It’s getting hot in here…

Kyrö Sauna Stories No.2

The world’s only series of limited sauna-finished whiskies adds its second instalment.

Whisky, but sauna-finished

Kyrö Distillery is back with its most unconventional tradition yet. Born from a sauna conversation in 2012, the Finnish distillery has spent the last decade proving that rye whisky doesn’t have to play by anyone else’s rules.

The Sauna Stories takes that philosophy literally: casks are finished in a purpose-built sauna, where heat intensifies their interaction with oak, smoothing and harmonising the whisky’s character. The result is whisky that’s bold, rye-driven, and uniquely Finnish.

Kyrö Sauna Stories No.1

Learn more

A glass of Kyrö Sauna Stories No.2 in a sauna.

Kyrö: it all started in the sauna

The story begins in 2012, when five friends sitting in a sauna with a bottle of whisky decided Finland deserved its own rye spirit. Over ten years on, Kyrö is one of the most inventive distilleries in Europe.

Kyrö Sauna Stories No.2

Kyrö Sauna Stories No.2 is the second release in a groundbreaking line of sauna-finished whiskies. The base is Kyrö’s rich malted rye, matured in new American oak, before being finished in apricot brandy casks that bring stone fruit sweetness to balance the rye spice. The casks then undergo a sauna session, unlike anything else in whisky. Heated to over 50°C in a custom-built sauna, powered by excess steam from distillation, the barrels “sweat” just like their makers once did. This forces deeper interaction between whisky and oak, creating harmony and depth while mellowing the spirit’s edges. The result is bold yet velvety, fruity yet spicy. It’s a whisky that reflects Finland’s most famous ritual. Kyrö’s Master Distiller Kalle Valkonen calls it “the most relaxed whisky yet.” He’s not wrong.

...

Tasting notes

Nose

Exotic wood, vanilla, dried fruit, and apricot rising above the rest.

Palate

Broad, evolving, rye spice and oak warmth balanced by stone fruit brightness. Velvety, powerful, with cacao and apricot sweetness.

Finish

Long, layered, playful. Sweetness checked by tannic dryness, like vanilla ice cream with apricot marmalade dusted in cocoa.

What the sauna means

Saunas in Finland are more than a steam and a sweat. They’re places of healing, community, and even diplomacy. Kyrö has made them part of whisky history, creating the world’s first sauna-finished whisky with the Sauna Stories.

Kyrö Sauna Stories No.1

The inaugural Sauna Stories release set the tone: a 100% malted rye whisky aged in new American oak and Jamaican rum casks (supplied by Planteray Rum). The casks were then finished in a purpose-built barrel sauna, reaching internal temperatures of 55°C, hotter than even tropical rum maturation warehouses. Steam from Kyrö’s stills powered the sauna, causing the casks to sweat and shift, accelerating and deepening their contribution to the whisky. A tasting panel confirmed what Kyrö already suspected: the process mattered. Whisky history had a new chapter.

...