Roll up, roll up, it’s the sixth day of Advent, which means that door number six on your Drinks by the Dram Whisky Advent Calendar is eagerly awaiting to be opened! What’s in store for us today?
The first week of Advent is just flying by, don’t you think? With a different dram to look forward to every day, it’s hard not to wish away the whole 24 days! Today, we’re in for a real treat, with a whisky from a place which, over the last couple of decades, has now been put on the tasty whisky map. Yes, it’s a thing. Yes, it also looks a lot like a regular map, except… this one’s full of places which produce tasty whisky. Duh.
Today’s dram is… Mackmyra Vinterglöd!
Once the friends behind Mackmyra started looking to create a Swedish whisky distillery back in 1998, it seemed ridiculous that nobody had thought of this before! There’s pure water running past the distillery, with Swedish barley growing in the fields, to the Swedish oak which can be used to make barrels for ageing. It’s like this is what the country was born to do!
Mmm, maturing Mackmyra whisky…
Vinterglöd means ‘winter glow’ in Swedish, and the whisky was inspired by the Swedish tradition of drinking mulled wine during winter (though we wouldn’t say that’s an exclusively Swedish tradition, we don’t want to know how many ladles of mulled wine we get through during the festive period here at MoM Towers). To achieve this fruity, wine-y flavour, Vinterglöd is matured in casks that previously held Pedro Ximénez sherry and Swedish mulled wine. That should do it.
To learn a bit more about this fun-loving Swedish distillery, we chatted to UK sales manager Alex Johnson!
Master of Malt: What memories come to mind when you nose/taste Vinterglöd?
AJ: It’s all those lovely evocative Christmas flavours – Christmas cake, marzipan, fragrant spices, dried fruits, candied peel, sweet sherry and panettone.
MoM: What’s your favourite way to drink Vinterglöd?
AJ: With a slice of ginger cake or a bowl of Christmas Pudding. A roaring fire is not obligatory but it helps, however good company is essential.
It’s Mackmyra Vinterglöd!
MoM: What can we expect from Mackmyra in 2020?
AJ: More innovative finishes and more people experiencing their own personal 30L casks.
MoM: It’s Christmas Eve, and you’re sitting down with a Mackmyra dram. Which one is it?
AJ: It would have to be a bottle from my own Mackmyra Reserve 30L Peated Oloroso cask.
MoM: Okay, and besides mulled wine and (obviously) whisky, what’s your favourite Christmas tipple?
AJ: Sherry, sherry and more sherry – Manzanilla in the morning, Amontillado in the afternoon and PX with pudding!
Mackmyra Vinterglöd Tasting Note:
Nose: Christmas cake spice cuts through blood orange and red berries. Aromas of burnt toffee popcorn, caramel fudge and a little marzipan develop throughout.
Palate: Blackcurrant, pink grapefruit and a little floral barley blend with caramelised almonds and tobacco leaves.
Finish: Oak spice and ginger linger with a little cherry.
