Box Destilleri The 2nd Step Collection 02 Swedish Single Malt Whisky 51,2%

Box Distillery The 2nd Step Collection 02 Swedish Single Malt Whisky 51.2% is a bold and intriguing release from the Swedish Box Distillery, today known as High Coast Distillery. This edition is the second in the 2nd Step Collection, a series that continues the distillery’s journey of exploring raw materials, cask types, and the influence of maturation to create whiskies with depth, complexity, and a distinctly Nordic character.

The whisky is crafted from a mix of casks, including first-fill bourbon, sherry casks, and selected Swedish oak casks. This combination provides a unique balance of sweetness, spice, and pronounced wood influence, showcasing Box’s ambition to merge classic whisky traditions with innovation and a sense of Nordic terroir.

On the nose, it opens with fresh aromas of red berries, citrus, and green apples, complemented by honey, vanilla, and a subtle spiced note from the oak. The palate is powerful and complex, offering layers of ripe fruit, dark chocolate, caramel, and warming spices such as cinnamon, pepper, and ginger. The high strength of 51.2% ABV delivers intensity and structure, yet the whisky remains harmonious and refined. The finish is long and nuanced, with notes of dried fruit, roasted oak, and a gentle spiced dryness that invites another sip.

Box Distillery The 2nd Step Collection 02 is a whisky that highlights the distillery’s craftsmanship and ambition while cementing Sweden’s place on the world whisky map. It is a bottle for collectors and enthusiasts seeking a whisky experience beyond the ordinary.

Distillery: Box Distillery
Name: The 2nd Step Collection 02
Age: NAS, Bottled 2016
Type: Single Swedish Malt Whisky
ABV: 51.2%
70 cl
Other: Limited release

 

Box Distillery The 2 nd Step Collection Single Swedish Malt Whisky 50 cl./ 51,1% Distillery BottlingBox Whisky is a small distillery located by the great river Ångermanälven, just north of Härnösand. The distillery started the stills in 2010 and has since then released some of the most promising whisky we've seen from Scandinavia! The stills are housed in a beautiful old building on the bank of the river, which used to house a sawmill that made wooden box cuttings, from which the name Box Whisky comes. The Ångermanälven river flows by with 485 cubic meters of crystal clear and ice-cold water per second. The melted mountain water is sluiced into the distillery where it is used to cool the alcohol vapors. Being able to cool and liquefy alcohol vapors efficiently is an important prerequisite for creating quality whisky. Some distilleries in Scotland even close for the summer because their cooling water is not cold enough. But with the river water being a few degrees above freezing for most of the year, Box has no problem.Box are also particular when choosing which wooden casks to age their whisky in. Their sherry casks must have held Olorosso Sherry for a minimum of 10 to 15 years before being converted into smaller 'anchors'. The bourbon barrels used are converted by Sweden's only barrel maker, Johan Thorslund. If the quality of the barrels delivered to Box is not up to standard, they are rejected and, as Box says, there are barrel suppliers who have had 100% of their barrels rejected on delivery.

Box is a fascinating distillery, and with such an ideal blend and meticulous approach to whisky making, it's not surprising that they have received high praise from people in the industry: "Box is arguably the most exciting new distillery on the planet" - Malt Advocate "It's more than a Swedish Distillery - It's a World Class Distillery" - Robin Tucek, Blackadder International