ABOUT THIS BOTTLING

Our first batch from Finland's Helsinki Distilling Company is a 2 Year Old Rye spirit with full maturation in a first fill, Ex-Oloroso sherry cask. It’s release of just 240 bottles at 47.3% abv.

Distilling was illegal in Finland until just 13 years ago. The Helsinki Distillery is one of three new distilleries in the country making whisky.

The company was founded in 2014 by three friends, the idea came about in the most traditional of Finnish settings, a sauna.

Situated in the heart of Helsinki, it is the first distillery in the city for over 100 years. The distillery building has seen many uses over the years. A slaughterhouse, a power plant, a soap factory, a car wash & more.

Rye is a common and traditional Finnish crop, but they make both Rye and Single Malt whiskies, as well a range of other popular Finnish drinks, such as Akvavit, Applejack, and ‘Longdrink’. They also produce a range of Gins.

Distillation is undertaken through a pair of copper pot stills, made by the German company Carl.

Low year round temperatures in Helsinki leads to a slower interaction with wood. This presents a preferable situation for maturation in powerful, first fill casks, which may ordinarily overpower a spirit.

Sherry casks from Spain, and Port casks from Portugal are often favoured.

NOSE

Spiced Black Forest Gateau, dark chocolate with chilli. Hints of black cherry, freshly baked rye bread, and fig roll.

TASTE

Rich, sweet, and spicy. Fruity like a booze filled fruit cake, dried cherry and prune juice. Hints of liquorice, clove, and nutmeg

The long and warming finish is like a spicey mulled wine, balanced with fruit and spices in harmony

ABOUT THE LABEL

Our label shows the distillery in one of its former guises; a car wash:

The Monopoly cars are a reference to the strict Finnish alcohol monopoly ‘Alko’. There’s a sauna on the roof of the distillery, it’s where the three friends met and discussed the idea of distilling whisky, and so typically Finnish too.

That’s head distiller and amatuer actor Mikko in his towel getting ready to go into the sauna. You can see his film crew is waiting for him!