Whisky from...? Sweden

This year Sweden is celebrating 20 years of modern whisky distilling, it was 1998 when eight friends, on a skiing trip to the mountains, decided that Sweden needed its own distillery, the rest as they say is history!

The first spirit came off Mackmyra's stills in 1999, they've experimented with different ingredients, techniques and maturation types and today they produce a number of different styles of whisky.

The dram I have today is the latest in their seasonal range : Vintersol which has been finished in port wine casks.

Mackmyra Vintersol (Winter Sun) is a Swedish single malt whisky created in collaboration with the Port wine producer Quinta Do Vallado, one of the oldest and most famous Quintas in the Douro Valley. The Swedish winter sun rarely visits as often as we like it to, and so we wanted the flavour of sun soaked grapes to keep this whisky company. The aromatic profile of the whisky comes from finishing in casks that previously held port wine with notes of vanilla, chocolate and pepper. The resulting whisky is elegant With a light spiciness and notes of warm raisins, sun ripe fruits, tropical berries, buttery pear fudge, vanilla and toasted oak. 

Vintersol a 56.1% NAS

Distillery notes: This whisky is a marriage of first fill ex-Port wine casks, new and first fill American oak, first fill ex-Bourbon and first fill Oloroso and Swedish oak bottled at the regular distillery ABV of 46.1% 

Tasting notes: Nose: Spicy and herbal with fruity warm vinous grape tones and a minerality. Soft vanilla oakiness, with aromas of anise, ginger, raisin, pear caramel and vanilla. Palate: Soft, fruity yet spicy with dried fruit, pears and raisins, ginger and vanilla. With a creamy and medium-rich texture. Finish: Fruity, spicy and oaky with warm raisins.

My thoughts:

Appearance: A lovely reddy gold colour in the glass, swirls fall as slow thick legs.  

Nose:  Red fruit are first out of the glass followed by vanilla and stewed pear. The nose suggests a big kick of spice is coming! A little time in the glass reveals more of its multi cask finish complexity with hints of chilli, pepper, dried fruit and some smoke.

Palate: A thick chewy arrival of strawberries, raspberries and black cherries coats the mouth before that promised spice arrives in the form of chilli and black pepper. There's some sweetness but a few more sips also reveals a slight sourness - more cherries! Slightly drying cocoa powder is left as you swallow the liquid.

Finish: Red fruit sweetness and a gentle spice linger. more of the cocoa and cherries - yummy!

Overall: The port cask has had a big influence on this dram and it's right up my street! Loads of red fruit notes, a dry chocolatiness (is that a word?) and a hint of smoke - what more could you want from a whisky?

Many thanks to @Mackmyra for the sample!