comes from the Sherry and Chestnut casks. The taste has some saltiness and a slight smoky undertone, which comes a lot from our choice of smokiness on the grain. This is well accompanied by a fruity element where you can also find some apple and citrus here. The finish has a note of sweet vanilla toffee, mostly from Bourbon casks and American oak, and it lingers pleasantly for a long time.

Pairing suggestion: Why not try it with an apple cake?

Our introduction to Agitator also included two other expressions. Now… if you were to also explore this trio together, there is no doubt you should start with this expression first! Then explore the smoky Rök before settling into Argument: Småfat. At least that would be our humble recommendation!

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Sweden’s Agitator Argument: Småfat 46%

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Kicking off our evening exploring a trio from the new Swedish distillery Agitator was an interesting expression from their small batch and small cask series. In this case, it was a mix of whisky matured in three different quarter casks: ex-Islay to add a gentle smoke, ex-Sherry for a dash of Christmasy sweetness, and chestnut wood.

It was an impressive start – we immediately appreciate the different qualities the cask combination brought and how remarkably complex it was for a whisky that must be only around 3-4 years!

Agitator Argument: Småfat 46%

  • Nose – Is that Benedryl cough syrup? A bit musty then shifts into a lovely hazel nuttiness, some grain mash, switching to sweet marzipan, then tropical fruits, which was quite inviting and warming. After the 1st sip we detected some hints of leather, black licorice, and some cayenne that then shifted into crisp green capsicum
  • Palate – Love it! Velvet, leather, caramel, cinnamon (a bit like chewing “Big Red” bubblegum), bitter almond, very Christmasy with sherry influences – marmalade, dried fruits with sweet spices, warming and complex, full and fab!
  • Finish – At first we thought little of the finish, but by the 2nd sip, remarked on how it lingers, some black pepper, a hint of salt, a touch bitter, like chewing on meethi ladkri

Overall it was really rather interesting and contrasting – a delicious and shifting nose, so enjoyable on the palate – one to relax, sip and enjoy like a warm embrace, and a finish that sparked a debate.

So what was the discussion about? It was around the dimension described as मीठी लकड़ी (meethi ladkri) which translates into sweet wood – a stick that you can chew to freshen breath, help a sore throat, settle your stomach, and more. A bit more research and we burst out with laughter – it isn’t some exotic desi root – instead we were talking about licorice which is quite common in many parts of the world! However, it is true, chewing a stick differs from the processed licorice one normally finds.

One lady remarked how it reminded her a lot of Caperdonich. I quickly flipped through my whisky-tasting notes and read impressions from a recent experience at Paris Whisky Live from La Maison du Whisky – would absolutely agree! Especially the nutty character!

We rarely have such an enthusiastic reaction to the 1st whisky of the evening – which just goes to show how much we enjoyed this expression! For most, it was the favourite of the evening.

Here is what the folks at Agitator have to say (with the help of google translate from Swedish!):

Tasting Notes: 
  • Aroma: In the aroma you will find a nuanced smokiness with a clear barrel character, hints of vanilla, butterscotch, red apples, tropical fruit and dry leather.
  • Taste: The Islay casks contribute to the taste with distinct smoky tones and a fine-tuned saltiness. Sherry and chestnut casks contribute fruitiness of red apples, tropical fruit and a dry finish.
  • Finish: Light to medium-long finish with hints of some salty licorice.
Pairing suggestion: Blue cheese, chocolate, seafood, and snacks such as pistachios and almonds

Our introduction to Agitator also included::

Curious about more Swedish whiskies? Well…. you are in luck! We’ve had quite a few interesting explorations, so you can take your pick of:

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Sweden’s Agitator Trio – Single Malt, Rök, Argument: Småfat

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Welcome to Sweden and say hello to a new distillery – Agitator! Thanks to the travels of a Swedish Whisky Lady, we had an opportunity to explore a trio from the latest “kid on the block”.

I’m still learning what makes this new entrant distinctive but a few things already caught my attention. Agitator do vacuum distillation – to give a gentler treatment to the raw materials and reduce energy consumption. They also have a casking strength of 55% ABV – which is much lower than the standard 63.5% ABV by Scottish distillers. And, much like some German distillers, they also use chestnut casks to augment traditional oak. You can read more about their approach here.

Our introduction to Agitator included::

What an interesting introduction to a very promising new entry into the world of whisky!

And what a lovely December evening in Mumbai – kicking off with the flavourful Swedish mulled wine, an impressive spread of snacks, it was a fabulous way to close another calendar year of tasting adventures with the Whisky Ladies!

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Scandi Whiskies – High Coast Berg “Pedro Ximenez” 50%

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Our Scandi evening had a lovely light summery dessert quality with both the delightful “appetizer” dram Isle of Lime Sangelstain from Gotland and the delicate yet entrancing High Coast Alv 46% river-inspired single malt.

For our last whisky of the evening, we turned from the river to the mountain with the “Berg” expression from the High Coast’s Origin Series. This made it the 3rd expression for me – having tried the sea-inspired High Coast Hav “Spiced Oak” and the 4th for the Whisky Ladies who also sampled their timber-inspired High Coast Timmer “Peat Smoke” two years earlier!

So what did we think of their Sherry expression?

High Coast Berg “PX” 50%

  • Colour – Bright copper
  • Nose – Sherry and how! All the butter rum raisins and nutmeg spice you would expect from a Sherry cask…. however it also had a strong almond paste aroma, toffee, Alpen Lebe cream candies
  • Palate – Spiced ginger, coffee candies (think Kopiko!), had some spunk and character, mellowed into bitter almond, as we continued to sip, rich sherry fruits emerged – raisins and dried fruits, perhaps even a hint of marmalade
  • Finish – Pink peppercorns

As delicate as the High Coast Alv expression was, this one had a wonderfully robust character that demanded attention – in a very good way! It was a terrific contrast – warming and envigorating. What we particularly appreciated is that it had some of the typical “Christmas” sherry elements but in a non-Christmasy way (ok you have to try to know what we mean!). It was somehow fresher, cleaner, and less cluttered or overwhelming the way a heavy sherry can sometimes be.

What do they have to say about High Coast Berg?

BERG – is a sherry matured whisky which has the same natural colour as the Nordingrå granite which can be seen protruding the dramatic landscape of the High Coast. The casks have previously held the flavoursome Pedro Ximénez sherry.

Origins is a series where we celebrate our heritage. We have embraced our location, history and geography and created four whiskies that reflect these aspects. The Origins quartet is released in selected Systembolaget stores as well as in the ordering range and in selected international markets. Berg is so far our most awarded whisky in international shows.

“Berg” is the swedish word for mountain, a tribute to the Nordingrå granite which can be seen protruding the dramatic landscape of the High Coast.

  • Nose: Raisins, butterscotch, orange chocolate
  • Palate: Rich vanilla sweetness, ripe pear, dried apricots, sultanas
  • Finish: Dried fruits

What more do we know? Lots! High Coast is generous in providing loads of details about their whiskies. A synopsis is that Berg is aged between 5.5 to 6.6 years, no peat, matured in first-fill Bourbon barrels and then finished in first-fill sherry casks – primarily PX – to produce 13,000 bottles, retails in Sweden for 499 SEK (approx EUR 48).

What else did we explore in our Scandi whisky evening?

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This tasting was part of the Mumbai Whisky Ladies club which you can separately follow here: Whisky Ladies of Mumbai

Scandi Whiskies – High Coast Älv “Delicate Vanilla” 46%

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After the rather delicious Isle of Lime “Sangelstain” whisky, we continued our evening of Scndi whiskies with a duo from High Coast Distillery. It is part of their Origins expressions:

Origins is a series where we celebrate our heritage. We have embraced our location, history and geography and created four whiskies that reflect these aspects.

We started with Älv – the Swedish word for River.

High Coast Älv 46% (Bottles 8257)

  • Nose – Oh yum! Delicious ripe bananas, caramel, lemon poppyseed muffin, banoffee pie – in short, tropical sunshine and dessert! As it evolved, we found fresh wood, honey, even sweet Neem leaf… more of that dessert – sweet cakes
  • Palate – A delightful contrast – mild, subtle, and delicate.. one even thought of chamomile… with the 2nd sip we found some spice, lights cloves, buttery, becoming fruitier and that sweet vanilla too
  • Finish – Initially sweet followed by a bitter almond

The nose was exuberant and effusive, the palate more restrained and yet it had a lovely balance. In short – we were most impressed and really enjoyed trying this whisky!

What do the folks at High Coast have to say?

Outside our front door runs the beautiful river Ångermanälven, the heart of the High Coast region and essential to our distillery. We are able to make such elegant whisky thanks to the naturally cold, crystal clear water sourced from the river.
Älv — a well-balanced soft single malt with vanilla tones. Älv is our most elegant whisky.

The official tasting notes:

  • Aroma – Vanilla, coconut, sponge cake
  • Palate – Sweet vanilla, mature pear, apple
  • Finish – Long sweet vanilla notes

With further details on the recipe and casks used:

Älv consists of 100% unpeated whisky which has matured in first fill Bourbon barrels;

  • 68.51% – 24 barrels of 200 liters Quercus Alba delivered empty direct from Kentucky
  • 31.49% – 11 quarter casks of 130 liters repaired by Speyside Cooperage 

Until October 2014, our casks have matured in a damp warehouse, where they lost slightly more alcohol than expected. Since October 2014 until bottling, the casks have been maturing in a dry environment in warehouse number 3.

12/04/2019 35 Bourbon barrels containing 4670 kilos of whisky, with an average strength of 61,64% abv, were emptied into our blending tank. There we added, 1787 kilos of water to reach the desired strength of 46% abv.

In early 2022 this retailed in Sweden for 500 SEK (Euro 48). We were quite happy with this one and excited to try the sherry “Berg” expression next!

This wasn’t our only High Coast (Box) exploration:

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