Made of Mackmyra’s unpeated “elegant recipe”, the Rotspon Triple Wood was first matured for 4 years in American Oak casks (200 liters), then further matured for 6 months in American and Swedish Oak “gravity casks” (30 liters), before receiving its finish in three Rotspon barrique casks from the winery von Have. All the three were bottled as single casks, nicknamed Abraham, Benjamin and Big Daddy.

By the way, Rotspon is an old German word for “red wine cask” and is usually used for French red wine barrels that are transported to a North German hansa town for final maturation.

Facts

Nose

Pretty fruity with cooked strawberries and cherries. Some kiwis, too. Vanilla oil and sandalwood. Hints of white pepper.

Taste

Vibrant and creamy. Fudge, strawberry-vanilla pudding and plum jam with cinnamon, balanced by some white pepper and oak. Dried cherries.

Finish

Medium and a bit peppery, with some light bitterness from the oak. More strawberry-vanilla pudding.

Overall

Maybe not overly complex but highly drinkable and satisfying. I was a little concerned that the red wine cask might be too overpowering, but this is definitely not the case.

Score: good but not exceptional ( 85 / 100)

Mackmyra Vinterrök (Winter Smoke) is the fifth and latest release in the series and was matured in Swedish Oak casks (previously filled with bourbon and sherry) and then partly finished in casks that previously held a Scotch Strong Ale.

Facts

Nose

A sweet malt beer with a maritime touch. Yellow stone fruits and smoked herbs. Vanilla together with some honey, balanced by a bit of salt. Peat smoke and also some iodine perhaps.

Taste

Oily and smoky with a light saltiness. Vanilla fudge and canned pears. Sugared lemons followed by limonchello. Hints of anise and white pepper corns. Ends with bitter oak.

Finish

Medium with light smoke and some oak. Lemon candies and nuts. Again a bit of salt.

Overall

Rock solid, reminds me of some Highland Single Malt with its light smokiness and salty touch.

Score: good but not exceptional (86 / 100)

Mackmyra Sommartid (Summertime) was the fourth release in the series and was partly finished in American and Swedish oak casks that previously held cloudberry wine.

Facts

Nose

Sticky, sweet and syrupy. Cloying honey alongside hints of tropical citrus fruits. Nougat creme and buttered toast. Some vanilla and sawdust.

Taste

Buttery. A whiff of white pepper and anise. Herb candies and honey. Gets more and more bitter-sourish towards the end.

Finish

Medium to short with an oaky touch. Sugared grapefruits and peppermint tea.

Overall

A solid and undemanding summer-like expression. I really like the nose, but the taste is just a bit too bitter-sourish for my liking.

Score: average but worth a try (80 / 100)

Mackmyra Iskristall (Ice Crystal) was the third release in the series and was finished in casks that previously held Pedro Ximinez sherry. Not that long ago, Mackmyra reissued this expression for the German market.

Facts

Nose

Fruity. Light fruits, most notably pears. White grapes and citrus fruits and fresh oak, underscored by a mint note. More herbs. Wild honey.

Taste

Dry with spicy oak, then more spicy with colored pepper. Eventually, the spiciness wears off and anise together with eucalyptus come to light. Ends with (slightly burned) caramelized popcorn.

Finish

Medium and a bit fruity. Dry cigar tobacco and raisins.

Overall

Very rewarding with a great good balance between warming sweetness and cooling eucalyptus. Not only for cold winter nights!

Score: good but not exceptional (85 / 100)

Mackmyra Midnattsol (Midnight Sun) was the second release in the series and was matured in American and Swedish oak casks (previously filled with sherry and bourbon) and then finished in casks that contained Swedish wine made from birch sap. I never had birch wine so I have no clue what to expect. I only know that I am usually not he biggest fan of the flavor profile that comes with Swedish Oak.

Facts

Nose

Unexpected sharp, the alcohol isn’t that well integrated. A flower field with lots of blooming purple lilacs. More than just a hint of hazelnuts. Whiffs of honey and caramel in the back.

Taste

Creamy and slightly bitter, but the alcohol isn’t that well integrated again. Coffee liqueur with orange zest. Gets a bit floral. Cloudy pear juice. Hints of freshly pressed lemon juice.

Finish

Long. A bit sweet, some bitter orange and a little spicy oak. Good balance.

Overall

Rewarding and balanced. The different cask types work surprisingly good together.

Score: good but not exceptional ( 83 / 100)

Mackmyra Midvinter (Mid Vinter) was the first release in the series and was finished in a combination of French Bordeaux casks, glühwine wine casks (mulled wine) and sherry casks. Sounds pretty wild to me!

Facts

Nose

Very dry red wine, pretty dominant at first. After some time, the spicy flavors from the mulled wine cask come to light – cardamom, cinnamon, clove and nutmeg. Hints of fruity sherry in the back.

Taste

Sour citrus fruits, followed by some pepper. Gets drier. The red wine comes back, but is more fruity this time. Ripe fruits or maybe even dried fruits.

Finish

Long and dry with meadow herbs.

Overall

Interesting, but too experimental for my liking. The bordeaux influence is just a bit over the top.

Score: average but worth a try (79 / 100)

Facts

Mackmyra Svensk Rök

Nose

Light peat smoke with a juniper touch. Citrus incense sticks  and rye bread. Hints of vanilla and caramel.

Taste

Medium smoke, but stronger than in the nose. The juniper is also more noticeable now. Dried vanilla sticks and tobacco leaves. A bit salty. Ends with sweet citrus fruits and rye bread.

Finish

Short. A lot of oak, a bit of smoke and a piece of milk chocolate.

Overall

Interestingly different from the usual peated single malts. Just don’t expect some kind of Islay-like peat monster.

Score: 81 / 100

By the way, this is the successor of Mackmyra’s first large-scale bottling, called “First Edition”.

Facts

Mackmyra Svensk Ek

Nose

Very fruits with apples, pears and bananas. Lots of marzipan. Fresh rye bread with white honey. Hints of vanilla. Undertones of pepper and oak.

Taste

Mainly sour dough at first, followed by grapefruit, butterscotch and floral honey. Whiffs of black pepper and licorice. Ends on notes of herb liqueur and roasted oak.

Finish

Medium. Oak, menthol, herbs and bitter almonds with a bit of nougat.

Overall

Swedish oak doesn’t seem to be my thing.

Score: 79 / 100

Facts

Mackmyra Brukswhisky

Nose

Pretty “green” at first with hey, leaves and green wood. Then cooked bananas emerge, alongside salted almonds with honey coating as well as caramel and mint.

Taste

Oily. Citrus candies, cigar tobacco, lemon wax and fruity toffee. Next come notes of pepper and licorice.

Finish

Medium. Very old wood, pine needles and walnuts.

Overall

Not great but not bad either. A solid entry level expression with a lot of wooden elements

Score: 79 / 100

Alright, let’s start with Mackmyra MACK, which is their new entry level expression, I guess?

Facts

Mackmyra MACK

Nose

Light and fruity. Stewed pears and fresh peeled lemons, followed by vanilla and nougat. Wood polish. Hints of mint and herb candies.

Taste

Smooth, but the youth shows through. Overripe pears and some oak. Ginger, bitter almonds and chocolate pudding.

Finish

Medium and a bit spicy. Mint chocolate. Whiffs of oak.

Overall

Decent, but way too youthful for my liking.

Score: 74 / 100