Freud German Whisky Range
Having seen my fair share of Europe, I have to say that Germany is one of the most stunning countries I’ve ever visited. Each time I’ve been I’ve had a great time, and no, that’s not just because of the beer, although that certainly did help.
Speaking of beer, if you were asked to name an alcoholic drink synonymous with Germany, beer would probably be the answer you gave, right? The Germans can’t seem to get enough beer, and neither can we tourists. Just look at Oktoberfest. One tipple you probably wouldn’t associate with Germany, however, is a favourite here at Great Drams, and that is whisky. Not so fast…
Recently, we here at the GreatDrams HQ, were fortunate enough to sample not one, but two whiskies distilled in Germany and were suitably impressed. So impressed in fact, that we decided I should share a review with you today. So that’s exactly what I’m going to do.
Situated in the heart of stunning Freudenberg, you’ll find the Ziegler distillery. Dating back more than 150 years, the distillery was founded by Gustav Joseph Ziegler, who learned the art of master brewing thanks to beer originally.
Having inherited his parent’s farm, the farm had been granted permission to distil spirits a while back. His parents decided not to pursue this avenue of work, but Gustav did. He soon began distilling spirits that quickly became hugely popular all over the country. As a result, he earned three master titles: Master Cooper, Master Brewer, and Master Distiller.
Since 1865, the distillery has been producing fine spirits, so no wonder the distillery is such a beloved cultural spot. Here you’ll find a fully stocked gift shop, a visitor centre, distillery tours, tastings, orchard tours, a look at the distillation process, and plenty more besides.
They’re also one of the most sustainable. They use recycled glass bottles, orders are packed in grass boxes, they also use sustainable energy and cultivation practices and are dedicated to becoming a climate-neutral distillery. Good on them.
From Brandy to Whisky
Originally, Ziegler’s claim to fame was its award-winning brandies. As it is situated on a farm, the distillery uses fruits such as pears, plums, and apples from its orchards to produce its brandies, liquors, aperitifs, and gins.
The brandy proved so popular that it quickly found itself on the menu of some of Germany’s finest Michelin starred restaurants.
Needless to say, as they enjoyed so much success with their brandy, it was only a matter of time before they branched out and tried their hand at whisky.
Germany isn’t like Scotland when it comes to its whisky production. The climate isn’t the same, and the liquid gold itself isn’t revered quite as much as it is in Scotland, though that’s not to say they don’t appreciate a good whisky, because they most certainly do.
Because Germany is a very different country to Scotland, the whisky produced here is different, though not that different. I’d probably say that the whisky produced at the Zeigler distillery is most comparable to a good Speyside or Campbelltown expression. The warmer climate definitely plays a part.
You’ll find that the whisky typically has fruity and spicy notes with plenty of sherry and wine influences. They’re also very smooth as Ziegler use non-peated malt. What the GreatDrams team really liked about this distillery, was the fact that the casks can vary so much. Ziegler are not afraid to experiment with some more unusual woods, and if that means the whisky is aged and matured in three different casks, so be it.
Okay, that’s enough about the distillery. Now let’s find out why Freud Whisky is so hugely popular. To begin with, I’m going to be looking at their distiller’s cut.
Maturing for at least 5 years in a combination of chestnut and ex-bourbon barrels, it finishes its life in one of Ziegler’s old plum brandy casks. This completely transforms the pot still malt whisky and gives it an entirely new character.
At 41.5% ABV, this is a whisky that’s great for sipping neat, enjoying as a digestif, in mixed drinks, or using in cocktails. It makes a wonderful Old Fashioned. It also takes on a gorgeous deep amber-peach colour that looks very appealing.
On the nose, you get the spicy chestnut wood aromas, combined with a hint of allspice. Smell again, and you should detect notes of honey and lavender, dried dates, and candied raisins which give way to whispers of sticky orange marmalade, and plum jam. This one definitely passes the sniff test with flying colours.
On the palate, more of those brandy notes shine through with plenty of orchard fruits. There’s a definite hint of warm apple pie here too. Those flavours give way to caramel hazelnut cocoa, sweet malt, a touch of vanilla, and a very slight suggestion of oak spice and distant bonfire smoke from the bourbon casks.
The finish is medium length and smooth as you like. You get more toasted oak notes, plenty of aromatic plum, a hint of cherry, and winter baking spices. A great tipple at no mistake.
Freud Distiller’s Decade 10 Year Old Whisky
Next up, my personal fav, and it’s the Freud Distiller’s Decade 10 Year Old Whisky.
This is their first 10 year expression, and they’ve absolutely nailed it. The whisky was once again aged in German chestnut barrels, though this time it was also matured in Spessart oak. The difference here is that it only spent a year in these casks. The magic happens next, when it was transferred to ex-bourbon barrels, complete with alligator char, where it spent the next 9 years of its life maturing, taking on so many of those bourbon influences we know and love.
At 43% ABV, it’s very easy to sip, and has a stunning golden chestnut colour.
On the nose, you again get plenty of orchard fruits, combined with toffee, sticky summer berries, creamy roasted malt, and dark chocolate mousse. There are also very faint floral notes to be enjoyed here.
On the palate, there’s more sticky fruit notes, combined with sweet marmalade, candied orange peel, toasted hazelnuts, ripe apricots, winter baking spices, vanilla forest honey, and just enough sweet oak to give a hint of charred smokiness.
The finish is smooth and lengthy, with notes of ripe plum crumble and vanilla custard, combined with aromatic stem ginger and a touch more oak.
If you love whisky as much as we do, be sure to head on over to GreatDrams.com and take a look at the huge range of whiskies we have available.
We offer a wide range of exotic, rare, award-winning, and unique whiskies, primarily Scotch, that you can’t find anywhere else. We also have an extensive array of whisky blogs where you can learn more about your favourite drams from here, and all over the globe.
Photo Credit: Ziegler
Greg
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