A whisky all the way from Sweden, the Mackmyra First Edition. It all started on a skiing trip. Eight friends met up, and a conversation started about the opportunity to manufacture a Swedish whisky.
The group of friends founded Mackmyra distillery after only one year’s preparation. All ingredients used in the production of this whisky are sourced within a 120 km radius from Mackmyra.
The distillery uses barley from Dalarna and Strömsta Manor in Enköping. The yeast is sourced from Rotebro, and the peat is obtained from a local bog near Österfärnebo. Mackmyra is aged in handmade, first-fill American bourbon and Swedish oak casks. They age the casks for about 5 years.
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The Swedish oak is reportedly tougher to work than American or European oak. The reward is a wood with a unique spiciness which is imparted into the spirit. Almost every aspect of Mackmyra has a wonderful story. Mackmyra matures their casks in an abandoned mine fifty meters below ground in Bodås.
The first limited edition whisky from Mackmyra was launched in 2006 and sold out within hours. The bottle itself is minimalist with clean lines and elegant labelling. It reminds me of that other Swedish icon, Ikea, and somehow just looks Swedish!
The distillery launched the Mackmyra First Edition single malt whisky in 2008. I got my bottle of Mackmyra First Edition on one of my trips through London.
Sadly this whisky is not readily available in South Africa. My bottle is from the 2008-03 batch. This bottling of Mackymra is dedicated to Pioneers. It is not chill-filtered.
COUNTRY: Sweden
ABV: 46.1%
COLOUR: Light golden. Compared to some of the other whiskey in my collection, it is quite a light colour. The whisky is not very oily.
NOSE: The first thought on nosing the Mackmyra is sweetness. Honey and oak come through right away. After the first aroma, fresh fruit and floral notes come through.
PALATE: On the palate, the whisky comes across as medium-bodied. It is not a very complex whisky but is wonderfully easy drinking. The palate continues with the honey theme, adding butterscotch and apples to the notes.
FINISH: Medium with notes of spice, vanilla and oak ending in some dried fruit. It does not have the longest of finishes, but one must remember that this is only a 5 yo!
RATING: EXCELLENT
Whilst not as complex as other whiskies, and has a medium finish, it is nevertheless an exceptional dram to have on a special day. I was thrilled to learn that a shipment, which might include some Mackmyra, is on the way to South Africa. One of our friends, Whisky Brother Marc, may be responsible!
This is exciting news, and I look forward to this shipment of Swedish whisky, landing safely here in Johannesburg. Have you tried the Mackmyra First Edition yet? What did you think of it? I also got to taste the Mackmyra Svensk Rok which you can read about here.
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