Used Laphroaig casks have a magical trait: you can put any given beverage into them – such as craft beer or other whisky – and when you take it out again, the liquid will have benefited greatly from the interaction with the peat-laden South Islay wood. The new Smoky Rye Whiskey from Stork Club Distillery near Berlin shows that this is also true for rye. Here, the finish in Laphroaig casks has added a somewhat earthy and grimy edge to Stork Club’s clean and fruity spirit. All of a sudden, I make out notes that I have never before smelled or tasted in a Stork release. These include ash, paprika and even horseraddish! Personally, I not only find this clash of aromas highly interesting, but also very tasty. As both a Laphroaig and Stork Club fan, I must say: This colorful limited edition is right up my alley!

by Tobi

Eye: Straw.
Nose: A heavy layer of lemon curd on a thick-cut slice of grey bread. Plus mushy apples, crumbled toffee and dried banana chips. Sprinkled on top, there is an ounce of white pepper and a spoonful of powdered paprika. The smoke from the Laphroaig barrels becomes more and more noticable the longer the whiskey draws air.
Palate: Alive and kickin’ with sour dough, citrus zest, mirabelles, gooseberries and pistacchio chocolate. The finishing in South Islay casks provides chimney wood and cigarette ash. And again I feel that spicy bite from the pepper and the paprika! Here, it appears alongside a peculiar horseraddish tanginess. I really love the clash between Stork Club’s clean spirit and the gritty Islay staves, which produced a number of unusual yet kick-ass aromas.
Finish: Medium with fruit, funk and fire! When the bulk of the other flavors are gone, some piercing sparks keep popping up. The last sensation I get: a bag of salted nuts of different kinds.

Type: Rye Whiskey
Region: Germany
Age: NAS
Alc. volume: 50 per cent
Bottle size: 0.5 litres
Price range: ~50 Euro
More info: https://stork-club-whisky.berlin/ (Distillery) ; https://allevoegelfliegenhoch.de/ (PR)

*** Whiskey bottle kindly provided by Stork Club. Thank you! ***