The Stauning Whisky distillery is a relatively new player in the world of whisky production, but it has already made a big impact on the industry. Located in the west coast of Denmark, Stauning was founded in 2005 by nine friends (a doctor, a chef, a butcher, a teacher, a helicopter pilot and four engineers), in an old butchery. It has since expanded to a new state of the art distillery and grown to become an 80,000 litre a year operation.
One of the things that makes Stauning whisky so special is its use of local barley and rye. Once the cereals have been harvested, they are malted on Stauning's own traditional floor malting, before being fermented and distilled using traditional copper stills.
The use of open-fired stills (heated directly with a flame) creates complex and deep flavours thanks to the fact that a still heated this way will reach significantly higher temperatures (up to 650˚C). This causes any solids in the wash to stick to the inner surface of the copper, in the same way as steak placed on a hot griddle pan will start to brown. This Maillard type reaction inside the still will help to create a range of different flavour compounds, like chocolate, caramel and roasted nuts.
Stauning is also committed to sustainable production methods, and has implemented a number of environmentally friendly practices at the distillery. These include the use of renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar power, and the recycling of waste materials. The distillery also uses natural materials and processes wherever possible, which helps to minimise its environmental impact.
In addition to producing high-quality whisky, Stauning also offers tours and tastings of its products. Visitors can explore the distillery and learn about the traditional methods of whisky production, and can sample some of the finest whiskies that Denmark has to offer. The distillery also has a shop, where visitors can purchase bottles of Stauning whisky and other souvenirs.
