What better way to get to know a distillery by tasting an expression called The First Edition? A fitting name indeed. This particular bottling is the first ever expression I’ve tasted from Swedish distillery Mackmyra. It has been part of their standard range ever since its introduction in 2008. I really don’t know much about Mackmyra, and right now I don’t really need to know a lot. That might come later. The first important thing is: how does their whisky taste?
Mackmyra The First Edition (46,1%, OB, Batch 2008-03)
Nose: Fresh green and yellow fruit with coconut and vanilla. Some sugar and banana sweets. There’s a hint of wood shavings. An attractive nose, although it does get a bit glue-y after a while. But overall the balance is good.
Taste: Bitter arrival, yeasty. Some pepper and other spices. A little bit of sweet fruits, but nowhere near the lovely fruitiness I get in the nose.
Finish: Medium in length. The bitterness lingers.
Rating: 76
The nose is good, the palate is below average. Overall not a very good whisky. This is one of Mackmyra’s first whiskies, so would I call this promising? Maybe, I think so. It does make me curious about some of their newer stuff.