WHISKY WITH AN ALPINE TOUCH The last few years have shown a growing interest in what is considered the exceptional. This holds true in particular for spirits, a domain where regional products and new distilleries can truly claim to be a cut above the rest.
are dealing here with something of such controlled, enormous magnitude and pure class that you can do nothing but sit back and enjoy this whisky with pleasure and deep awe!”
TEXT: SILKE HENKELE I PHOTOS: BRAUEREI LOCHER AG
“Whisky,” said the British author Rudyard Kipling, “is not a beverage but a philosophy” – a philosophy that obviously struck a nerve with people very early on, as information about the first whisky-like beverage has been handed down from as far back as the end of the 15th century from the Scottish county Fife. Appenzell-based Brauerei Locher AG joins this old tradition with its brand Säntis Malt – Swiss Alpine Whisky. Distilled since 1999, these single-malt whiskies are known across the globe for their exceptional taste and variety. Accordingly, Säntis Malt’s various editions of the whisky continue to win renowned competitions such as the International Wine & Spirit Competition, thus showcasing that they do indeed belong to what can be considered to be the best of their trade. How does this come about? “The ingredients 26 | Issue 88 | December 2021
and the conditions of maturing are key for the quality of our single-malt whiskies. We only use fresh spring water from the Alpstein massif, our barley is characterised by extraordinary vitality and an intense taste, and our single-malt whiskies mature in historic, up to 130-year-old oak barrels, which gives them their unique basic flavour. The last step, the decanting into wooden barrels that used to contain port wine, sherry and bourbon, for example, gives our whiskies their finishing touch,” explains sales manager Kuno Mock. This is how, for example, the versatile Edition Himmelberg is created; an edition which excels via its light and fruity taste and which caresses the palate with its aromatic, woody flavour. When whisky guru Jim Murray nominated Edition Dreifaltigkeit as the European Whisky of the Year 2010, he enthused: “We
Whisky aficionados can now enjoy the Appenzell Säntis Malt on the Whisky Trek, the world’s highest-altitude whisky-tasting tour. “This trek,” explains Mock, “is hosted by 26 guesthouses in the Alpstein massif, each one of them serving a different, unique blend of our Säntis Malt that is unavailable elsewhere. Features such as barrel type, humidity and the height of the storage location all have an enormous influence on the maturation process and therefore on the whisky’s individual flavour and colour.” If a tour seems too challenging for just now, or if none of the known selling points are close by, the Editions Himmelberg and Dreifaltigkeit are now also available to buy duty free at Zurich airport. www.saentismalt.com/en www.whiskytrek.ch