Throughout the last decade Finnish whisky has sneaked up on the whisky world. Finland is better known for its national drink, Lonkero (premixed gin and grapefruit soda), and, of course, vodka, but today my homeland has five established whisky distilleries.
To avoid too much confusion, I will be using the ‘whisky’ spelling in most of this blog post and I’ll change to ‘whiskey’ only when the distillery’s own spelling requires it.
A quick look into Finnish whisky history
Whisky imports to Finland weren’t allowed until 1904. However, even after that time, whisky sales were very low in the country as everyone was getting their supply of illegal spirits. There used to be several distilling ventures (lucrative, no doubt) in the forests across Finland. Moonshine was made from grain or potatoes.
During the First World War (1914–1918) alcohol sales could only take place in high-end hotels and pharmacies. Finland’s alcohol consumption per capita was the lowest in Europe, although I doubt they considered the illegally obtained moonshine consumption. The nail in the coffin was the introduction of prohibition in 1919.
After the repeal of prohibition, the state monopoly, now known as Alko, was founded in 1932 for the production and sale of alcohol. At the time, the shops offered 16 different whiskies. Alko even produced its own whisky brand, Viski88, right up to 2000.
New wave of whisky distilling
Even if the whisky scene in Finland is reasonably new, Finnish distilleries haven’t gone unnoticed in the whisky world. Also, it helps that other Nordic countries have been riding the whisky wave and it is becoming a category of its own.
Teerenpeli Distillery
Teerenpeli Distillery in Lahti started life as a brewery, but owner Anssi Pyysing had a passion for whisky. He imported a copper still from Scotland and received a helping hand from the former Glen Ord manager William Meikle. The first distillery was built back in 2002 in the same premises as the restaurant Taivaanranta, but in 2015 they began distilling at Teerenpeli Brewery, increasing the total capacity to over 100,000 litres per year. They decided to keep the old distillery in operation, although the bulk of the production is done at the new site just ten minutes from the city centre.
Today, Teerenpeli has several bars and restaurants across the country, making them a great place for customers to sample their whisky, gin, beer, and other drinks.
The name “Teerenpeli” means the courtship of the black grouse, and the term is also used for flirting between people. The company’s logo features a male black grouse.
The distillery is one of the most northerly distilleries in the world. This means the wastage, the angels’ share, is lower, and the ABV remains higher as the water evaporates in sub-zero conditions. The spirit also seeps into the wood more slowly in the colder climate. Although, I guess you could say the same about all Finnish whisky distilleries.
Sustainability
The brewing and distilling process requires a lot of hot water, which in turn means high energy expenditure to reach the needed temperatures. To achieve this in an environmentally sustainable way, Teerenpeli built their own pellet power plant in 2015. The pellets are made from residual sawdust from a local sawmill.
By using these wood pellets as an energy source, the distillery is reducing their carbon footprint by roughly 90% compared to the more traditionally used fossil energy sources. The electricity used at the distillery comes from wind and water-powered plants.
They also get their ingredients from as close by as possible. Since their beginning in 2002, most of the malted barley used has been grown within 150 km of the distillery.
They use recycled shipping containers for storing around 2,500 casks. It is a cheaper way of storing than constructing a warehouse, especially given the strict Finnish regulations on storing spirits.
They claim that this method allows them to create a unique microclimate for their whisky, as the containers are exposed to the changing seasons and temperatures of Finland. These containers can be ventilated, but they are also insulated to reduce temperature fluctuations, which range from -30°C in winter to 30°C in summer. They also say that the shipping containers are easy to transport and relocate, which gives them flexibility and mobility.
Teerenpeli whisky
Teerenpeli single malts are produced mainly using Finnish non-peated malt from a local malting factory and fresh Salpausselkä groundwater. The core whisky range includes five single malts aged in ex-bourbon or ex-sherry casks. The distillery has also brought out a few older whiskies and whiskies matured in ex-Amarone, ex-rum and ex-port casks.
Teerenpeli whiskies have been recognised in several competitions throughout the years. Teerenpeli won the Worldwide Whisky Producer award at the International Wine & Spirit Competition in 2020.
My two favourites from their core line-up are Kulo and Palo. Kulo is a multi-award-winning whisky made from a combination of Finnish barley and lightly peated malted barley from abroad. The new make is matured for seven years in sherry casks, before being bottled at a cask strength of 50.7% ABV. The final peat level is only 5ppm. This is a sherry bomb with juicy raisins, figs, leather and coffee on the nose. The palate is tangier with grapefruit sour sweets, chilli, waxy lemon and pink grapefruit. Very enjoyable.
Teerenpeli Palo, 46% ABV, was the distillery’s 20th anniversary release from autumn 2022. The gently peated new make has matured in ex-PX and ex-Oloroso sherry casks. There are aromas of sweet and sour pork, barbecued peaches and sweet smoke. The palate is slightly herbal with rosemary and oregano, balanced with fruitier notes and lingering peat smoke. Another 20th anniversary release was a 14-year-old single malt aged in both ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks.
The 10-year-old single malt has been in their line-up since 2015. It was the first ever Finnish 10-year-old whisky. Aged in a combination of bourbon and sherry casks (85% bourbon, 15% sherry), it is malty with aromas of vanilla biscuits and coconut cream. The palate offers salty liquorice, black pepper, hay and vanilla custard.
Other releases include Kaski, a sherry matured release, Portti, a port-finished single malt and Savu, a slightly peated expression aged 80% in ex-bourbon barrels and 20% in ex-sherry casks. All bottled at 43% ABV.
Kyrö Distillery
The idea for the Kyrö Distillery Company came whilst a group of friends were in the sauna and drinking rye whisky, pondering why there was no rye whisky production taking place in Finland. You may have seen some black-and-white pictures of the group in the sauna sipping whisky or running across the fields of rye unclothed. Their marketing is different but effective and it sure screams Finland.
The group officially began distilling their rye whisky from 100% Finnish wholegrain rye in 2014 in an old dairy building in Isokyrö, in the western part of Finland. And like many new whisky distilleries, Kyrö began distilling their own gin while the whisky was resting in barrels. The gin, then known as Napue, became a huge success and was awarded the world’s best gin for G&T in 2015. Once the win was made public, the distillery sold all their gin in just two days.
Kyrö Rye Whisky
Kyrö Malt, 47.2% ABV, is the first Finnish single-batch rye whisky made from 100% malted Finnish wholegrain rye. It is double pot-distilled and aged in new American white oak casks. It has aromas of cranberries, cinnamon rolls, vanilla wafers, and earthiness. The palate has a lovely texture and notes of juicy raisins, dark chocolate, fresh rye bread, warming spices and the earthiness of moss.
Kyrö Wood Smoke honours the oldest kind of Finnish sauna – the smoke sauna. Using an ancient northern tradition, the rye used in Kyrö Wood Smoke has been introduced to alder smoke in a 100-year-old ‘riihi’ barn. It is double pot-distilled and aged in a combination of French oak, new American oak, and ex-bourbon casks. The nose reminded me of Magnum ice cream with freshly grated nutmeg. The palate takes you to a traditional Finnish sauna with birch leaves. This release has a wonderful mouthfeel as well. Bottled at 47.2%.
Shop Kyrö Rye Whisky Tasing Set to discover all those great Finnish flavours. The set contains four 50cl miniatures.
Kyrö’s Choice Marsala was specially selected by the Kyrö team in Germany. The whisky is aged in ex-bourbon casks before being finished in Marsala wine casks. It has aromas of rye bread, butter, honey and dark dried fruits, and the palate offers Christmassy spices, caramel, and forest flavours. There’s also Oloroso Malt Rye, which is aged in Oloroso sherry, new American oak, and ex-bourbon barrels and Peat Smoke Malt Rye smoked using Finnish freshwater peat.
The distillery still produces their popular gin range: Kyrö Gin, Kyrö Dark Gin and Kyrö Pink Gin. All made from rye and with some local botanicals.
Valamo Distillery
Valamo is a monastery based in Heinävesi in eastern Finland, not far from where I’m originally from. I remember my mum spending some time at the monastery when she needed some peace and quiet (probably from me…). The monastery is located near a forest and Mum and my aunt actually made it into the local newspaper when they got lost in the forest while berry picking and a search party had to be called for them.
The Valamo Monastery was founded in the 12th century and has been a centre of Orthodox culture for almost 850 years. Distillation has also been a monastic livelihood ever since the First Crusade, when monks brought the skill to Europe from the Arabs.
The Valamo winery and distillery is now bringing the monks’ ancient knowledge and skills into the present day. The monastery began distilling in 2015 but they have been making wine since 1997. They use Finnish barley and both ex-bourbon barrels and monastic wine barrels, the first of its kind in the whisky industry.
The grape-based communion wine is very sweet and fruity, bringing sweet berry notes and exotic fruitiness to their whisky. The ruby-red colour of the wine has seeped into the 200l European oak casks, releasing a reddish hue into the Valamo whisky. Valamo has released different batches of single malt from non-peated (47% ABV) to lightly peated (12ppm, 40% ABV) and to more heavily peated (35ppm), which is bottled at a higher ABV of 58.5%. I’ve been told their whiskies are on the sweeter side, but the sweetness works nicely with the peat. Definitely something I must try next time I’m in Finland.
Their annual production allows 40,000 litres, but there are plans to increase this to up to 120,000 litres, which would make them the largest distillery in Finland.
Helsinki Distilling Company
Helsinki Distilling Company (HDCO) is based in Teurastamo – an old slaughterhouse smack-bang in the centre of Helsinki, which is constantly renewing and always full of bustle. What used to be the wholesale meat market is now home to busy restaurants, bars and the distillery. The courtyard has an urban feel and is designed for the community to share. Anyone can arrange their own pop-up events or BBQs, and they’ve even kept the butcher’s underground sauna for everyone to use (it is Finland, after all, and nothing beats a sauna). The roughness of the slaughterhouse and the redbrick buildings has been left largely unchanged over the years.
The distillery also has their own cocktail bar where you can enjoy their many products, including Applejack (spirit made from Finnish apples), Helsinki Dry Gin, Lonkero (gin with pink grapefruit soda) and their whiskies.
HDCO whiskey
The distillery makes a few different styles of whiskey. Each bottle is batch numbered, although not based on the style of the whiskey but on what has been bottled. So, for example, number 23 is corn whiskey but number 24 is a single malt made from barley. Each batch seem to vary in the cask type used, alcohol by volume, and even age. It’s hard to piece together a specific core range when the releases can change this much, but I guess it will offer the drinker something new to try with each release.
Helsinki Whiskey Rye Malt is always made with 70% rye and 30% barley. The current release, number 21, was aged in American new oak and ex-bourbon casks and bottled at 53.2% ABV. For contrast, I tried number 20, which was bottled at 47.5% ABV (aged in the same casks) and batch 18, which was aged in new American oak for a minimum of four years and finished in ex-Islay scotch whisky casks for six to nine months. It’s no surprise that I enjoyed the subtle smokiness.
Then there is Helsinki Whiskey 100% Rye Malt. I tried number 17, which was matured in new French oak and new American oak casks and bottled at 47.5% ABV. This was my favourite release from the tasting at the time.
As with the rye releases, Helsinki Single Malt has seen a range of casks, from PX to rum to French new oak to Applejack. The latest release was made in collaboration with the biggest whisky club in Finland.
The distillery has also made whiskey from Finnish corn. The recipe for release 23 used 51% corn and 40% malted rye, with the rest being malted barley. It was matured in ex-bourbon and American new oak for six years. It’s basically a Finnish take on bourbon whiskey.
All their whiskey is aged in a unique 160-year-old cellar in the heart of the city. It’s an interesting, hidden underground cellar previously used for storing ice for a brewery. The warehouse size is around 300m2. They cellar has meeting and event facilities for up to 50 people.
Sustainability
The Helsinki Distilling Company take part in circular economy projects such as sending the used mash to be converted into biogas. They also use biogas as their energy source. The cooling water used in the distillation is also used in the mashing process without the need to heat the water separately.
The company also have two small-scale operations outside of Helsinki in Tahko and Koli in eastern Finland. Tahko distillery focuses on organic production and using ingredients from the surrounding nature. All the whiskey coming from Tahko will be fully organic, the first of its kind in Finland.
Ägräs Distillery
Ägräs Distillery was founded in 2015 in Fiskars (88km west of Helsinki) by a group of four, although today they have over 200 shareholders as the distillery is the first crowdfunded distillery in Finnish history. Their product line up currently includes akvavit and gin while most of their peated spirit is still waiting in both ex-Oloroso and ex-PX sherry casks. The first Ägräs whisky has received mixed reviews, although I have not formed my own opinion yet. The first release was peated (35ppm) and matured in ex-PX casks. It was bottled at 53.3% ABV.
Their akvavit is made by macerating the ingredients (Finnish caraway, anis, wild angelica and citrus peel) to extract the oils before the batch is distilled. The spirit is then aged in oak barrels. Bottled at 43.7% ABV.
Have you tried any Finnish whisky? What do you think about the unique flavours in Finnish whiskies?
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