The distillation of whisky in Germany is a relatively recent development and only started in the last 30 years. Today there are around 23 distilleries in Germany producing whisky. Slyrs whisky is Bavaria’s first single malt whisky.
Built on the banks of Lake Schliersee, it is also the largest whisky distillery in Germany. I acquired this bottle on a recent trip through Frankfurt.
The Slyrs whisky is roughly about 3 years old, bottled at 43% ABV. The whisky was matured in American oak and is sold in limited quantities. It is presented in a cream-coloured box; the bottle has both English and German working on the label. There is no age statement on the bottle.
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My goal is to collect a single malt whisky from every country in the world that produces one. To date, I have whiskies from 19 different countries. I have been pleasantly surprised by the excellent quality of whisky from countries not usually thought of as whisky producers.
There are many similarities between the Scottish and Bavarian regions. The Scottish Speyside region landscape is quite similar to Upper Bavaria. I was looking forward to tasting the Slyrs.
Slyrs Bavarian Single Malt Whisky Review
ABV: 43%
COUNTRY: Germany
COLOUR: Yellow gold. It is reminiscent of golden autumn leaves.
NOSE: Citrus notes with some oak and spice come through. There are also quite distinct alcohol vapours in the nose. It’s probably best to let it breathe a bit.
PALATE: On the palate, it comes across as quite light. It’s not a rich whisky. The tasting brings citrus again, with hints of vanilla, caramel and wood. However, the citrus is a bit overwhelming, and it changes to bitter citrus with notes of pepper and ginger.
FINISH: Well-rounded. It initially has a short finish but then comes back with a longer ending with bitter citrus, pepper and caramel notes. You get a sense that there are some rough edges, but not bad ones at all.
RATING: VERY GOOD
This distillery has lots of potential, and I will be looking out for more releases in the future. It is a whisky I will try again. For a 3 yo it’s really not bad. The Slyrs website recommended you try Slyrs with a 70% dark chocolate. I tried it with a 60% Lindt Lindor chocolate, and it paired well. The chocolate smoothed out some of the edges and softened the citrus. The whisky, in turn, brought out more caramel in the chocolate.
It is a great combination to try. Collecting whiskies from around the world often produces a gem. If you make allowances for the three year age, it’s well worth acquiring. I paired the Slyrs with some Montagnolo Affine cheese, and it worked beautifully.
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