Danish Whiskey Tasting - STAUNING

Stauning Danish Whisky stands out due to its unique combination of traditional craftsmanship, local ingredients, and innovative techniques, all deeply rooted in its Danish heritage. Here’s what makes it special:

1. Local Terroir and Ingredients: Stauning uses barley and rye grown near its distillery on Denmark’s West Coast, often within just a few kilometers. This hyper-local sourcing captures the essence of the region’s soil, climate, and landscape, giving the whisky a distinct Nordic character. Even the peat and heather used for smoking some expressions are harvested locally, offering a gentler, earthier profile compared to the intense medicinal peat of Scotland’s Islay whiskies.
   
2. Traditional Floor Malting: Unlike many modern distilleries, Stauning malts its grains in-house using the labor-intensive floor-malting process. This hands-on method allows for greater control over flavor development and ties the whisky to historical production techniques, enhancing its authenticity and complexity.
   
3. Direct-Fired Pot Stills: Stauning employs 24 small copper pot stills, heated by open flames rather than steam or gas. This rare approach reaches higher temperatures, triggering Maillard reactions (similar to browning in cooking) that create rich, deep flavors like caramel, chocolate, and roasted nuts—unique notes not as common in whiskies distilled with modern methods.
   
4. Innovative Spirit: Founded in 2005 by nine friends—a mix of engineers, a doctor, a butcher, and others—with no prior whisky-making experience, Stauning blends old-world methods with a willingness to experiment. They’ve pioneered expressions like malted rye whisky, a rarity in the whisky world, and finishes in casks like tequila, mezcal, or stout barrels, adding bold, unconventional layers to their lineup.
   
5. Danish Identity and Hygge: Stauning reflects Denmark’s cultural emphasis on simplicity, nature, and quality craftsmanship. It embodies "hygge"—the Danish art of savoring life’s simple pleasures—inviting drinkers to enjoy a whisky that’s both a product of its tranquil surroundings and a testament to collaborative effort.
   
6. Flavor Profile: The whiskies often balance fruitiness, spice, and subtle smoke. For example, their rye whisky might evoke freshly baked Danish rye bread with hints of apple, apricot, and cinnamon, while smoked single malts offer delicate floral and cacao notes from local peat and heather, setting them apart from heavier peated whiskies.

This combination of local pride, meticulous process, and creative flair has earned Stauning accolades, like Best Danish Single Malt at the World Whiskies Awards, and praise from experts like Jim Murray, who saw world-class potential in its early peated expressions. It’s a whisky that’s distinctly Danish, not just in origin but in spirit

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Hinsdale Wine Shop, 12 E HINSDALE AVE, Hinsdale, United States