Iceland | Whisky Lady

Our intrepid Whisky Lady host brought back from her trip to Iceland some remarkable images, memories and yes a malt too! She shared how she considered the Sheep Dung (smoked with Icelandic sheep poo) but settled on the Young Malt.

As we opened the bottle, she told us tales of her winter adventures in Iceland. With others chiming in with their experiences too. Stories swirled about a remarkable land of exceptional natural landscape, socializing in hot springs, quixotic nightlife, music and more…

Flóki Young Malt 47% 1st Impression

Nose – Lots of hay, like being inside a granary, dusty, a bit yeasty, young, a little metallic, quite organic
Palate – What a contrast! Cinnamon candy, a bit peculiar- not necessarily in a bad way just something very unfamiliar, a tough whisky with a hint of light leather from tannery, rubber
Finish – Back to hay with a bit of spice, had an almost “flat” quality with cedar

At one point we joked that we’d stumbled inside a barnyard! It was quite rustic, unique and definitely different. We began to joke it was like wandering into a set of Game of Thrones.

There was no doubt it would be welcome after hiking in the glaciers! Very apt for Iceland.

Here is what the folks who create Flóki have to say:

100% Icelandic locally grown barley. Named after one of Icelands first explorers, Hrafna-Flóki (Flóki of the ravens).

Carefully distilled using our custom made distillation equipment to extract the full flavor of the barley and then matured in new wood american oak barrels.

Flóki is a complex and unique malt with a blend of characteristics you´d expect in Bourbon, Irish Whisky and Scottish Highland Whiskys.

Not sure I’d call it complex, but it is certainly unique and worth exploring for the novelty!

Whisky Ladies Northern Lights:

Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye 40%
Flóki Single Malt 47% – Previous sample part of a Nordic Explorer’s sample set
Mackmyra Mack 40%

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My Swedish friend and I took a few months break from our Nordic Explorer‘s sessions however are now back to finish the last quartet!

Iceland has two new distilleries – Thoran and Eimverk – from which the later is now releasing limited early editions of their fledgling spirit Flóki. Let us be very clear – this isn’t yet whisky – more akin to new-make spirit that has touched a little wood.

Flóki produce their whisky using 100% organic Icelandic-grown barley, malted by hand and then pot still distilled. As Icelandic barley is slow growing and low in sugars, distillers have to use 50% more barley per bottle.

Photo: Whisky Saga

Flóki Young Malt 1st Edition, Barrel 3, 47%

Nose – Raw, sour, dry mash, unfinished
Palate – Exceedingly raw, tingles and prickles the lips, peculiar and a bit difficult
Finish – Remarkably, had a nice after taste

Overall impression my companion had was of cheap vodka or home brews of her Nordic youth… more like new make spirit or moonshine than whisky.

When we returned to the Floki after sampling the other three, the aroma was almost akin to sour garbage. Hmm… definitely not what I want in my “nearly” whisky.

This young malt was released late 2014/early 2015, aged from 1-2 years. I understand this particular edition was from barrel 3, aged 12 months in fresh 200 litre American Oak barrels, medium toast and char level.

Whisky Wafflers had this to say about Flóki:

Pretty good for such a young whisky it must be said. The nose is really curious; it’s really, really floral and fruity (pineapple, mandarin, pear) with a slightly salted caramel edge that keeps you sniffing. You know what, if you’ve ever had the chance to try some new-make spirit, then you’ll know what this smells like.

On the mouth the Flóki is sharp, slightly bitter and prickly. It pretty much jumps off its longship and starts jabbing away with its spear, although part of the reason for that is probably the 47% strength. The finish coats the tongue with that raw, grassy, hay-like quality that seems common amongst very young whiskies, followed by a lick of spicy fruitiness.

*** Whiskies courtesy of Thomas Øhrbom from Whisky Saga ***

For more information, do read Thomas’ posts on Whisky Saga. Specifically: