Food & Drink
Mackmyra Whisky, The Original Swedish Single Malt
When it comes to Scandinavian spirits, aquavits and vodkas typically are the first that come to mind. But, there’s also a Swedish single malt whisky making a name for itself across the world: Mackmyra Whisky.
It wasn’t until a group of whisky-loving friends launched Mackmyra Whisky in 1999 that Swedish single malt even existed. Today Mackmyra is known as the original Swedish whisky and continues to be a leader in its category.
“There are a few smaller-scale distilleries making whisky throughout Sweden, but none of the same caliber as Mackmyra,” said Patrik Waxin, president and co-founder of Craftlion, the exclusive distributor of Mackmyra in the United States. “Sweden has such a perfect climate that complements the whisky, and I always wonder why whisky wasn’t being produced in Sweden before.”
Like Waxin, the founders wondered the same thing and seized the opportunity.
The distillers at Mackmyra use all-natural ingredients in its recipes that explore Swedish flavors. And the passion and care that is put into making the premium craft whiskies is evident through the taste and notoriety of each final product.
With that passion for using the highest quality ingredients Sweden has to offer, Mackmyra continues to produce and create new variations of Swedish single malt whisky that are recognized and sold internationally. From seasonal batches, like Sommartid, a limited edition of a smooth and fruity Swedish single malt, to its Moment series that use unique casks for aging to offer different finishes and notes to its original Swedish single malt whisky, Mackmyra has a wide variety of flavors to offer. But each whisky starts with three key ingredients: Swedish spring water, Swedish barley and Swedish oak for maturation.
“What makes Swedish whisky, Mackmyra in particular, different is the combination of the extremely pure, natural water source in Sweden, the sweetness the barley takes on during the long Swedish summer days and the flavors that the Swedish Oak gives,” Waxin said. “Swedish oak gives our whisky a stronger and more robust flavor due to its slow growth in a harsh climate.”
In 2015, Mackmyra was awarded “World Distiller of the Year” by the Wizards of Whisky and received four gold medals and the award for “World’s Best Single Malt” for Mackmyra Midnight Sun, one of its seasonal batches. The following year, Mackmyra won seven awards for the Wizards of Whisky Awards 2016 for its Sommartid, Svensk Ek, Reserve Black Cask, Blomstertid and more.
In addition to the dozens of variations of Swedish single malt whisky Mackmyra produces, consumers also can create their very own 30-liter cask of whisky from start to finish. The Mackmyra Reserve program starts with the basic Swedish oak-aged whisky, and the cask-owner can then choose everything from which type of cask to age it in to personalized labels on the bottle.
“It’s really a cool program,” Waxin said. “If people like their whisky a little smokier, they can get it aged in a bourbon cask, or if they want it sweeter, they can get it aged in a sherry cask.”
In the United States, Mackmyra can be found at select liquor stores and restaurants in Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Iowa, California and Florida, and it’s available to purchase online (some restrictions apply).
For more information about Mackmyra Whisky, visit mackmyra.com.
