Stauning RYE - Batch 02-2020 - Floor-Malted Danish Whisky

Bottler: Stauning
Distillery: Stauning
Alcohol by volume: 48 % vol.
Bottling: 2020
Cask type: Virgin American Oak Barrels
Cask number: Batch 02-2020
Packaging: Gift Box / Tube / Metal Tube
Type: Single Malt Whisky
Bottling: Non chill-filtered
Colouring: natural colour
Origin: Denmark

Tasting Notes:

Freshly baked rye bread, wine gum and a hint of pepper on the nose. Soft dried fruits, ripe cherries and peppery oak are balanced on the palate by vanilla and citrus zest, leading to a long and soft, yet peppery and fruity-sweet finish.

The nine friends' spirit of experimentation extends just as much to their Danish whiskies. Their goal: whiskies with a clear Danish character that aromatically reflect and celebrate their origins. The basis for Stauning's production is therefore everything that grows around the distillery: locally grown barley and rye, peat from the Klosterlund Museum, which documents Denmark's peat extraction, and heather.

Distillation over an open fire gives the partly smoked new make deep, complex aromas. It reaches full maturity in Bourbon Barrels and Virgin Oak Casks or in casks previously used for Mezcal, Cognac, Calvados, Rum or Vermouth.

This results in fascinating bottlings such as RYE. 51% rye and 49% barley malt – each from the in-house malting floor – form the basis for Stauning's standard. This reflects the founders' adventurous spirit, as malting rye is rather unusual for good reason. The effort for this whisky with distinct grain notes and a long, soft, fruity-sweet finish is worthwhile.

In addition to this liquid version of freshly baked rye bread, SMOKE is part of the Core Range. For the further development of PEAT, malt is smoked over a combination of peat and some heather, which gives the whisky uniquely Danish aromas. Matured with plenty of air circulation from the west coast of Denmark, the smoky Dane balances fresh lemon notes and bonfire smoke.

The third in the trio is KAOS – essentially everything Stauning does, in one bottle. Some smoke, some spice, sweetness and a lot of complexity combine in an extremely versatile whisky. For this, the distillers blend RYE with smoky Single Malt Whiskies from the distillery. The name KAOS is based on Thorvald Stauning, who used the slogan "Stauning or Chaos" to be re-elected as Danish Prime Minister in 1935.

What defines Stauning is now no longer only in the bottle. The new bottles depict the history of the distillery on Ringkøbing Fjord – elaborately illustrated by the Danish artist Asbjørn Staunstrup Lund. The slanted coating in matte black is inspired by the striking angles of the distillery building. The best part: Despite more content, the likeable Danes largely stick to their pricing.