Kyrö whiskies

History

Five friends wondered in a sauna why there was no Finnish rye whisky, rye being the bread grain of the whole country, and in 2012 they founded the distillery. While the whisky matured, they launched a rye gin that won international awards and financed the company. Its malted rye whisky came out a few years later, and since then the house has grown, expanded its distillery and sells in many countries. The sauna, so closely tied to Finnish culture, is still present in the brand’s image.

House style

Kyrö makes its whisky from 100% malted rye, something unusual even among ryes. The result is spicy and grainy, with rye bread, pepper, herbs, fruit and vanilla. It matures in new American oak barrels and smaller casks, and is bottled at 47.2% ABV. It is a Nordic whisky with a personality of its own. It is best appreciated neat or with a few drops of water, and works very well in cocktails that need a spicy whisky. It is a good example of how the Nordic countries are bringing new styles to the world of whisky, with their own grains and woods.

Where to start

Kyrö Malt is the catalogue’s entry. If you like it, compare it with Millstone 100 Rye, the Dutch rye, and with a classic American rye such as Wild Turkey 101 Rye, to see how rye changes with country and method. It is also a good curiosity for those who collect whiskies from unusual countries.

• Kyrö MaltRye · 47.2% ABV