Alexandrion Group is Romania’s largest producer and distributor of alcoholic beverages, they have just released their first single malt whisky range @CarpathianMalt in their home market.
It's also the first ever produced in Romania.
Originally a family business, Alexandrion Group started its global expansion in 2019, when it acquired
the majority share package of one of the largest alcoholic beverages distributor, Cavaway. In 2022
Alexandrion Group acquired the full share package of Cavaway. The group exports its products to more
than 50 countries and has offices in Bulgaria, Greece, Cyprus, Brazil and the USA. Dr. Nawaf Salameh,
the Founding Chairman of the Alexandrion Group aims to further expand the business further by
building distilleries and opening distribution networks and shops all over the world.
In 1789 a 'factory' in Radauti, Bucovina producing first beer then later pear brandy. Over time the factory changed owners and grew to distil other fruits, such as cherry, blueberry and apricot brandy.
Following the Second World War, the Communists took power in Romania and the factory fell into state hands, but following the revolution in 1990 it was privatised and ownership was split between it's thousand employees. After some difficult collective negotiation, Nawaf Salameh, the current owner, bought the factory.
In 2000 the group opened a second factory, a bottling facility 40 miles north of Bucharest. A few years later, the production activity from Radauti was moved to this distillery which is now called the Alexandrion Saber 1789 Distilleries and is one of the most modern, largest bottling centres in South-Eastern Europe.
There's no history of whisky distillation in Romania so they brought in some expertise from Scotland: Alan Anderson has had a varied career - working for Loch Lomond, Great Northern Distillery and now for Alexandrion Group.
They started distilling whisky in September 2017 at their site near Bucharest using 100% Romanian barley malted at a local Maltster.
This is mashed in a 1.5 tonne Lauter Tun.
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| Lauter Tun |
Their six 25,000 litre stainless steel Washbacks stand outside the distillery.
Four 2,000 litre Italian built pot stills are used for traditional double distillation of Grappa but have been modified for whisky.
Two new traditional Wash and Spirit stills of 8,000 and 6,000 litres, from Frilli of Italy, have recently been installed.
Another set of pot stills and a new mash tun will be installed soon to double production.
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| Spirit Holding Tanks |
The spirit is initially matured in a ex-bourbon casks, some is then transferred into ex-cognac, ex-sherry and Romanian Pinot Noir & Fetească Neagră wine casks from within the Alexandrion Group.
The first whisky reached maturity towards the end of 2020 but they're only now releasing their single malt range. The Romanian climate gives an angel's share similar to Scotland. These casks are matured in an underground cellar rather than a warehouse.
Their whisky is known as Carpathian, named after the huge European mountain range arcing across Central and Eastern Europe for 1,500 km (932 miles), 50% of which is within Romania.
So far they have distilled and matured 38 different whiskies across a number of collections including 18 different finishes!
The inaugural range features releases from a number of Collections:
- Romanian Wine Cask Collection:
- Fetească Neagră Romanian Red Wine
- Pinot Noir
- Spanish & Portuguese Wine Cask Collection
- Oloroso
- PX
- Tawny port
- Madeira
- French Wine Cask Collection
- Burgundy
- Greek & Cypriot Wine Cask Collection
- Commandaria Cyprian Wine
- Cognac Collection
- Cognac
I was able to try the Tawny Port bottling.
Distillery info:
Bottled at 46% ABV and non-chill filtered to retain maximum flavour this expression of Carpathian Single Malt has spicy notes of cinnamon with a sweet candy taste ending in a long complex finish on the palate with its deep copper colour obtained by finishing in a 500 litre Portuguese Tawny Port cask, hand selected by our Master Distiller. This expression has previously matured in 53 gallon 1st fill American white oak ex-Kentucky bourbon barrels.
Tasting notes:
Smell: Intense, with notes of white pepper, oak, honey, raisins, candies.
Taste: Sweet, with spicy notes of cinnamon, vanilla, candy and peaches
Finish: Sweet, ample, long and complex.
My thoughts:
Appearance: mid gold in the glass with a little bit of a pink hew, swirls leave a thick line in the glass which slowly forms large beads which then fall as slow thick legs.
Nose: dunnage funk to start with berries and cherries: strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, cherries; milk chocolate, vanilla and a little oak. Caramel and honey offer some sweet notes and cinnamon the spice. There's a little smoke or cask char here too.Palate: thick sweet arrival, seems a little more than 46% to start, there is a little of the dunnage funk and fruit from the nose before the spice kicks in - huge peppery spice with a little dry cinnamon. Instantly drying - reminiscent of a wine rather than a port finish. A few more sips offer sweet orange zest, honey and red berries. No sign of any smoke on the palate. The citrus turns a little sour and dry as the liquid disappears.Finish: lingering dry spice, red fruit, sweet caramel and a little vanilla.Overall: From a complex range - this is the first release I've been able to try - not 'plain' ex-bourbon to get a feel for the distillery character but one which has been finished in Tawny Port. Now as you might know I love a Tawny Port finished dram (let's not mention that Kilkerran fully matured one ever again...) and this one doesn't disappoint.
It's quite sweet but balanced by some nice fruit and a lot of spice. At somewhere around 4½ years old it's lost any trace of new make,
I really like the way the wooden topper from the can makes a cool coaster!
The whisky should be released in the UK later this year with a price of around £50 a bottle - well worth finding!
18 months ago I was able to try a couple of their work-in-progress bottlings:
Appearance: Mid gold in the glass, swirls leave a hairline crack in the glass which slowly creates small beads which then fall as slow thin legs.Nose: Damp cardboard, balsa wood, grape skin,, red berries, cut grass, ginger spice. There's a huge ABV kick with this one so I'm thinking 60%+Palate: Thick syrupy arrival, sweet honey and brown sugar, tropical fruit - pineapple, kiwi, mango. Ginger spice giving a a huge kick - lip tingling.Finish: Short & spicy
Appearance: Mid gold in the glass, swirls leave a hairline crack in the glass which slowly creates small beads which then fall as slow thin legs.Nose: Huge toffee notes - caramel, butterscotch, then some tropical fruit.Palate: Thick syrupy arrival, tropical fruit and sweet honey - very Inchmurrin like. Some red berries, cherries, mint, pine needles almonds and brown sugar - very drying.Finish: Long lingering honey and milk chocolate.
As well as their Romanian Distillery they are also planning a distillery in Carmel just North of New York in the US. At nearly 120,000 square feet it will be the largest distillery on the East Coast of the USA.
Exciting times ahead!
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