When I first tried this single cask release from Stonewood in an online tasting, I described it as a mouth-watering dessert in whisky form. Two-and-a-half months as well as several drams later, I still find this statement one hundred per cent accurate. The spirit, which distillery owner and master distiller Gregor Schraml selected for the first Malts of Germany outturn, was matured in two cask types: American white oak and Oloroso sherry. Though it is under five years old and less than 50 per cent ABV strong, the whisky actually comes in natural cask strength. That’s because the Stonewood team fills its casks with a new make that is comparatively low in the percentage department. The clou: When it is time for bottling, the whisky can go straight from cask to bottle with no need for further dilution. This is a rather uncommon technique, but it works: Here in Germany, Stonewood has made a great name for itself as a provider of top-class malts that are wonderfully smooth and savory. The distillery’s first but certainly not last Malts of Germany contribution absolutely underlines this!

by Tobi

---

Eye: Light brown.
Nose: Rich and lavish opulence – delicately arranged and elegantly displayed! At first, this delish Stonewood’s bouquet presents itself immensely sweet and liqueur-ish. I get, among others, thick jam, sugared berries, canned peaches, alc-soaked cherries, and melting-in-the-mouth chocolate bits. Towards the end, the succulent scents turn a little drier, introducing to the mix a subtle nutmeg spiciness.
Palate: Hello there, complexity! Fruitiness (orange sorbet) meets sweetness (caramel pudding) meets creaminess (whipped cream) meets jam-like notes (apricot jelly) meets woodiness (polished oak) meets spiciness (the nutmeg again). There’s a lot going on here! If you like it sweet and flavor-rich, this one’s for you!
Finish: The aftertaste sticks to the tongue as if glued on there with honey, marmalade, and cookie dough. Again, the predominating note is a thick, gooey sweetness. It is enriched by yellow fruits, soft raisins, powdered spices, and molten vanilla ice.

---

---

Type: Single Malt Whisky
Region: Germany
Age: NAS
Alc. volume: 49.6 per cent
Cask type: American white oak & oloroso sherry
Bottle size: 0.7 litres
# of Bottles: 1,386
Price: ~69 Euro
More info: https://maltsofgermany.com/ (Bottler)

*** I bought the bottle as a regular customer. ***