On Sweden's west coast, where the Skagerrak meets land by the tiny fishing village of Smögen, a lawyer with a taste for smoke distils his own spirit in one small copper still. This ten-year-old single cask left that still in 2013, was bottled by independent bottler Adelphi Selection in 2023, and only 232 bottles exist.
The Expert's Description
Smögen 2013/2023 Adelphi Selection is a Swedish Single Malt Whisky matured in a first-fill bourbon cask and bottled at 58.1%.
Smögen distillery was founded in 2009 by lawyer and whisky author Pär Caldenby, who insisted on one thing from the start: the whisky had to be heavily peated. Production runs in small batches through a single, small copper still, giving the distiller tight control over every batch and a result packed with character.
This particular release was distilled in 2013 and bottled in 2023 after ten years of maturation in cask #58, a first-fill bourbon cask selected by Adelphi Selection's team for its series of independent bottlings. The whisky is neither chill-filtered nor coloured, and with only 232 bottles released, it belongs to whoever is quick and curious enough to find it.
Tasting Notes
Nose
Dry smoke meets fresh bourbon vanilla, with sea salt and tarred rope close behind. Underneath sits a sweetness of honey and ripe pear that keeps the smoke from taking over entirely.
Palate
Powerful and cask-strength intense from the first sip, with smoke, black pepper and burnt sugar in tight interplay. The bourbon cask shows clearly through vanilla and coconut, while coastal salt adds a maritime edge.
Finish
Long and warm, with lingering smoke, toasted oak and a dry, ashy close that invites another sip.
Specifications
Name: Smögen 2013/2023 Adelphi Selection 10 Year Old Swedish Single Malt Whisky
Distillery: Smögen
Bottler: Adelphi Selection
Region/Country: Bohuslän, Sweden
Type: Swedish Single Malt Whisky
Age: 10 year(s)
ABV: 58.1%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: First-fill bourbon cask, cask #58
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2013
Bottled: 2023
Number of bottles: 232
Edition: Adelphi Selection
EAN no.: 5060383653458
Flavour Profile
Peated · Maritime · Cask strength · Spiced · Sweet
Investment Potential
Medium. Smögen ranks among the most sought-after Scandinavian distilleries with collectors, and with only 232 bottles from this particular cask, it will not be easy to find again once it is gone. The peated house style and Adelphi's name on the label both work in this bottle's favour.
Did You Know?
Smögen produces under 35,000 litres a year, making it one of the smallest distilleries in the Nordics. Pär Caldenby, the man behind it, wrote a book about enjoying malt whisky long before he ever distilled a drop of his own.
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