Mackmyra |
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| Current status: | On stream. | ||||||
| Brief introduction: | 
Founded
in 1999 by eight classmates - alumni from Royal Technichal Academy in Stockholm
- this private venture has just finished the construction of the full scale
distillery, replacing the small 'pilot distillery' that was on stream Dec
1999-spring 2002. The facility is on stream since 30th of October
2002, and Mackmyra is expecting to sell commercial volumes no earlier than
in the end of 2005. The new distillery is situated at the Mackmyra Bruk
old facilities, in buildings that are landmark declared and therefore only
a minimum of additions and reconstructions to the buildings have been done.
During the days of the Pilot
Distillery more than 150 different recipies were tried, with variations
made in barley sorts, smoke fuel (besides peat, alderwood, juniper twigs
and spruce twigs were used), yeast brands, duration in fermentation time
and - of course - adjustments on the stills. The produce from this
time, some 3,000 litres, is now stored in about 50 barrels in a small,
cool warehouse. The barrels typically range in size from 30 to 100 litres,
even if a few bigger and smaller ones, the smallest containing less than
2 litres, occur. The materials of the barrels vary too: a majority is made
from fresh Swedish oak, some are remade bourbon barrels and a few are used
sherry barrels.
Production has increased over the years. When the commercial distillery went on stream, in October 2002, some 170,000 litres of spirit was distilled per annum, but now, with nine batches a week, the production is around 300,000 litres of barreld spirit a year. A magic day was the 18th of December 2002: it was the third birthday for the oldest barrel in the warehouse, from the pilot distillery, and the 30 or so litres was officially named whisky. Pictures and comments from the tasting below! |
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| Equipment: |
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| Ownership:
(Figures not exact) |
The eight
founders: more than 50%
LRF/Lantmännen: 20% Klingberg family (Owners of Mackmyra bruk): 10% The remaining 20% or so are sold publicly to about 1000 private shareholders. |
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| Official website: | http://www.mackmyra.se/ | ||||||
| A very first: |
At 6 pm on December 18th 2002 one of the most
important events in the history of Mackmyra Distillery and Swedish whisky took place. The
first produce from the pilot distillery celebrated it's third birthday,
and there was officially Mackmyra Whisky in existance, albeit only 30 litres.
At a closed ceremony the first 30 bottles was filled and the content tasted. Thanks to unmeasurable benevolence, I, Christofer Psilander, was allowed to take part, take pictures and taste the whisky. I can report that it was one of the most exceptional whiskies I have ever tasted. Having tasted several of their recepies at testings on the premises, I could conclude that this first 'real' whisky had the typical Mackmyra taste, an interesting combination of complexity and smoothness, and a long, satisfying aftertaste that hung on for a good half hour after the tasting. Even if this whisky is a one-off, not only from the pilot distillery, but also from a recipe that will not be used, there is no question that Mackmyra is on the right track. I look forward to their commercial release with raised expectation as well as with great confidence.
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