Amontillado | Whisky Lady

For the last 5+ years, Bavaria has been my home! I can vouch for it being about much more than beer steins and lederhosen! There are a few interesting whisky distilleries and this one – Slyrs – is tucked away on the shores of Lake Schliersee. Founded in 1999 by Florian Stetter, this alpine distillery keeps experimenting — from classic American oak to wine, rum, and fortified-wine finishes. With 25 years of experience, there have been hits, misses, and some that lie in between!

One of its newer and more intriguing creations – SLYRS Amontillado Cask Finish – kicked off our Whisky Ladies September 2025 evening. Amontillado is a dry sherry, darker than Fino but lighter than Oloroso, and is known to be gentler, with a nutty style… we were intrigued how it would work with the often bold Slyrs approach!

What did we think?

Slyrs Amontillado Cask 46%

Nose – It greeted us with rum raisin, stewed boozy plums, cherries, a heavy mulled wine, with generous sweet spices of cloves, allspice, and cinnamon. From Amarula liqueur to overripe apples, there were loads of fruit! Over time, it also revealed a rich dark chocolate, slightly bitter coffee, and then as it opened, caramelised pecans or roasted almonds with a dusting of salt, converging into a fresh out of the oven pecan pie! Beneath all of this, however, was something faintly musty, a touch of mildew…
Palate – Lots of sweet and spice, like chewing Big Red cinnamon gum! Hearty, with the full range of black, white, and green peppercorns, joining green and red chillies. Yet it wasn’t too spicy either! Instead, there was a hint of orange zest, more dried fruits, bread, and a salty tang too – think of a vegetarian bacon jam.
Finish – It was dry, a bit bitter, with lots of red wine tannins, almost a balsamic vinegar quality

The aromas were complex, think Rumtopf — that wonderfully boozy German tradition of layering seasonal fruits with sugar and dark rum to create a lush, jammy preserve. This SLYRS captures that same spirit: rich, stewed fruit sweetness laced with warming spice and just enough alcohol kick to keep things lively.

For all of us, the nose was the most interesting part. By contrast, the palate was fairly straightforward, with nothing really standing out. And the finish? It had mixed reviews.

Think of this like a Bavarian alpine hike ending at a Spanish tapas bar! Overall, it received a positive reaction from the Whisky Ladies. A far cry from our inaugural experience with Slyrs 51 nearly 10 years ago! In short – it was a great winter dram, with a slightly indulgent, old-world vibe, like something your grandmother would pull from the pantry at Christmas.

However, don’t leave it in your glass too long! That mildew element we found towards the end? Let’s just say it became more pronounced, going from inviting to frankly a bit funky!

Curious what the folks at Slyrs have to say?

Colour: Golden yellow sparkling
Aroma: Fruity with apple, green hazelnuts, and a hint of vanilla.
Taste: Strong, spicy, fiery.
Finish: Slightly salty finish with a long finish.

As of September 2025, it was still available – a 375 ml bottle goes for around Eur 45.50.

We then moved on to:

Baltech Wismaria 43%
Miyagikyo Grande 48%

For a few ladies, this was the “hit” of the evening! Personally, I quite enjoyed being happily surprised and look forward to my next Slyrs experience – with a Marsala expression waiting in my whisky cabinet!

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