Tag: Iceland

Flóki Sheep Dung Smoked Reserve

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Flóki Sheep Dung Smoked Review 01

Distillery: Eimverk
Country: Iceland
Age: 3 years old
abv: 47%

Gordon Ramsey recently caused a bit of a stir shovelling sheep shit on an episode of his show Uncharted. Sure enough, a celebrity chef and excrement are an unusual combination, unless we count the stuff coming out of Gordon’s mouth. The particular poop being shovelled was meant for production of Wholly Shit whisky, distilled in Tasmania. And while the use of sheep dung is sure to grab attention, it’s not necessarily a gimmick. Icelandic distillers Eimverk have been using sheep dung for years now, and to them it’s second nature. Although peat is traditionally the fuel of choice for drying barley, peat simply doesn’t form in Iceland’s austere landscape. In looking for an alternative, Eimverk needed to look no further than their local cuisine, where it’s very normal to smoke foods using sheep dung. I’ve tried Arctic char and lamb smoked this way, and although distinctive, it was an excellent meal. That’s not to say I will be collecting faeces for my next smoking session on the grill, but I am happy that Eimverk decided not to import peat from Scotland. It’s the sustainable choice too: while peat bogs can take centuries to regrow, sheep produce dung on a daily basis. How’s that for a renewable resource!

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Flóki Sherry Cask Finish

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Flóki Sherry Cask Finish Review

Distillery: Eimverk
Country: Iceland
Age: 3 years old
abv: 47%

When Eimverk introduced Iceland’s first ever single malt in 2017, it was a young, intrepid dram full of bourbon-like flavours. Although I enjoyed it, I immediately wondered how Flóki would fare with some time spent in European oak. Well, the wait is over, because Eimverk has since released a whole new range of whiskies. And what interesting expressions they are! There’s the next iteration of Flóki’s Sheep Dung Smoked whisky, a Beer Cask Finish, and even a whisky that matured in birch wood. Of these new bottlings, this Sherry Cask Finish is perhaps the most traditional. While the other expressions add an extra Icelandic dimension to an already uniquely local product, a finish in sherry casks is a more conventional next step for most distillers. This cask type tends to help in showcasing a gentler, sweeter side of a whisky, complementing the distillery character with fruity, nutty flavours. But not only the whisky is different, the packaging also received an overhaul. Gone are the shiny Viking inspired patterns, now replaced by beautiful earthy colours. As always, the bottles are numbered and signed by hand, a nice personal touch.

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Flóki Icelandic Birch Finish

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Flóki Birch Finish Review 01

Distillery: Eimverk
Country: Iceland
Age: 3 years old
abv: 47%

Whisky is matured in oak. That’s a given. Oak is easy to shape, not prone to cracking and abundantly available. Moreover, it’s got the right level of porosity, allowing the cask contents to evaporate and oxygenate, but not at rates that cause spoilage. Different types of oak can imbue a spirit with different flavour types, whether it’s European oak, American oak, or even Mizunara. The previous contents of the cask also significantly impact a whisky’s flavour, meaning there is an extremely wide array of flavours that distillers can work with. And yet… what if you were to use a wood other than oak? For the reasons mentioned above, it can be challenging to use other wood types, but whisky makers have started experimenting. Japan-based Kamiki offers a cedar wood and cherry wood finished whisky, while Irish distillers Method & Madness produce a chestnut matured expression. I’ve only tried the Kamiki Cedar Wood, but the results are astounding. Even a short finish in a different wood type offers up a wealth of new flavours to explore.

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Flóki Single Malt 3 year old

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Flóki Single Malt Review 01Distillery: Eimverk
Country: Iceland
Age: 3 years old
abv: 47%

With its football team qualifying for  both Euro 2016 and the World Cup, its tourist numbers increasing rapidly, and a geothermal energy sector that’s pushing technological boundaries, Iceland is really putting itself on the map lately (in a geological sense quite literally; due to its volcanic nature Iceland is still growing in size). To these feats we can now add another important distinction: Iceland has become an exporter of single malt whisky. Sure, Eimverk distillery from Garðabær has been knocking on the gates for a few years now, producing award-winning gins, Brennivín and an exciting whisky spirit. But due to the whims of law, Eimverk’s Young Malt was yet too young to carry the name whisky. Until now. While I have made acquaintance with the Flóki range before, this Single Malt will actually be the first time I’m trying Icelandic whisky.

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A Visit to Eimverk Distillery

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With its frosty temperatures and dark winter months, Iceland seems as good a place as any to pour yourself a warming dram of whisky. And while you’re at it, why not opt for a locally distilled whisky, as the perfect companion for exploring Iceland’s stunning natural beauty. Until recently this would not have been possible, but fortunately Eimverk distillery has since entered the scene.

Apparently in Icelandic, there is no word for ‘distillery’, so a bit of linguistic creativity was required.  Eim is short for distilling in Icelandic, while verk means ‘a job being done’, and this is exactly what this small distillery has enthusiastically kept busy with since 2009. The result is not only the Flóki whisky range, but also a selection of award winning gins and the traditional Icelandic spirit called Brennivín.

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Flóki Icelandic Young Malt

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Floki Young Malt 01Distillery: Eimverk
Country: Iceland
Age: 13-14 months
abv: 47%

When you think of Iceland, you may picture glaciers and waterfalls, or volcanoes that annoyingly bring whole continents to a standstill. Perhaps you may even think of Vikings, Björk or fermented shark meat. But rarely will you hear the words Iceland and whisky uttered in the same sentence. Not until recently at least, because now Eimverk distillery is producing Iceland’s very own malt whisky. True, it will not be ready until November 2017, but there’s already a taster available for those who cannot wait. Fittingly subtitled First Impression, Flóki Young Malt is exactly that: a first introduction to an Icelandic whisky that’s far from a final product.

Bottled after having been matured for just over a year, this Flóki may not even call itself whisky yet. Despite this, it’s a very captivating drink, thanks in large part to the unconventional way in which Flóki is produced. For more background on Eimverk and Flóki, you can read about my visit to the distillery here. What is good to mention though is that because of Iceland’s harsh climate, barley produced on the island is much less rich in sugar content. To make up for this, Eimverk uses up to 50% more barley in each batch, and this has a very positive impact on the flavour of the spirit. You can expect lots of sweet cereal and an almost oily spiciness in this Flóki.

It has been great to make acquaintance with this Icelandic experiment in whisky making, even just for a first impression. It’s left me eager for more, and I will definitely be keeping an eye out to see how the Flóki range develops in the future. For now though, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed this Young Malt. Skál!

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