Nordic Whisky #65 - Stauning Peated 1st Edition

Stauning Peated 1st Edition, 3 YO, 63,8 %

I am continuing to work my way through older releases of Nordic whisky, and today I have reached the first ever peated release from Danish distillery Stauning.

The Stauning Peated 1st Edition was distilled in 2009 and bottled in 2012. A total outturn of 715 bottles at 50 cl each. The whisky was matured in 1st fill ex-bourbon casks from Makers Mark.

Stauning malts their own barley, and the peat used for the peated malt here is excavated by Klosterlund Museum.

There are still a few bottles to be had online, but they are getting quite pricey. You can for instance buy it from Denmark at the stiff price of DKK 5999 here.

Nose (21/25): Lots of peat and sweet licorice (candy licorice pipe, anyone?). Salt and oily. A fair bit of oak influence as well. Maybe they used small casks for this release?

Taste (20/25): Super smooth and almost silken mouthfeel. Then the chewy, rich and thick peppery and ashen peatiness hits. It's rough and feisty, to say the least, but at the same time it is very charming! How very cool (and it is literally a bit cool as well, a minty touch).

Finish (20/25): More minty now, still very peaty with a peppery edge. Vanilla and mild fruits coming through. I do not find any of the oakiness from the nose. Medium long, rich and full-bodied all the way. Honey mixed with ginger, ashes, licorice and caramel at the end.

Balance (20/25): It is raw, it is rough, it is feisty, it is obviously a well-crafted whisky, although still too young, but also tons of fun!

Score (81/100)

Sláinte! - Thomas