Kyro Oloroso Sherry Cask Finnish Malt Rye Whisky 70 cl 47.2%

It started on a sauna bench in 2012, with five friends, a bottle of American rye and one stubborn question: why had nobody in Finland made whisky from rye? They did it themselves. In Kyrö Malt Oloroso the spicy rye gets sherry for company, and the result is soft, dark and still unmistakably Finnish.

Expert's Description

Kyrö Malt Oloroso is a Finnish Malt Rye Whisky finished in Oloroso Sherry casks and bottled at 47.2%.

It comes from Kyrö Distillery Company in Isokyrö, western Finland, and is made from 100% malted Finnish rye, not barley. Rye is stubborn to distil and rarely used as a malt in whisky, which makes it an unusual grain to build a whole distillery around. The spirit runs through pot stills and matures first in American oak, some of it ex-bourbon. It then finishes in Spanish Oloroso Sherry casks, which take the edge off the rye's spice and add dried fruit, hazelnut and caramel. On the bottle's own scale it sits at the far end of non-smoky, but close to full-bodied and complex. The whisky is non-chill filtered, naturally coloured and vegan.

Kyrö Malt Oloroso is part of the distillery's core range, completed in 2023 alongside Kyrö Malt, Wood Smoke and Peat Smoke. The distillery sits in an old dairy by the Kyrö river, where the stills first fired up in 2014. The whisky was named International Whiskey of the Year at Meininger's International Spirits Award 2024, and Kyrö has been on the list of the world's most admired whiskies since 2021.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Nuts, dried fruit and caramel, with hazelnut up front. The scent is round and sweet.

Palate

Sweet rye bread, honey, raisins and more nuts. Soft and velvety, with the rye's spice tamed by the sherry.

Finish

Warm and peppery, then soft again. Caramel and a touch of mocha linger.

Specifications

Name: Kyrö Malt Oloroso Finnish Malt Rye Whisky
Distillery: Kyrö Distillery Company
Region/Country: Finland, Isokyrö
Type: Finnish Malt Rye Whisky
ABV: 47.2%
Size: 70 CL
Cask Type: Finished in Oloroso Sherry Cask
Non-chill Filtered: Yes
Natural Colour: Yes
Distillation Method: Double distilled in Pot Stills
EAN: 6430055042313

Flavour Profile

Sherry-influenced · Nutty · Rye Bread · Honey · Peppery · Non-smoky

Did You Know?

Before the stills in the dairy were lit, the first mash was made in the garage of head distiller Kalle Valkonen's parents. With no still nearby, it was driven to Pori, where the Beer Hunters brewpub lent them theirs.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Kyrö Malt Oloroso

What does Kyrö Malt Oloroso taste like?

Sweet rye bread, honey, raisins and nuts, finishing with pepper. The nose offers nuts, dried fruit and caramel. The Oloroso casks soften the rye's spice and give the whisky a velvety texture.

What is the difference between Kyrö Malt Oloroso and Kyrö Malt?

Oloroso gets a finish in Oloroso Sherry casks, which Kyrö Malt does not. Kyrö Malt matures in new American oak and is more peppery, with vanilla and caramel. The Oloroso leans towards dried fruit, nuts and caramel.

Is Kyrö Malt Oloroso a single malt?

It is a Malt Rye Whisky, made from 100% malted Finnish rye instead of barley. The production is similar to single malt, but the rye brings more spice and a bready sweetness.

What do Oloroso Sherry casks do to the whisky?

They add dried fruit, nuts and caramel and soften the sharper side of the rye. Oloroso is a dark style of sherry from Spain, and the casks give the whisky both depth and softness. Read more in our article on sherry casks.

Is Kyrö Malt Oloroso smoky?

No. On the bottle's own taste scale it sits at the far non-smoky end. The flavour comes from rye, sherry and oak, not from peat or wood smoke.

How do you drink Kyrö Malt Oloroso?

Neat is the best starting point, perhaps with a few drops of water to bring out the rye bread and fruit. A tulip-shaped whisky glass gathers the scent of nuts and dried fruit.

Who is behind Kyrö Distillery Company?

Kyrö Distillery Company is based in Isokyrö in western Finland and makes whisky, gin and liqueur exclusively from Finnish wholegrain rye. It was founded in 2012 by five friends, and the stills first fired up in 2014 in an old dairy.