Solsken comprises a parcel of smaller sherry and Swedish oak casks hand-picked by master blender Angela D’Orazio. The nose is like a basket of hot breakfast pastries, with honeycomb, tinned peaches, cinnamon, and hot teacakes with singed edges smoking from the grill. An amazing, golden taste that’s warm and soothing; sucked lozenges, mandarin segments, tame spices, and cobnut. The strength of the alcohol remains veiled in the shadows until the swallow…then it pounces. Mouth puckering finish of sharp fruit juices. €130

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Winter 2014)

This wintery limited edition was finished in casks that previously held Bordeaux, Glühwein, and sherry. This achieves an appealing nose of orchard fruits and spices. Juicy apple, hints of conference pear, cinnamon, clove, vanilla tablet, and lemon pith. Apple is at the core of the flavor, but it’s rich with warming spices, strawberry, and zabaglione, tightening in the end to a conclusion of dried fruits, nut shells, and a twist of pepper. (Sweden, France, and Germany only) €65

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Winter 2014)

Meaning Swedish smoke, and they’ve nailed the juniper smoke perfectly here. Ripening lemons, fresh cream, Turkish delight, pine forests, and barley sugar aromas. Great poise and balance. A light, lacey structure comprising creamy fudge, honey, lemon, oak, and vanilla. It just dances on the tongue. Yet billowing puffs of smoke pulse from the center. Baked lemon peel ushers in a pleasurable rolling, smoky finish. This Röks! €59

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Winter 2014)

Mackmyra has used 30-liter casks held underground in the Bodås mine, the archipelago repository on Fjäderholmarna, and the forest repository in the Whisky Village in Gävle. Bruised banana, ground almond, Horlicks, spearmint, and budding foliage characterize the nose. The fruity whirlpool of flavor includes apple, watermelon, and poached pears, a second wave of dried fruits and fudge, all anchored by a clean edge of Kendal mint cake. Bubblegum on dilution. A final rush of coffee/cocoa before a sweet, juicy finish. €130

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Winter 2014)

Initial maturation in sherry and bourbon wood from the U.S. and Sweden, finished in fermented birch sap wine casks. Concentrated heather honey, wax, fresh mascarpone, fruit tarts, and toasted oak. It draws the mouth in: fruity, but not sweet. Stewed, dark fruits from the hedgerow and orchard (cherry, apple, plum, mulberry, and rhubarb), then a delayed splurge of spices and pepper, ending with Brazil nut, espresso, and bitter cacao. It’s all rather austere, serious, and forbidding. €65

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Winter 2014)