Posts by Jan Autzen Laursen
Enghaven
I’m a great enjoyer of Danish whisky — actually more of a little fanboy — and why? Well, let me tell you. When I started enjoying whisky many years ago, the industry was still full of exciting releases and a broader program from the independent bottlers. My beloved Laphroaig had Quarter Cask, 10 Year Old, Triple Wood, 15 Year Old and an 18 Year Old in their portfolio. Today, an age‑stated release has become almost impossible to find unless it’s part of their core range — meaning either 10 or 12 years. Other producers have, God help us, started releasing bottlings with even lower age statements, typically 5 or 8 years, and I clearly remember the whole affair when Lagavulin 8 Year Old came out. A “new limited release”, though apparently so limited that Rema1000 in Denmark had pallets of it stacked with a price tag of 299 DKK per bottle. Long live Scotland.
The Scottish whisky industry is under pressure — not exactly the world’s best‑kept secret. The Danish industry, however, is blooming right now, with several exciting releases from the various distilleries in Denmark. And instead of stopping production or putting it on pause, we’re simply charging ahead as a whisky nation. Granted, we should probably remember that in Denmark we don’t even produce a fraction of what comes out of Scotland.
Today I’ve got three bottlings on the table, specially bottled for Whisky.dk. Enghaven Whisky, with their very exciting philosophy of “from soil to table”, and here we’re talking about a series called Fjord. Normally, you’d expect a beer from Randers Fjord unless I’m doing backflips — but today the menu is whisky, and a rum.
They describe the series like this:
The Fjord Series — Spirits with fjord, ferry and storytelling Right by the shores of Randers Fjord, just a stone’s throw from the small ferry landing between Mellerup and Voer, lies Brænderiet Enghaven. Here, where the fjord meets the fields, and where Denmark’s smallest car ferry has sailed since 1963, a series of spirits is created with deep roots in the local area. The Mellerup–Voer ferry doesn’t just connect two villages — it connects generations. A short, five‑minute crossing, but an experience filled with calm, views and maritime charm. People have crossed the fjord here since the 1740s, and today the ferry glides silently across the water, electrically powered and still true to tradition.
It is precisely this blend of craftsmanship, history and the rhythm of the fjord that has inspired the Fjord series: Fjord Whisky — a Danish single malt with depth, calm and character from Enghaven’s own craftsmanship Fjord Rye — a rye whisky with edge, grain and Nordic strength Fjord Rum — a molasses rum with warmth, sweetness and maritime soul
Each bottle carries the taste of the place: the fjord breeze, the ferry’s gentle pendulum motion and the down‑to‑earth pride that characterises Enghaven and the entire area around Randers Fjord. The Fjord series is created as a tribute to the little ferry, the great craftsmanship and the short but unforgettable journey across the fjord. Fjord Whisky, Fjord Rye and Fjord Rum are created as a tribute to the fjord, the ferry and the landscape that binds them together — a taste of the place, carried by the wind, the water and the craft.
Enghaven Fjord Rum 8 Years 2018/2026 – 48% – only 19 bottles
I’m starting with the rum because, as a whisky man, I’ll probably find more nuance in the two whisky bottlings, which I know quite well.
Enghaven describes the Fjord Rum as a molasses rum with warmth, sweetness and maritime soul. I can actually buy into that, because beneath the strong sweet aroma — at least strong for me — there’s a hint of salty notes. I can’t remember the last time my mouth watered just from smelling a rum, but it certainly does here. This raw, salty character breaks through on the palate and surprises me quite a bit. It’s not traditional rum as I’ve tasted it, but more sharp‑edged in nature. It absolutely gives warmth, and I can also taste that maritime element — the saltiness. A bottling that leaves a very positive impression on me. Maybe we in Denmark can also push the world’s rum production a little. A good start to the series.
Enghaven Fjord Rye 8 Years 2018/2026 – 45.4% – only 13 bottles
Now I’m more on home turf with the second bottling, the whisky made from rye. Something I find exciting about Danish distilleries is this experimentation with different grains, and rye is not foreign in Danish whisky. I usually say: enjoy the aroma and imagine a freshly baked rye bread — just in liquid form. People quickly find that in the nose because it’s something they know. What lies underneath are the lovely casks it has rested in afterwards. Enghaven doesn’t directly state which casks they use — theoretically it doesn’t matter to me, because whisky is simply something to be enjoyed, and preferably for a long time.
This rye whisky, at 45.4%, is a really lovely rye that sits beautifully on the palate and pulses gently at the back of the throat. Enghaven believes there should be some form of Nordic strength in the bottle, and I don’t quite get that impression. Stauning is, for me, the world champion of rye whisky on Danish soil, and fortunately more distilleries are joining the chorus of exciting releases. Enghaven is part of that — but not quite at the level of what you know from the other producers. That it has been aged for 8 years is nothing to complain about — the complexity of the whisky thankfully doesn’t disappear.
Enghaven Fjord Whisky 8 Years 2018/2026 – 54.3% – only 24 bottles
We finish with a powerhouse of a bottling. A full 54.3%.
Already with my nose in the glass, I’m interested. 54.3% must be a typo, because it doesn’t show up at all when you nose the whisky. I remember my first encounter with a whisky above 50% — I thought “wow, this is going to hit hard”. I don’t experience that at all here. Lovely soft whisky with lots of fresh notes we all know: dried fruit, vanilla, bananas, a hint of oak slowly lying at the bottom. You sense it. 54.3% — yes, I’m surprised, because it doesn’t dominate the aroma at all.
The taste is extremely interesting — warm, playful, delicious, lots of body in the mouth. I’m still not hit by the 54.3%; it lies nicely hidden behind the tongue. Not a dry experience at all — warms well in the mouth. A fascinating acquaintance. I’ve had many exciting taste experiences with Danish bottlings, and this one is no exception. It is truly worth recommending if you want to try good Danish whisky.
Conclusion
I love Danish whisky. Period. That’s what I wrote when I blogged about four exciting bottlings from Thornæs Distillery. Enghaven is no exception. Why people keep snubbing Danish whisky when shopping is a mystery to me. Why does it have to be Scottish? Why does there have to be some fancy age statement on the bottle? Why don’t we just embrace good Danish craftsmanship and support the distillers who every day try to put Denmark on the world whisky map?
The answer is a mystery — and yet not. We tend to buy what we’re comfortable with. Just look at Danish supermarkets — they overflow with black‑and‑white products, not more exploratory or flavour‑nuanced items.
Danish whisky does the opposite. They set standards and try to break them every single day they bottle their beautiful raw spirit and lay it down in casks for us to enjoy.
The Fjord series is exciting and interesting, and with so few bottles on the market, I wouldn’t hesitate to get one before it’s too late.
