Whisky Issues European Distilling
20 Whisky Magazine | Issue 161
Finland
In the 1950s the Finns started making
whisky but it took until the 1980s
before any product was bottled as such.
It was not deemed a success and the
operation was closed in 1995. Seven
years later Teerenpeli was born in a
restaurant annex beer brewery. This
distillery is located in Yhtiöt Oy. In 2014
Kyrö from Isokyrö joined the ranks. But
there is more: the Helsinki Distilling
Co, Panimoravintola Koulu and Valamo
Monastery Distillery.
France
The oldest and most well-known
whisky distillery in France is Glann
Ar Mor in Bretagne, founded in 1999
by Jean Donnay. Other French whisky
distillers are Warenghem in Lannion,
Des Menhirs in Plomelin, Meyer in
Hohwarth, Elsass in Obernai, Domaine
des Hautes Glaces in Rhône-Alpes,
Guillon in La Champagne and Brenne in
the Cognac region.
Germany
β
small craft distilleries, each of them
producing fruit and grain distillates.
The oldest one among them is Scraml
in Erbendorf, founded in 1818. Since
whisky has grown in popularity, many
among them want to take a share, even
a small one. Almost all whisky distilled
in Germany is consumed locally. Some
brands are: Blaue Maus from Egolsheim,
Slyrs from Schliersee, Finch from
Nellingen and Liebl from Bad Kötzting.Iceland
For a long time the climate in Iceland
was too cold to grow barley, but in the
last two decades the temperatures
became mild enough. Potatoes were
at hand for distilling, but the product
thereof cannot be named whisky.
However, since 2009 a true Icelandic
whisky has been produced, called Flóki.Italy
Italy has been importing a lot of malt
whisky from Scotland for decades and
the Campari company even owns Glen
Grant in Rothes, Speyside – a single
malt that is very popular. Since 2010 theOpening pages:
Europe, the
crossroads of
distilling.
These pages,
clockwise from far
left picture:
Teerenpeli; The still
house at Slyrs; Wheat
fields; The still at
Sculte; Puni Distillery;
Glann ar Mor.© THE WHISKY COUPLE