Ærø Whisky
About the distillery
Ærø Whisky is a small distillery in Ærøskøbing where organic barley, local yeast and handmade production are part of the house's clear profile. The distillery is housed in an old washhouse behind Købmandsgården, while the brewery is located opposite in the historic Gamle Købmandsgaard. Here you get a very local expression where the place and the whisky are closely woven together.
History
Ærø Whisky was established in 2013 and has since progressed as a young but clearly rooted producer. In 2020 the distillery described production in and around Ærøskøbing, where the distillery building itself is an old washhouse that has been given new life as a whisky house. The same year it was also noted that the brewery is located in the side wing of the historic Gamle Købmandsgaard, so the production has been tied to a specific place in the town from the beginning.
In 2024 the local anchoring was further strengthened. Floor malting was started on their own malt floor, local yeast was put into use, and the distillery described its ambition to continuously develop the products without abandoning the organic and sustainable line. Summer 2024 also brought notable recognition when the Single Malt Single Cask Whisky won gold at the IWSC with 95 points. Later in the year a new milestone came when the house presented its first white rum based on Cuban molasses, water and yeast. At the same time the distillery continued working toward older whisky releases and spoke of a 12-year project that could be ready at the earliest around 2025/26.
Raw materials and production
Ærø Whisky works with organic Ærø barley, which is malted on their own malt floor. The wort is gently brewed in their own brewery, and distillation takes place in a double process in a closed circuit. The distillation plant is from Müller in southern Germany, and the distillery emphasizes the role of copper in both taste and aroma. The concrete approach is handmade, and the house is simultaneously working with a self-developed region-specific yeast strain as well as local yeast, so fermentation is tied more closely to the island.
The production idea is also characterized by traceability and control. The manifesto talks about traceability of all grain in the single malt, using only organic Danish grain, producing their own wort for single malt, only heart-cut distillate and no cold filtration of the finished whisky. They also work according to a principle that maturation should take place in first-fill casks for young whisky and in first- or second-fill casks for longer maturation. The whole is a production where local raw materials, technical discipline and a small scale are the main elements.
Maturation and cask types
Maturation takes place in oak casks, and the house also mentions sherry casks as well as new local oak casks. The local oak plays a special role in Local Oak, where the whisky is matured in a barrel made from oak from Nørregade 25 in Ærøskøbing. The manifesto also shows an awareness of cask size and maturation time: young whisky of 3–5 years should rest in first-fill casks, while whisky with more than 10 years of maturation is intended for first- or second-fill casks. This indicates an approach where cask choice is not only about flavor but also about tempo, structure and development over time.
Whiskies
The range includes both the house's core expressions and more distinctive releases. Single Malt is described as a very gentle and round whisky entirely without smoke, while Standard Issue stands as a Danish whisky with its own personality. Local Oak is the most distinctive local version, where barley from Ærø and a barrel of local oak make it a rarity with very few annual bottlings. Additionally there is a longer-term 12-year project pointing toward more mature whisky from the stocks. In 2024 Island White Rum also emerged as a sideline in production, but the house's core remains the whisky, especially the organic single malt.
| Whisky | Type / series | Age | Cask and style | Taste profile | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single Malt | Single Malt Whisky | Described as a very gentle and round single malt whisky entirely without smoke. | Current; Core range; Price from 890 kr. | ||
| Standard Issue | Danish whisky | Described as a Danish whisky with its very own personality. | Current; Core range; Price from 590 kr. | ||
| Local Oak | Single Malt Whisky | Barrel of local oak | The 100% local and unique whisky in the range, matured in a barrel of local oak and described as a rarity with very few annual bottlings.; Nose: Malt, oak, vanilla, dryness | Current; Core range; Price from 2950 kr.; 50 bottles | |
| Ærø Whisky 12-year Whisky | 12 years | A project for a 12-year whisky that the distillery says may be ready around 2025/26, when the earmarked casks are assessed as fully ready. | Upcoming | ||
| Single Malt Single Cask Whisky | Single Malt Single Cask Whisky | A whisky that in 2024 won gold at the IWSC with 95 points. | Current | ||
| Island White Rum | The distillery's first white rum, made from Cuban molasses, water and yeast. | Current; Ready |
Style and flavor profile of the whiskies
The house's documented flavor profile revolves around purity, roundness and clear cask influence with no smoke as the main signal. Single Malt is described as gentle and round and completely without smoke. Local Oak gives the clearest notes: malt, oak, vanilla and dryness. This points to a style where the sweetness of the grain, the structure of the wood and a dry finish are allowed to dominate rather than heavy smoke or pronounced spice.
Visit the distillery
Ærø Whisky welcomes visitors in Ærøskøbing, and specific opening hours are provided for seasons. In June the place is open Monday and Thursday 10:00–15:00, and in July it is open Monday to Wednesday 11:00–16:00 as well as Friday to Sunday 11:00–16:00, while Thursday is closed. For September 2024 it was announced open Monday to Saturday 10:00–16:00 from the 1st to the 30th. Guided tours and tastings are offered, and the environment around the distillery and the historic Gamle Købmandsgaard is part of the experience.
The stated opening hours are June: Monday 10–15 and Thursday 10–15. July: Monday–Wednesday 11–16, Thursday closed, Friday–Sunday 11–16. In September 2024: Monday to Saturday 10–16 from 1 to 30 September.
Philosophy and craft
Ærø Whisky works from a clear ideal of organic production, local raw materials and uncompromising quality. The manifesto highlights traceability, their own maltings, their own wort, region-specific yeast and no cold filtration. At the same time sustainability is not just a word but is linked to recyclable energy, renovation of old buildings and care for the community the distillery is part of. It is a small, deliberate format where craftsmanship and the character of the place should be noticeable in the glass.
Sustainability
The UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals are used as inspiration and a guideline.
Emphasis is placed on a high degree of recyclable energy.
Renovation and reuse of a 19th-century washhouse as a distillery.
Awards and recognition
- Gold medal (2024, 95 points, Single Malt Single Cask Whisky)
Latest news
Single Malt Single Cask Whisky wins gold at IWSC 2024 – 2024-06-07
The distillery announces that Single Malt Single Cask Whisky received gold at IWSC 2024 with 95 points.
Island White Rum is ready – 2024-10-09
The distillery launches its first white rum, made from Cuban molasses, water and yeast.
Opening hours for autumn 2024 – 2024-09-06
The distillery announces new opening hours from 1 to 30 September 2024 with opening Monday to Saturday 10:00–16:00.