I really enjoyed the Nordic section at London’s Whisky Show. Having spent several years exploring what the Nordics have to offer, even touring a few distilleries, I simply couldn’t miss their special Mainstage session focused exclusively on whiskies from the region!
Left to right: Billy Abbott, Jakob Stjernholm, Ingjerd Sorsand, Martin Tønder Smith
Nordic Whisky: location, location, location.
With the Nordic distilleries scattered across locations in some of the most remote corners of the world, it is little wonder that the whiskies have such a strong sense of place. Billy Abbott, Martin Tønder Smith from Feddie Ocean (Norway), Jakob Stjernholm from Thy (Denmark), and Ingjerd Sorsand from Aurora Spirit Distillery / Bivrost (Norway) dive into how the landscape and the locations of their distilleries shape their whiskies.
What whiskies did we try?
- Feddie Limited Release (2020/2021 – 2025) 4 Ex-Bourbon, 2 Quarter Casks 52%
- Thy Bøg Sherry cask with beechwood smoke 50%
- Aurora Cask Sample – Arctic Barley 50%
Let’s wander into the session and drams, shall we?
Feddie Limited Release (2020/2021 – 2025) 4 Ex-Bourbon, 2 Quarter Casks 52%
Feddie Ocean is proud to say its distillery is “powered by women” – with 100% women investors. As their (then) CEO Aina Lemoen Lunde was transitioning to a different role, we were fortunate to have their Managing Director and Head Blender Martin Tønder Smith join instead.
Martin openly shared the challenges and strengths of living on a tiny island – Fedje – in the North Sea, surrounded by winter storms. Important is how these climate conditions impact the whisky – adding a salty minerality that is simply absorbed from the surrounding environment. Complement this with an ex-Islay cask, and the more intense flavours from quarter casks, and one achieves a unique seaside, smoky combination.
What did we think?
- Aroma – Clear brine, then some pear, over time it shifts from sea spray to something creamier, a hint of vanilla
- Palate – Coastal, soft and rounded, sponge cake
- Finish – Lovely, lingers
In closing, Martin shared that their “house-style” has brine… And this is the first of a new series, from which we can expect different expressions in the future. With all the whiskies imbued with a sense of place, the culture of a small island.
Next up, we moved to the Arctic – to explore a cask sample from Aurora Spirit Distillery. Their marketing manager, Ingjerd Sorsand, described a polar world – the northernmost distillery in the world – with eight months of winter, two months without sunlight. Many adjustments are needed – including insulating their warehouses. It is also an incredibly expensive place to live, with many goods needed for everyday life flown in.
All familiar to a Manitoba gal, where snow can come as early as October, and May could still have blizzards! And if it doesn’t get cold enough in the winter? The ice roads can’t be used, and nearly everything needs to be flown in.
So what does this mean for their whiskies, and more specifically this cask sample? Ingjerd shared that they wanted to produce a whisky using local heritage barley – determined to bring something uniquely Arctic to the bottle. And yet, it was extremely challenging, with failed experiments and terrible yields.
It began with a few adventurous farmers, a university project, united by the goal to produce a barley that could survive the short growing season. Their early efforts simply didn’t malt properly. So they went back to the beginning to try again until they found a variety that could both survive the growing conditions and malt well. The result of 1 tonne of barley was liquid that rested in 250 sherry casks… and from there a bottle of “Arctic Barley” shared with us…
Aurora Cask Sample – Arctic Barley 50%
- Aroma – Cereals, dusty, white peach, fresh, and crisp
- Palate – Spice – with a distinctive flavour, something different, some apricot, requires you to slow down
- Finish – Direct
We joked it was like sipping a crisp winter gust of air! The terroir, the determination of the people – despite adverse conditions – produced something rare.
Luckily we also managed to stop by their booth and explore more whiskies – bottled under the brand Bivrost!
From Fedje, Norway, then the Arctic, we closed on another part of the North Sea in Denmark with Thy. Described as full of wind, rain… Jakob Stjernholm, founder and co-owner of Thy walked us through his distillery and this unique expression.
Thy Bøg Sherry Cask with Beechwood Smoke (2024) 50%
- Aroma – Spearmint, sage, incredibly herbal, also joined by cedar, beech wood, then shifts into bacon and salty sour dried plums
- Palate – A wonderful texture, soothing smoke, grilled pineapple
- Finish – Hangs about, shifting back to the nose with the menthol, sage, and herbal elements
- Water – Opens it up – fruitier and smoother on the palate, settles the aromas too
The irony is, we had stopped by the Thy stand just before the mainstage session. We had challenged their guide to select just one whisky to try. Guess what? It was Bøg! Same place, same whisky, yet with a different setting, learning more about the context made all the difference.
There is something about coming from Winnipeg, Canada – with our cold, long winters – that brings a certain link to Nordic tales. Making this session all the more personally meaningful! Hope you enjoyed!
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