Roggenhof – Roggen, Gersten - Malzwhisky

Roggenhof – Roggen-Malzwhisky, Gersten-Malzwhisky

In Austria’s Waldviertel (meaning ‘Wood Quarter’), Johann Haider and his wife Monika distil a range of spirits at the Roggenhof distillery in the village of Roggenreith. Like so many central European distillers, the stills used are of the Holstein-type. Among Roggenhof’s spirits are two single malt whiskies, one distilled from 100% rye, the other from 100% barley. Roggen-Malzwhisky and Gersten-Malzwhisky are matured for a period of three years in Manhartsberger oak casks. Both the single rye (‘Roggen’) malt and the single barley (‘Gersten’) malt are quite light in character. Roggen-Malzwhisky (the bottle on the right in the picture) is delicate, with hints of leather in the nose, and touches of praline, fruit, mint and creamy vanilla-fudge in the palate. Gersten-Malzwhisky (the left bottle) is heavier-bodied, with some more leather in the nose, with liquorice, vanilla and fructose in the palate, and a drying finish.