Single Malt whisky

Santis Malt Whisky Alpstein Edition no 7


This whisky I want to look at this week is the Santis Malt whisky Alpstein Edition no 7. When I think back to my travels around Switzerland, I think of mountains and lakes next to quaint towns and lots of delicious chocolate. Certainly not whisky.

When I got the chance to add a Swiss whisky to my collection, I jumped at the opportunity.  In 1999 some changes in the Swiss laws around distilling legalized the distilling of grain alcohols and allowed for the production of whisky.

The Locher brewery has been owned and run by the Locher family for five generations. Situated in Appenzell, close to Liechtenstein and Germany, they have produced beer and spirits for more than 100 years.

Related ArticleTeerenpeli whisky

Locher Brewery began to produce Santis Malt after the Swiss ban on manufacturing spirits from grain was lifted.  It is made with spring water from the Alpstein mountains.

The grain used is also from the Swiss mountains. According to the Locher Brewery, the altitude and extreme weather make the grain grow more robust and vigorously.

There are various Santis Malt whisky Editions. Each edition is named after a different rock formation. There is a Dreifaltigkeit, Himmelbert, Alpstein Edition among others. The Santis Malt Alpstein Edition no 7 is first matured in some old Oak beer casks and was finished for  two years in Sherry casks. The Swiss Whisky Guide voted  Locher Brewery  “Whisky Distillery 2011”.

Santis Malt Whisky Alpstein Edition No. 7 Review


The Alpstein no. 7 has been aged for 6 years. I have bottle no 553 of 1400.

COUNTRY: Switzerland

ABV: 48%.

COLOUR: Dark red, nearly burnt copper in colour.  It is not a very oily whisky.

NOSE: Straight from the bottle promises sherry, more sherry and some more sherry. There are notes of malt, fresh fruits and vanilla. In the background linger hints of Christmas pudding, butterscotch and toasted caramel. The Santis Malt nose is rich and rewarding and encourages you to dive right in. Adding a bit of water releases more fruit and sweetness on the nose.

PALATE: Without water, the palate is interesting. It has a good balance between sweetness and spice, with some vanilla pod mixed in between. There is some very unusual crème brûlée notes that soften when you add water.

After the water, more spice comes through, and some oak and malt appear. It  is a yummy whisky you just can’t put down.  You want a second glass. Surprising, it is not as sweet as the nose suggests.

FINISH: The finish is the only shortcoming of this Swiss whisky. It is relatively short and ends in notes of wild spice and caramel.

RATING: EXCELLENT

Another (minor) problem with this Santis Malt bottle is that it is only a 50cl size. Consequently, this will be treasured and very carefully consumed until I can get our hands on another expression from this Swiss Distillery.

I paired this Swiss whisky with some Swiss Appenzeller cheese, and it made for a perfect combination.  Following the link will take you to the article to show you the results.

Also Read: The Singleton 15 yo Whisky


Jeannette Wentzel

View Comments

Share
Published by
Jeannette Wentzel

Recent Posts

Remy Martin XO Cognac

Let's change things up. This past weekend, we celebrated a special memory by opening some…

2 weeks ago

Loch Lomond Steam and Fire Whisky

Continuing with my notes from the Loch Lomond distillery visit, I'm diving into the Loch…

3 weeks ago

Chivas Regal 12 vs Glenfiddich 12 year old Whisky

Chivas Regal 12 vs Glenfiddich 12 year old whisky: a battle of two iconic drams.…

1 month ago

Ardbeg Smoketrails Manzanilla Edition whisky

My husband John is a frequent traveller. Recently, he brought home the Ardbeg Smoketrails Manzanilla…

1 month ago

White Horse Blended Scotch Whisky

Over the years, I have explored a variety of affordable whiskies, including releases from India…

2 months ago

Dewar’s White Label vs Famous Grouse Whisky

Looking around my whisky room, I was in the mood for an uncomplicated side-by-side comparison.…

2 months ago