Mackmyra The First Edition - by SWL

I’ve been asked to review a Swedish whisky – relatively unknown on the Australian market but quickly gaining global recognition as superior Scandinavian whisky. Mackmyra is a distillery located in Gastrikland, Sweden and boasts cutting edge distilling techniques and equipment together with pure spring waters, and no doubt somewhere in there is the touch of the Norse Gods. Oh yeh, something to do with a boulder too???This particular whisky is the Mackmyra First Edition (Den Forsta Utgavan) Swedish Oak.

In any event, the whisky that landed in my lap, does seem something special. I’m going to make comment on its appearance and packaging first. Get the aesthetics out of the way, before chowing down on the good part. Unique boxing, styled on the old fashioned crating of a bottle, the box displays its contents well, certainly making it a desirable whisky to gift someone. Score one – nice gift box. The bottle itself is fairly typical except for the best part, and I just love it, the dimples all around the bottom edge of the bottle. I love small little quirky things that differentiate something from the typical and this bottle manages that. A great looking bottle for your urban bar, your home bar or whisky collection on display – chalk up, score two. Plus who doesn’t like placing their fingers into a dimple in glass – just something coolly pleasant about it, really any and all dimples, don’t get me started!

Lets open it - shall we? I love the sound of opening a whisky. That unassuming yet seductive deep resounding release, it adds to the anticipation of what surely will be a great experience. I’ve got my immaculately clean Glencairn and I pour myself a generous dram….

Superb colour - a hint of which I got from the packaging of a similar tone. A light fun golden liquid, more blonde than amber and not dark. Golden like a gorgeous Swedish blonde perhaps??? Maybe I could turn it into some fabulous earrings and head out on the town? Nope, I’m going to stay right where I am and consume this slowly instead.

As I bring the glass up to my nose, I slightly part my lips, the first scent floating lightly through my nostrils, warming them and the aromas of spiced citrus and Swedish Oak forests, mmm, start to fill my head? Caramel and vanilla comes through. I inhale deeply and experience those aromas more intensely. I definitely have caramel and a touch of reindeer musk!

I place the glass down and breathe in some fresh air….now coming in for the second nosing…. Yep, I want to taste this baby, that much I know.

I place the Glencairn on my parted lips slowly tipping the golden elixir into my mouth letting it sit there, moving it over my tongue around my mouth then swallow. I love it when a whisky starts on my tongue and moves from there, that sensation of taste and cool liquid that moves straight to warmth and heat is amazing. I can’t believe we don’t give our babies this stuff and that everyone isn’t constantly sipping on whiskies 24/7 – it’s like an orgasm for your mouth…provided it’s a good whisky, of course. I taste the oak forest spices and citrus now, mellowing with honey – a sweet honey – and a gentle rounding off of vanilla and yes again that musk. I notice that Jim Murray rates it a 23.5 for taste. I think more of it, a Jim Murray 24.5 perhaps? (His overall rating a terrific 93.5!!)

I swallow – the finish moves down my throat – warmth, a little heat, no doubt great for a Swedish winter’s dram, and then the vanilla and musk at last.

This expression is one that provides the consumer with an extremely pleasurable menage-a-trois gustatory sensation! Skal!

I’ve definitely enjoyed my time with this Swede. It looks great on the outside, great packaging and I love the God-like ’blonde-ness’ of the liquid, but more importantly the experience will remain with me for some time. Intense pleasure in the nose, full interesting flavours for my mouth and the finish lingers, making you feel warm and loved by this golden Swede. Not bad at all. A sexy Scandinavian to add to your collection for sure. I cannot wait to taste more from this distillery.