On Denmark's windswept west coast, where the North Sea weather rolls straight in, there's a distillery that once had the idea of resting its rye whisky in casks that used to hold maple syrup from Vermont. Back then it was pure curiosity. Today it's one of the most talked-about Danish whiskies ever made.
Expert's Description
Stauning R.Y.E. Maple Syrup Cask Studio Series is a Danish Rye Whisky matured in new American oak casks and finished in Maple Syrup casks from Vermont, bottled at 53.5%.
The story starts with a single cask, No. 517, which Stauning experimented with a few years back. It turned out to be one of the most awarded Danish whiskies ever, winning the World's Best Single Cask Single Rye category at the World Whiskies Awards 2023. That exact cask sold out fast, and demand for another shot at the same combination never really stopped. With the Studio Series release, Stauning gets as close to the original as it can, even if it isn't the same bottle.
The grain is Danish rye and barley from local farms, floor-malted and kiln-dried at the distillery, using the same approach the distillery's nine founders started out with. The whisky is double distilled in Stauning's 24 small pot stills, heated by direct fire, an old-fashioned, labour-heavy method most other distilleries don't bother with anymore. From there, the spirit first rests in new, heavily charred American oak casks before moving into casks that once held maple syrup from Vermont. Those last casks are what really leave their mark: a rich sweetness, warm spices like vanilla and cinnamon, and a touch of liquorice and charred wood layered over the rye's natural spiciness. The release is limited to 2,500 bottles from 10 casks.
Tasting Notes
Nose
Warm spice meets dried fruit right away, cinnamon and vanilla from the maple syrup casks, with ripe raisin and a hint of fresh rye bread somewhere behind it.
Palate
Caramelised apple and ripe plum arrive first, followed by toasted oak. The sweetness is velvety and kept in check throughout by the rye's spicy, almost peppery edge.
Finish
Long and gently warming, with a fruity finish and a mouthfeel that feels softer than you'd expect at 53.5%.
Specifications
Name: Stauning R.Y.E. Maple Syrup Cask Studio Series
Distillery: Stauning
Region/Country: Denmark, Western Jutland
Type: Danish Rye Whisky
ABV: 53.5%
Size: 70 CL
Cask Type: New American Oak Casks, finished in Maple Syrup Casks from Vermont
Non-chill Filtered: Yes
Natural Colour: Yes
Distillation Method: Double distilled in Pot Stills heated by direct fire
Number of Bottles: 2,500
Edition: Studio Series, Limited Edition
EAN: 5744002861799
Flavour Profile
Spiced · Fruity · Sweet · Rich
Investment Potential
Medium. The combination of rye and maple syrup casks has already won both World's Best Single Cask Single Rye and, the following year, Best Danish Rye at the World Whiskies Awards, and with only 2,500 bottles in this release, Stauning's limited releases tend to become sought-after among collectors of Danish whisky.
Did You Know?
The same combination of rye whisky and maple syrup casks went on to win Best Danish Rye at the World Whiskies Awards the following year, in 2024, so it clearly wasn't just one lucky cask.
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