Nordic whisky #189 - Mackmyra Skördetid

Nordic whisky #189 - Mackmyra Skördetid, NAS, 46.1 %

Nordic whisky #189 - Mackmyra Skördetid

Today I will review a fairly new release from Swedish distillery Mackmyra. Here is the official blurb on Mackmyra Skördetid, which was released on 2017-11-17 as a limited run of 20 000 bottles:

"Our latest seasonal release, Skördetid, is an elegant whisky with a six months finish in Masi Costasera Amarone casks (600 litres oak barrels), which results in a whisky with sweet, vinous notes of grapes, raisins and a herbal spiciness. Skördetid, which is Swedish for “harvest time”, is the result of close collaboration between Mackmyra and the Italian wine producer Masi, and is available in limited quantities."

Several different types of casks have been used in composing the Mackmyra Skördetid:

• Primary Casks:

  • 1st fill ex-Masi Costasera Amarone

  • 1 st fill ex-bourbon

  • 1 st fill Oloroso

  • Influential casks (smaller volumes)

    • 1st fill American oak previously filled w. Pedro Ximénes Sherry

    • 1st fill 30-liter Mackmyra Reserve

You can buy the Mackmyra Skördetid in Sweden at SEK 598 (4041401).

Nose: Oooh, that's quite balanced, that is. Grapes, vanilla and a soft earthiness. Coconut, icing sugar, baked almonds and marzipan. Dried fruits and demerara sugar in the back. All the cask types coming together and playing the same tune. The tune is quite complex as well. It is a full and rich whisky, more so than what I find to be typical of Mackmyra. With time the sweetness develops further, adding fresh orchard fruits and berries, but the grapes and the vanilla still dominate.

Taste: Medium body and a robust mouthfeel. The rich sweetness from the nose carries over to the palate. Grapes, vanilla, apples and pears. The spiciness is now turned up a notch or two. Still a touch earthy and warm.

Finish: Medium long finish. More traditional sherry matured whisky on the finish, with some added spicy top notes - fresh and green. Then right at the end I find red berries and red wine, mulled wine with almonds actually. Hmm.. well, it is still very cold outside..

Comments: A very nice effort from Mackmyra. Red wine casks is not always a good thing, but it really works here. Cheers!

Score (85/100)

Sláinte! - Thomas